Feedback & Reports

8 chub, 1 barbel, 1 eel all caught on meat or pellet.
River looked really good with a small amount of streamer weed but that was not a problem. Not as many canoeists as we had expected but those who were out were very courteous and stayed well clear of us.

1 Barbel, 8 Chub, 1 Other

Despite the fishery owner driving over my tackle box at the top of the bank we had a great day. River low and clear and sunny all day. Would suggest anglers leave their stuff on the slope, not at the top of the bank. My 10 year old fishing partner had a nice chub early on and the owner visited and suggested another swim nearby had been successful for an angler the day before so we moved there. It was good advice and we began with a surprising 9 pound two ounce barbel at about 3pm to ledgered pellet. Another 8 (a small one pounder, four five pounders and three hard fighting seven pounders) followed before sundown between us. We shared a swim and the barbel. Some fantastic fishey battles in a beautiful part of the Wye valley and an experience neither of us will forget soon. Thanks to all.

9 Barbel, 1 Chub

A very different day to what I have planned before on this section. I took my son and arrived at Wyebank in a canoe landing at Lydbrook. It did feel a little like turning to the dark side briefly but gave me a very useful different view of angling in general on the Wye. I have to say that some anglers I encountered during the course of the day just hate canoeists! On the flip side some of the practices of some of the canoeist are incredulous and show a total ignorance and contempt for anglers, a shame as a little education particularly by the canoe hire companies would solve so many issues. Anyway, we arrived at about six o'clock in the evening and my son started fishing with me acting ghillie, which he seemed to enjoy! The river was incredibly low and very clear and canoes were still passing through at 7pm, he managed one barbel of about 4lb but bites were a bit scarce. We changed baits, using some boilies and various pellets but it was't until the canoeists ceased and dusk came that the fish started to feed. In total he caught 4 barbel, the biggest just over 7lb and 2 chub. The second chub being a monster 5lb 4oz, a new personal best. A very enjoyable evening. Unfortunately no photos as phone went flat.

4 Barbel, 2 Chub

Tough day. Got there very early but the barbel remained elusive all morning. One eel caught from the bottom of the meadow which was good to see and 2 very good chub of 5-6lb deceived us into thinking we might finally be onto our main quarry but alas it was not meant to be.
Wood Crib produced a nice brown trout in the evening though, which was an unexpected surprise. Despite roving with pellets and groundbait trying sweetcorn and meat...no barbel. Water very slow, and very low. Little reward for a lot of hard work but beautiful scenery nonetheless.

1 Trout, 3 Chub, 1 Other

First time on this beat. Arrived 5am and walked the stretch. Started in the shallows with no action. Fished the only deep swim to have any flow on it. Had an eel first cast. Caught chub and barbel until lunchtime. Had the afternoon off, mainly due to leaving my water at home and couldn't sit in the heat with no fluids. Started fishing again at 5pm and caught steadily until I packed up at 9pm. Barbel were all a good size, 8-9lb. That's 63 barbel in 5 trips to 5 different Wye and usk beats, 3 I'd not fished before, but no doubles.

9 Barbel, 5 Chub, 1 Other

First time on this beat and the river was low and sluggish, the weather warm and sunny. Walked a good part of the beat before settling in at a spot in the woods. During the late morning an early afternoon I caught the 6 fish on meat including an eel and a chub hooked in the anal fin (best fight from a chub ever). I had intended to move to a nearby swim for the late afternoon and evening but this got taken by anglers on the opposite bank. Before leaving I had a couple of casts in the last downstream field but with no success. Overall a nice stretch of river that would be a lot better with some rain.

1 Barbel, 4 Chub, 1 Other

Very hot day, with low clear water. Started fishing the lower end of the beat near the gravel bar opposite. Started early and managed 4 barbel in the first couple of hours. Then the men came with a mechanical digger, tractors and trailers and they started removing gravel from the bar opposite, so the fishing died (maybe a blessing). So I went for a walk and spotted a couple of barbel under the weeds. In the next 3 hours I had another 7 barbel a few chub and an eel. So feeling pretty chuffed, I went for some lunch. I got back at about 6pm and fished till starting to go dark. Managed a further 13 barbel. A really fanastic day. Most fell to small 6mm pellets, with some on meat. One small eel made up the catch.

24 Barbel, 4 Chub, 1 Other

River very low, so fished late afternoon/evening. We caught 2 barbel and 2 chub from below the streamer weed in the first 200 yards of the venue.

2 Barbel, 2 Chub

Hot day again, fished early morning up till lunch then had to head for home. Didn't catch anything.

First time on this beat and last day of our trip. Slow going during the day and a couple of anglers on the other bank meant we took a break for refreshments. On our return we fished a different area and settled in for the evening. After half an hour my friend hooked into a PB barbel, an immaculate fish of 10lb 5oz. A quiet spell followed which coincided with three anglers setting up on the private stretch, just after they left I finished the day with a 8lb 4oz barbel. Nice beat with plenty of swims to go at. Wildlife today - an otter in the dusk on the far bank. And so ends a great week with a total of 64 barbel and we lost count of the number of chub, looking forward to returning soon.

2 Barbel