Feedback & Reports

The second of three days on Wyebank and had a quick fish in the morning before the procession of canoeists started. Managed a nice 7.5lb barbel and a small chub before breakfast. The river was very low and barbel could be seen in some of the more upstream shallower areas either feeding or possibly spawning. Although the canoeists tend to be a bit noisy and disruptive the fish seem to return almost straight away. I didn't fish again until early evening and this tactic seemed to pay off as soon as the sun went down the fish became far more confident and practically pulled the rod in several times. I used feeders and longish hook links with pellets or homemade meaty boilies for hookbaits. Only one minor problem was a gentleman arriving and electing to fish opposite the swim I had been occupying but after he was educated by Don about the finer points of practical geography he made his way elsewhere to leave me in peace to catch yet more great barbel and chub. This really is a great stretch, not only because of the fish but because you have the place to yourself, once the canoeists have thinned out!

8 Barbel, 6 Chub

Arrived at midday to see river low and clear. Managed a couple of chub by the Bridge on light legered sweetcorn and a luncheon meat. Saw a couple of barbel off the bridge but the chub were keener and took the bait first.
Met the beat owner who was very helpful and moved to a deeper swim which was quiet until about six pm when traditional tactics of legered meat and sweetcorn cocktail saw seven chub landed up to 5 pounds 9 ounces and a barbel of around six pounds. A surprise eel on sweetcorn finished the session to the extent that my Labrador saw it and fell in with shock at such an unruly specimen!!!

1 Barbel, 9 Chub, 1 Other

A great afternoons sport on one of the most scenic WUF coarse fishing beats. The long (1/2 mile) walk is well worth it - just don't take a lot of gear with you!
Barbel from 4lb - 8lb, all on simple pellet and cage feeder tactics. Most chub 3 - 4lb. Plenty of bites missed and fish lost.
CT - 5 barbel, 7 chub, TH - 4 barbel, MM - 3 barbel
RD - 1 chub.
The first two anglers fished from 2.30 pm to 9.15 pm, the second pair arrived at 6.30 pm, fished to 9.30 pm. Plenty of swims here for 4 fishermen.

12 Barbel, 8 Chub

Started late due to oversleeping but still caught well all afternoon, including a nice Barbel on my first cast. I fished the top end of the middle field upstream of a massive weedbed with the feeder on hemp and pellet, catching several Barbel and Chub (including a nice Chub of 4lb 6oz). When bites dried up, I decided to have a go at floatfishing with speci wagglers and centrepin at the tail end of the island. After landing several more nice Chub on 6mm pellet I returned to my original (now well rested) swim for a couple more Barbel before packing up at dusk. A great day on one of my favourite WUF stretches.

7 Barbel, 13 Chub

15 chub and 4 barbel again taken from below the forest almost at the beat limit.

4 Barbel, 15 Chub

Total of 7 fish caught 6 carp and 1 chub. The carp weighed between 1 to 3.1/2 lbs but the majority were in the 3lb range and the chub was 2lb. Sweet corn was the most popular bait but I used dynamite baits hemp and snail as a change bait and that netted some of the larger fish.

1 Chub, 6 Other

A beautiful stretch of the river Wye. However there is a price to pay. A steep walk down the path to the riverbank (would be a nightmare if it was wet) and then barely anywhere to get down to the river. Be prepared to cut your way into the swims. Walked to the top end of the beat and baited up the pool below the Croy and then moved downstream to a shallower section where I managed to get into the river. Trotted crust from a centrepin with the sun on my back for about an hour taking three hard fighting Chub, fantastic. Moved up to the Croy and sat it out until about 11.00am with two more Chub taken on feeder with pellet. Retired for lunch and came back about 3.30pm. Unfortunately no Barbel but five more Chub taken from the deeper water at the beginning of the Beat. A fantastic two days fishing. Many thanks to the owners and the Wye and Usk Foundation as it is a privilege to fish this river.

12 Chub

Excellent days fishing, the first on a river in over thirty years. Fished early and late opposite weir gardens.

6 Barbel, 1 Chub

Day two of our trip, a hot sunny day, much warmer than the previous day. Despite seeing several barbel flashing behind the islands only chub were caught. A barbel was eventually tempted below the bridge but the upper bridge pool produced only chub.

1 Barbel, 9 Chub

The first of three days on Wyebank. Arrived to find the river very low and clear. Didn't start to fish until late afternoon but after a short spell trotting a float through some nice looking areas with some minor success (2x small chub) starting fishing the now famous bottom pool. This time of year this area can be fantastic and it didn't disappoint. Every cast resulted in a fish. A complete cross section of different sizes, all immaculate and hard fighting. A particularly nice chub at just under 5lb and barbel ranging from 4lb to 8lb. All caught on homemade boilies or pellets using feeders and long hook links.

5 Barbel, 7 Chub