Feedback & Reports

The excellent directions from the Wye and Usk were spot on again and this was a easy venue to find plus offers some spectacular views on route.
Despite the low water we enjoyed some very good sport on a variety of methods. The Barbel were all small but fought hard in the fast water and we caught one beauty of a chub just over 5lb. It was encouraging to see a venue producing some decent dace and a wide range of different year class of chub.
The conditions were on our side at this venue and we thank the owners and WUF for giving us the opportunity of fishing here.

1 Trout, 10 Barbel, 15 Chub, 30 Other

Although water some inches below summer levels there was movement which gave us a chance. Trotted a float with maggots for numerous chublets but nothing of size. A switch to traditional pellet/feeder did bring 4 barbel to 4lb during the afternoon.

4 Barbel, 10 Chub

Fishing two days Friday and a few hours Saturday. On Friday 26 barbel to 5lbs 16 chub. For numbers this was the best day of a fabulous week with a great bag of barbel again from the super productive bottom pool and lots of chub. On Saturday we had 11 barbel 3 chub during a short session with heavy canoe traffic so only fished a short while late morning. Very clear and in the shallower water the barbel are being spooked by swans and cormorants flying over. Nonetheless a good end to our best weeks fishing on the Wye ever. Thanks Don and WUF.

37 Barbel, 19 Chub

Good day, met Don, nice bloke. A lunar landing craft would be useful but mine was in for an oil change, still preferable to the brothel like ease of a commercial set up. Travel as light as possible or take Sherpas. Best bait, caster. Used one plastic and one real on size 14 hook, that way there is always something on the hook. Barbel to 3lb. but great fun, many thanks.

5 Barbel, 1 Chub, 2 Other

21 barbel to 5.5lbs, 14 chub to 4lb. Barbel caught mainly in bottom pool but also just below the salmon rock far side immediately below the Wyebank crib. Fantastic day. All fish caught on SMALL pellets fixed to the bottom and very small feeders, not swim feeders which seem to be scaring fish.

21 Barbel, 14 Chub

9 small barbel, 6 chub.

9 Barbel, 6 Chub

River level had dropped back since last week, canoeist will have to get out here and walk to Ross soon. Still the fish are there just had to move about to find them. Picked the odd chub out to start with rolling meat. Had to wait till early evening for the barbel to feed and need some care with landing the fish because of the shallow water and the rocks. Lost a nice fish, looked like a double cut me off at the net then caught one with a braided hooklink still attached. Thankfully the hook was barbless so there was no problem. Also, some care is needed to nurse these fish before their released in the shallow conditions.

5 Barbel, 4 Chub

Arrived to be greeted by low cloud and mist, water understandably low and clear. A great start, landing a small Barbel within a minute of the first cast hitting the water. Persevered with feeder and pellet for majority of the day but couldn't sustain the pace of the first few minutes.
Two further small Barbel (approx. 1.5lb) before resorting to free-lining meat later in the day, which duly accounted for two fine Chub of 3lb and 2lb.
Whilst I fully appreciate the river also belongs to canoeists, and I do expect Saturdays to be very busy at this time of year, I would say the constant traffic between 10am and 4pm (and I mean constant) was not conducive to worthwhile fishing. In particular, the slack water between the numerous croys at Wyebank seem to be the go-to areas for canoe-schools, with groups of 10-15 spending most of the day there, practicing their new skills, effectively rendering two thirds of the beat unfishable.
Lost 2 larger fish, definitely Barbel. One whilst free-lining, which sped approx 10 metres into a snag, unstoppable!, the other on pellet who's first run snapped a 10lb hook-link. Fished until 7pm, the conditions and the beat promised great things but in the circumstances, finished with a reasonable 3 Barbel and 2 Chub.
Fishermen will always want to catch bigger fish, but it's also great to see the next generation of Wye Barbel in such fine condition!
Despite the 'distractions', still an enjoyable day on the river. Great to see the Buzzards overhead, the wagtails and robins catching insects, and the kingfishers criss-crossing the river between the canoes. Fascinating to watch them waiting for a safe gap in traffic, just as we would, to cross the road. Thanks to all at WUF for all the hard work.

3 Barbel, 2 Chub

I started on the float between two croys without any luck. Swapped to the feeder and had a barbel 1st cast on pellet, then a 5.13lb chub on meat.
By now my son had 4 barbel. He went onto to finish with 11 and a chub, not bad for his first visit to the Wye. I had to settle for 3 barbel and 3 chub. All the barbel were small, not surprising given the depth of water we were fishing in. Had a nice chat as always with Don.

14 Barbel, 4 Chub

11 Barbel