Feedback & Reports

Three fantastic days fishing on this delightful beat. I explored the bottom end of the beat which Don explained gets less angling pressure. From the tail of the island (by the very handily placed pub), the bottom end of this beat comprises a series of, (if not one continuous long), middle river/far bank runs, mainly shallow but with one or two deeper holes. There were fish throughout in as little as 18ins of water.
Over three days I caught 22 barbel and numerous chub to about 5lb, (although mostly 1lb to 3lb), from numerous different spots. Apart from one stunning little barbel of about 12oz the barbel were mostly (estimated) in the 4lb to 7lb class with a couple (estimated) between 8lb and 9lb. The only two I weighed were 9lb 10oz and 10lb 12oz. All the fish were in stunning condition and fought like all Wye barbel do, which with the added assistance of the strong flow, and plenty of snags made for exciting fishing. All fish caught touch ledgering on sweetcorn, spam and pellets.

When you add in the gorgeous scenery, and the plentiful and varied wildlife you will not be surprised to know that I intend to visit this beat again! Thanks to Don and Rudi, and all at the WUF.

18.00 to 20.45hrs. Last pool of lower Wyebank section. Low summer level, 3ft max. Wading and trotting sweetcorn and halibut pellets down centre of river, 10ft avon rod and centerpin, 8lb line to 12 or 8 hook. 3 barbel around 5/6lbs and 1 weighed at 9lb 10oz, oh so close to that elusive double. 4 chub to around 4lbs and one dace of around 10oz. There seem to only be few shoals of dace this year possibly due to many gooseanders in winter and cormorants in spring?

2 Barbel to 6 lbs, 4 Chub to 5 lbs. River coloured and dropping after heavy rain.

17.30 to 19.30. Wyebank section bottom pool, river up 9inches on last visit, water cooler but clear. Wading and long trotting, long rod and centre pin 8lb line with over-shotted chubber type float 1 or 2 sweetcorn on size 10 hook in edge of main flow, approx 18/24in water depth, float set at 3ft and held back. 3 chub to around 3lbs and one midsized barbel lost at net then bites ceased.
19.30 to dusk. Same pool, wading, slow rolling ledger, 6 swan shot, 1inch size curried luncheon meat on size 6 hook with long 3ft hooklength. 3 barbel to around 6lbs, 2 chub to around 3lb and 2 beautiful light olive coloured eels of around 1.5lbs, both returned.

An evening session trying to float fish for the Barbel low down on the Courtfield stretch after the canoes have departed the pub..

Although the water was above summer level and flowing hard the water was very shallow ,only 4 or 5 ft max in the holes

Not very good at the float so struggled getting snagged and losing floats and halibut pellets regularly

Caught one at around 4lb, boy do they go on light gear with no weight to hinder them in fast water.

Tried the feeder and pellets for the last few hours before dark and it was like shooting fish in barrel,nothing large but a 5lb fish feels massive when caught in very fast streamy water. Lost count, but must have had 10 more or so plus some nice chub. Use heavy line around the feeder or you will be cut off by the sharp rocks.

I think this is the place to fish for barbel with heavy nymphs czech nymphing style, the chub, grayling and occasional big trout might like it too....

Many thanks to Don for putting me on the fish.

I will be back.

The day was quite blustery with heavy showers but river levels were low and clear. The steep banks made access a little tricky in the wet conditions so a great deal of caution was required. The barbel had been elusive according to club anglers fishing the stretch as so it proved on the day. I managed a half a dozen good chub up to 4lb on pellet but the afternoon was ruined by thoughtless canoeists who decided to have a water fight 30yds downstream from me, ending up with all twelve lads in the river for some considerable time. That incident and strong winds forced a finish at 3.30 pm.

Fished the Island peg and then Wyebank Pool. Four Barbel to 5lb taken at the Wyebank Pool on sweetcorn and pellets plus several Chub to 2lb, also chublets and dace. The Barbel all taken ledgering the chub mixed ledger and long trotting with an avon type float. Lost a couple of bigger Barbel and a Chub (bit rusty this time of year)one at Wyebank and one at Island peg, found a snag just down from the island.
An enjoyable day and my thanks to Rudi for putting me onto fish.

Wyebank, Bottom Section 06.00 to 09.30, 6 Barbel to 8lbs and 9 Chub between 2 and 4.5lbs. Rolling touch ledger in main flow on large halibut pellet and later on curried luncheon meat, 18inch bottom length to size 8 hook on 10lb line, 10ft barbel rod and fixed spool.

Courtfield Middle, tail of island 16.00 to 18.00hrs.
18ft trotting rod and centerpin with 4lb line, over-shotted chubber float set at 2ft to size 14/12 hook with single/double sweetcorn over sweetcorn loose feed. 1 GRAYLING about 10in long, 3 chub largest 3.5lbs, 3 barbel to 6lbs and numerous dace of around 8 to 12oz.

Wyebank Bottom Section 18.00hrs to 22.15hrs. Same trotting set up as above, another GRAYLING! 8in long, 4 Chub largest 5lb plus a bit, 7 barbel 5 to 9lbs and numerous dace and chublets.

On light gear in the fast shallow water over 30yds this was trotting at its best and I consistantly caught more quality fish per hour than are caught in the usual meadow section.
For these sections easy wading to mid stream is required when water is low, felt soled thigh waders would just do in low water. The 18ft trotting rod only has a 0.75lb test curve and was hardly able to control the barbel in the current, a more powerful rod would be advised. Use a centrepin if you have one to present the bait correctly.

The 2 grayling came as a suprise as they are seldom caught in this Wye section but most anglers fix ledger with large baits or perhaps its the constant high levels last year flushed them downstream. Their return would add another species possible on fly in this section.

Another angler fished ledgered pellet with swimfeeder just below the island and throughout the day caught good chub and barbel even as the canoes came directly through his swim.

A very bright day with water conditions low, so we knew it was going to be difficult to catch barbel. We managed 12 chub between us to 4lbs on mainly pellet tipped with sweetcorn and fed pellet. It was not until the evening that the barbel responded to the pellet and managed to bank barbel up to 7lbs.

We had a great day and look forward into fishing Middle Hill Court on September 1st, a big thank you to Wye & Usk Foundation.

Me and my mate fished the beat for 4 days taking 20 barbel up to 8lb and 16 chub up to 5lb. We fished method feeders with 17mm halibut pellets. A little slow during the day when it was very hot. All in all a very enjoyable 4 days fishing.