Feedback & Reports

The Gods were against us. The coldest morning of the year (3 degrees) and pouring with rain. We walked the walk but didnt talk the talk. When we arrived at the swims, exhausted, we knew there were fish there because a Cormorant was busy eating them right in front of us. DC junior lost two Barbel on the snags and caught a 5 pounder on the last cast of the day. I caught an 8 pounder from my only bite of the day.

2 Barbel

Pellet and feeder, a little rain at night made a little difference but river still very low.

16 Barbel, 2 Chub

Fantastic day. Fished blind but caught some lovely fish. Nice to meet Terry Ward who runs the beat, very pleasant. Saw plenty of salmon jumping also.

27 Barbel, 12 Chub

Arrived at dawn and had a good look around. Began fishing the second swim on the far bank using cage feeder groundbait and pellet...nothing, not even a touch. My companion fished on my left and had 3 chub in 3 casts using small pellets and pva bags, his swim went dead around 8am - 8.30am so we swapped sides and I fished the first swim on the road bank bouncing meat around on a light lead . My mate went down to the 3rd swim on the same side and caught 1 more chub and missed lots of bites. After a chat with the fishery owner I moved down to a deep pool on the same side and lost a barbel first cast using meat then caught a chub approx 4lb, then the swim went dead around 3.30pm. We made our last move of the day to the final swim on the road side and I had a barbel of 7lbs 2oz first cast on a 20mm pellet then missed a take on the same bait. My mate then lost a fish in a unseen snag . I changed back to feeder and smaller pellet and lost a very heavy fish in the same snag. Retackled and had a smaller barbel of around 4lb then lost another in the snags, then another chub around 3lb. To summarise, I had 2 chub and 2 barbel but lost 3, my mate had 6 chub and lost a barbel. Overall impression is a great fishery which needs heavier tackle than you might realise due to some unseen snags which cost me a possible double. Oh well, was a good day though!

2 Barbel, 2 Chub

1 Eel on meat. Lost one barbel and only had two other bites all day.

1 Other

I had been looking forward to fishing this beat for some time and nothing was going to spoil it for me. The fishing was slow to start but the surroundings breathtaking. The canoe traffic was substantially less than the previous day on Wyebank and just as courteous. Most of them will share a joke with you if you engage with them. After a wander and a chat with the other two anglers on the beat, Don arrived. From this point on and after taking on board all of his clearly substantial knowledge, I moved swims to the top of the beat where the deeper water runs. I opted for the swim known as 'the new swim' and it was not long before I was into the first fish of the day, a chub of around 4lb. It would be another hour or so before the first barbel arrived, a beautiful fish of around 6lb. This was followed by my best fish of the day at 8lb 4oz. A further 2 barbel and 1 chub were added before the light gave up on me. All fish fell to double glued halibut eclipse pellet, hair rigged and 3 foot hook lengths. I cast to the far bank aiming at a spot some 10 foot short of the far bank foliage. All of the credit must be given to Don, an extremely obliging and knowledgable river keeper and a real gent! I will most definitely be back on Courtfield in the future.

4 Barbel, 2 Chub

Not the river conditions we expected to meet when we looked at the weather forecast earlier in the week, what happened to the rain! We did have a salmon rod booked but with the river so low and quiet we both coarse fished, plenty of resident salmon about though. A very interesting bit of water, we did fish most of the beat to get a feel for it but no surprise all the fish came from the bottom. First time on a very well kept beat, will be back.

6 Barbel, 27 Chub

Tough conditions once again on this stunning beat. Had two barbel and 4 chub. Thanks to Don and WUF. Will be back!

2 Barbel, 4 Chub

Conditions were quit hard with very low water and lots of canoes!!! (most were ok ). Feeding time was early morning and dusk but did take 2 fish in the afternoon around 3ish. The fish were all in great condition, barbel was 9lbs 8oz and had a good chub nudging 5lbs. Bait was pellet and home made paste and hook baits. Slow fishing but a nice place to be.

1 Barbel, 8 Chub

Only certain beats on the wye can fish in low conditions and this is one of them. Best place we found was the first four swims near the Rock. All fish caught on halibut and feeders.

7 Barbel