Feedback & Reports

This was a new stretch for us so upon arrival we parked up and walked the beat. The section looked good and for the Wye we felt the access was no worse than we had found anywhere else. Having struggled slightly the day before on a section a few miles up stream we felt that the fishing could be difficult. Thankfully we both managed to land a barbel each within the first hour but as the weather deteriorated the bites slowed. At times it was hard to believe it was August as I sat under my umbrella watching waves with white tops break as a strong up stream wind blow and the rain lashed down. K B's chosen swim of the telegraphs proved to be very snaggy and a lot of feeders were lost although the rewards were a nice catch of several lovely barbel on a miserable day. Would love to see this stretch in Summer trim but not sure when that maybe !!

6 Barbel all in evening session. Spent 2 hours in the morning trotting with the pin but should have known better as normal summer levels starting to rise and colour tinge getting in and no bites from anything. Adjourned for lunch and siesta.
I needed the recharge as the evening was eventful. A 7lbs 11oz barbel fought so long and hard (amazing power-to-weight ratio of 7lb'ers generally) with barbel rod bent full 180 degree arc under a bush right in the flow, it widened the gape on a strong size 8. I used a big bait. Another huge and overlong effort required with what I believed to be a VERY big fish on had me in bits as I had, unnoticed from the 7lbs 11oz battle, frayed line grinding in the rings. It was a sack-of-potatoes in fast flow and no wonder, 9lb7oz hooked in the belly. Barbless size 8 so no significant damage except to my nerves. Then an 8lbs 5oz bent off the landing net head though fortunatley I could get down to water level and use the net. Had a spare in the vehicle.
In between all this were 3 5-6lb'ers.
It was hard work!

1 chub approx 2lbs no barbel. River level high, coloured, lots of debris. Not the best of conditions.

River was low and clear so not the most conducive angling conditions. Fished pellet and feeder for the day. Second cast of the day in a meadow swim saw a 7lbs 6oz barbel come to the net. Followed 30 minutes later by a beautiful conditioned 5lbs 2oz chub. Thinking we were in for a great day faded as time ticked by. After 3 hours and a swim move no further bites were forthcoming. So we tried the swim feeder grave yard wooded stretch. This time we found a few clear area's and caught 2 chub over a 3hr period. The barbel just didn't want to feed.
Thinking that they might feed as evening approached we returned to the meadow. This proved right as at 5pm the barbel came on the feed. 3 more barbel were landed, 7lbs 6oz, 8lbs 4oz and 7lbs 14oz.2 were lost, one to a snag and another shredded the hook link on a rock. Canoes were no problem and we caught one chub when the canoe was directly overhead the bait. So a good days angling again.

18 barbel to approx 8.5 lbs and 1 chub on pellet baits

4 Barbel and 6 Chub all caught on pellets.

Arriving at the river at around 8am, after a long drive, we walked the meadow section and spoke to the other two anglers that we would share the beat with. They were very friendly and informed us that they had caught 1 barbel and as we chatted they proceeded to land a nice chub of just over 5lb. The river was coloured and very slightly rising after overnight rain but a good 6ft down on the our last visit. With the use of ropes and spikes (due to the slippery banks) we settled in to our chosen swims. It would be fair to say that the fishing was very slow with four rods fishing and often moving to cover new ground it felt as though it would come down to waiting it out for the fish to feed. An afternoon move down into the faster moving water of the wooded section provided me with my first barbel of the day which was worth the wait as it was in mint condition and weighed in at 10lb 4oz, a new pb for the Wye. Shortly after I was attached to another strong fish but unfortunately this was lost to a hook pull. A 6lb barbel was the last action of the day for me once the light had faded. K B had sat it out in one of the meadow swims and managed to pick up a very respectable 6 barbel, mainly in the evening, up to 8lb.

Evening session wading and long trotting with pin in bottom pool. Chubber float overshot and overdepth and held back to 12 hook with sweetcorn until early dusk then 20mm halibut pellet for last 45 mins.
Sweetcorn produced numerous dace mostly around 6oz but 2 dace around 12oz ( one weighed at 14oz and NOT a chub!) plus chub to 3lb. Then a barbel of around 6lb so changed to halibut pellet and loose fed pellets at my feet for 4 more barbel to around 8.5lbs. Freelined pellet at dusk for 1 barbel of 9lb 14oz.
Summer is watching a float go down the Wye with finger on centre-pin.
Most anglers seem to be arriving at 10 and leaving at 18.00hrs, the Wye produces better early and late so as the days shorten more fish will be caught as anglers will be still around at dusk. Average size of fish in Wyebank and Courtfield is increasing in last 2 weeks.

4 small Barbel. Late afternoon start and found little interest all round several spots from the railway stancions to 3 fields downstream [long old railway track parking behind padlocked gate].
Packed up when the rain came into dark, with nothing much of note on the wildlife front either. Desultory ? Nah, not in this lovely place!

A very poor day fish wise only 2 eels to report despite trying a variety of baits and swims. Not helped by the terrible weather causing the river to rise and colour badly. Both fish caught on meat.