Feedback & Reports

River, good flow and coloured, apparently due to top soil run off which seemed to suit the barbel. Weather started a little cloudy with warm and sunny afternoon and evening. Fished 10.30am to 10pm. Moved swims twice, some snags present near the bank. Used 12lbs line but still lost a little tackle. Best to cast well out and 12 to 23 across. However fish fed throughout the day. Used 8mm and 10mm halibut pellet on hook and pva bags and catapult as loose feed. I had 8 barbel, 1 of 5lbs, 3 of 7lbs, 2 of 8lbs 1 of 9lbs, and a final barbel at 9.30pm of 10lbs 1oz. Best Chub of 4lbs mid afternoon. My friend also had a great day, 8 barbel, 6lbs 8ozs to 9lbs 14ozs and a chub of 3lbs.
Some of the bankside conditions are quite difficult, steep banks, rocks and vegetation. Travel light, its reasonably easy to return to car for food and bait if required.
Parties of canoes up to late afternoon but this presented no problems.
Overall a very enjoyable day. Thank you.

16 Barbel, 5 Chub

All fish from bottom end by steps. Action all through the day. Chub on floating crust.

6 Barbel, 8 Chub

Blanked. Had plenty of offers on halibut pellets/boilies but could only attract pike on them. Was bitten off at least six times even after moving swims three times. As only took barbel tackle and bait could not change tactics! This stretch of river is very attractive and the swims reasonably accessible considering the bank height, however it is a tackle graveyard, with major snags everywhere I tried.

2 Pike

Lovely stretch lots of pegs. Troubled with eels for a while. Hot conditions. Pleasant days fishing.

8 Chub, 8 Other

1 shad. The largest I have ever seen, possibly in excess of 3lbs, safely returned. (Caught on fly.)
Tried fly and spinning.

1 Other

Just a few hours last minute fishing because the opportunity presented itself. Tried combination of Spinning, (Flying C) and Fly, (various) to no avail. Several big rises on the far bank by Wood Cribb!

Little Willow run of Lower Courtfield at 8.30pm, a 12/13lb slightly coloured salmon took a small black/silver single barbless Flying C midstream on a fast shallow retrieve from 45deg upstream. A very active fish, first time experience of salmon leaping several times well clear of water but hook held and fish released in water and swam off fast.

1 Salmon

2 x Twaite Shad (27cm and 34cm). River slightly coloured. Fly fishing only.

2 Other

Stunning bit of river, especially when viewed from the the little park by the rapids. River, weather looked good but blank on the day. Spinning failed to produce any sign of fish; fly at least produced contact with something 'substantial' (but unseen) which was lost after 10 minutes or so. Concentrated on area below house where there is some very good access (esp, for spinning) though adjoining Wyebank stretch offers easier fly access). Many thanks to Don and his colleague (sorry, didn't get your name!) for the guidance, would definitely try Courtfield and Wyebank again.

Fished Wyebank 1st thing but just a 1lb brownie on the fly just below stream. Later fished Courtfield but nothing caught or seen. Saturday rod and a local angler spotted fish in the woods and in Willow Pool but can only assume they had gone upriver by Sunday.

1 Trout