Feedback & Reports

We arrived at the top of the beat after lunch and in the dry. By 5.00pm, heavy rain had turned the swims into a slippery mess and we had to exercise great caution. We managed 6 good barbel to 8lb 8oz before conditions became unsafe and we left around 6.30pm. The long, wet walk up the hill to the car required a fair bit of puff from those of us drawing our pensions and the new part of the path was too muddy to walk on. However, the new car park and access was appreciated.

6 Barbel, 2 Chub

A nice beat, 6 barbel on pellets in the morning and two chub trotting in the afternoon. The track down to parking area could do with a trim, brambles on both sides. Very good day thanks.

6 Barbel, 2 Chub

The WUF description for the top of the beat sounded enticing but after parking at the bottom of the orchard, we found the path through the woods very treacherous and access to the water limited. We gave up trying to find fishable swims, wasting a couple of hours. Eventually, we parked at the bottom of the beat and after a stroll across the field, found a few likely swims down the very steep bank. Massive wads of weed were coming down forcing us to keep the rods very low but the rise in water levels brought fish on the feed. Between 2.30pm and 8pm we had 11 barbel to 7lb and a half a dozen chub to make up for the earlier disappointment. Not an easy section to fish and pretty snaggy.

After a late start on Tuesday me and the boy managed 4 barbel and three chub, all on pellet. Up and at 'em Wednesday. 14 barbel to 7lbs and 24 chub knocking the 5lb mark. The beat, as always was in great shape thanks to Colin the gillie.

18 Barbel, 27 Chub

Another great trip but with the ridiculous journey I have to make, didn't manage to start fishing until 8.30am. Walked to top end of beat to fish off the croy. Savage bite third cast which resulted in a large Barbel being hooked but lost. Then the sun got above the tree line and it was obvious that the fishing in the low clear water would be difficult.
Moved around 12.30pm to one of the swims with deeper (slightly) water.
First Barbel landed at around 3.15pm (7lb 1oz) then quiet until 6pm when bites started to come regularly. Three landed (7lb 10oz, 7lb 12oz and 8lb 3oz) and two lost. All to Halibut Pellet/feeder in amongst the streamer weed.
Minnows a pain in the butt, munching their way through the pellets at an alarming rate!
As mentioned in another report if you are staying until dusk take a torch as the path through the woods is step and dark!

4 Barbel

Difficult day, rain but river very low, fished very hard and roamed the beat. Caught 4 chub and an eel between us. A few Salmon jumping.

4 Chub, 1 Other

A very low and clear river hardly good conditions for barbel fishing. However with the river being like this for most of the season it doesn't take long to build a picture of where the fish are. Getting the baiting and position of the bait is of great importance. We didn't arrive until 12.45pm and it didn't take long before J landed a beautiful 10lb 4oz barbel. Weighed of course. Following on from this the fish fed really well and between them they continued to catch chub and barbel. None of the large chub put in an appearance the largest was 4lbs 4oz.
T did land a very good barbel of 9lbs 11oz. A few other 8lbers and high 7lbers were caught and all weighed. This was our very first time on the river Wye barbel fishing and we had a great day. A big thanks to Don and the Wye & Usk Foundation.

11 Barbel, 6 Chub

All fish 6-7lb. Good condition. Fished late afternoon into evening and enjoyed a quiet session watching a family of kingfishers in between fishing!

3 Barbel

River still v.low although had been up a few inches and had some colour.

6 Barbel, 11 Chub

The river was so low that you could see most of the river bed at the end peg up from the railway piers. Unable to lug my gear up to the top of the beat for deeper water, I gave it a couple of hours before moving off for pastures new.