Feedback & Reports

Beautiful Beat with lovely pools. Began fishing 12.30pm. 4 fish, 2 Chub taken on worm, 1 Barbel and 1 Trout. Fished until 6 pm before heading home. In the words of Arnie "I'll be back".

1 Trout, 1 Barbel, 2 Chub

The barbel are still spawning (I observed this one evening on the camp site I was staying at) so I think they are two to three weeks behind due to the low Spring/early Summer temperatures. Fished all day around a now famous snag that lost me more hooks than leads so this seems to be a sunken tree and the barbel are under it. After the first cast leading to a slamming bite and a tug of war around the snag which I subsequently lost, the rest of the day I only got the the odd knock, then I had one barbel over 7lb on pellet. Unfortunately could not fish the last two hours of light.

1 Barbel

Caught two chub trotting pellets, largest about 4lbs. No barbel from either side, all very slow feel they must be on their spawning grounds.

2 Chub

A difficult but ultimately rewarding first day of the season. The river was low and clear, but had a reasonable flow at the top end of the beat. Caught chub up to 4.5lb on 2 small elipse pellets glued to the hair with marine halibut groundbait in a medium cage feeder. Caught using my Hardy Marksman specimen feeder rod with 10lb mainline and 9lb hooklink to a size 12. Dad also caught a >3lb eel on a large piece of luncheon meat. Fished 4 swims all in front of the house and managed 6 barbel up to 9lb - all on 2 10ml elipse pellets glued to the hair. 1.75lb test curve Daiwa infinity specialist barbel rod, with 12lb straight through and size 10 hook. Hard work but a good day in the end.

6 Barbel, 12 Chub, 1 Other

Tried absolutely everything to winkle out a fish of some description but it just was not to be. Pre-baiting and moving swims brought no change.
Suffice to say, I cannot think of a better place in the world to blank. The local wildlife never ceases to entertain, even if that is a Mink busying itself along the margins. Will be back again and again and again!

A very tough first say of the season, only four chub caught with myself catching three of them. Beautiful stretch of the Wye but a little disappointed with access. Even with chest waders I would estimate only six to seven swims that you can safely get to without a rope. Could do with some work to make it a bit more angler friendly as this low number of swims split between four anglers along the entire stretch isn’t ideal, especially for £20 per angler! I’m sure as the season progresses the catches will improve, perhaps just a bit too early for the barbel after a three month break.

4 Chub

13 Chub on bread and pellet. Took fish from beats 2, 3 and 4. Tried for barbel but no joy.

13 Chub

Six Barbel to just over eight pounds between us but the going was hard, the fish just not settling to feed. Three of these came first cast in a new swim, then nothing! Maybe they have not finished spawing yet, it's a very late year. Plenty of chubb though, one rod having one of six pounds, which is a big fish this time of year. This beat is a bit of a walk,(offset by the beautiful meadows with spotted orchids) but there is some lovely water at the top end, Swan pool looks great and this is where most of the fish came from. This beat has some real promise for the future.

6 Barbel, 15 Chub

A remote lake set in open moorland - take a good pair of hiking boots, you will need them. In addition to 3 chub, we had 3 carp between us in blustery conditions.

3 Chub, 3 Other

Overcast and showers with no bites and no fish on this trip for both anglers. Until next time!