Feedback & Reports

My second trip to the Wye and a bit of a struggle. We started off fishing what looked to be a perfect swim midway along the Wood Beat with no success. Don came along for a chat and suggested we might have more success fishing one of the Meadow beats. So, after another mug of tea, we moved up river a bit and spent the afternoon fishing a couple of the Meadow pegs with no more success. This was clearly operator error as the guy a couple of pegs above us was catching judging by the comments of some walkers on the opposite bank. For the last couple of hours we moved back to the Wood beat where P. caught the only fish of the day on meat - a sizeable barbel, not weighed, but must have been pushing 10lbs.

Water low and clear but a lovely day for fishing. I'm afraid that the barbel outsmarted me (not difficult) but ended the very enjoyable day with 8 chub,the biggest weighing in at 5lb. Tried all the usual baits and all worked for the chub.
Another day booked for the 6th, on a different beat, which I am looking forward to. Thanks.

Slow going for 2 modest chub.

30 barbel and 6 chub between us - most caught by J who as usual gave me a fishing lesson. Most fish were 3 - 6lbs. A few fish were lost in the rocks and weed. A great day in lovely weather.

Water level down - the boy caught 2 barbel early in the day both on pellet. I went on the pin feeding hemp and corn under a loafer float with corn on the hook. Chub and large dace a chuck until Mr Pike turned up - went back on feeder fished pellet and had 4 more barbel and 3 decent chub to round another enjoyable day on this lovely stretch of the Wye.

I haven't fished this stretch of the Wye for 25 years and my how the fishing has changed in that time! Stick float and maggot are no longer the order of the day - it's big feeders and pellets all the way now! It's still a cracking stretch of river and the surroundings are fantastic at this time of year. It was a pleasure to meet Don the owner and hear all about the recent catches. Like the Wye of old it's all about being in the right place at the right time. On this session, I had one Chub around lunch time then sat patiently until the action started at dusk. First I had another Chub (both fish were around 3lb) then two Barbel followed - 8lb 6ozs and 9lb 9ozs. They were beautiful well-conditioned fish. Meat was the successful bait, feeding Elips pellets and Hemp in a feeder packed with Hinders 'Barbel Bomb' groundbait. I fished in Legg Meadow (peg 5 on the peg guide on Lower Wye Fishing website). Many thanks to Don and Allyson at the Wye & Usk Foundation for their help. Can't wait to come back!

4th and 6th October fished. 15 Barbel to 10.02 caught plus a Pike of 17.02 which was hooked when retrieving the feeder. Very pleasant two days spent at great location.

Roving - 2 roach, 7 chub to 3lb+, 1 small 4lb+ barbel.

15.30 to 18.00hr. Wading, long-trotting and feeding maggots on 16 hook under overshoted small chubber and expected the small barbel and chub to move into swim at lower end of Wyebank, several dace to 12oz but slow going and bites ceased after sun left water.
18.00 to 20.00hr. Same swim, ledgered large halibut with heavy swim feeder solid in mid-stream. Instantly into barbel so they were there! Total of 12 barbel, 6 to 10lb 14oz, non of the recent small barbel nor any chub. As it became darker the bites became more prolonged little tugs prior to powerful runs presumably as barbel feeding on smell omly.
It seems when this shoal of large barbel moved in the small barbel and chub caught recently have possibly moved out. One barbel with scar on side was present when large barbel were caught earlier in season when water levels were similar to todays. Hopefully if autumn levels are maintained these fish will show in Octobers catches.

Return visit river low and clear as to be expected with the previous weeks weather. Barbel of 6lb second cast of day with another of similar size later in day both on pellet. 3 Chub between 3 & 4lb. Fished middle of the day with trotting gear plenty of small Dace and Chublets virtually a fish each run through, encouraging to see. Apologies got back to the car and found that print out of confirmation and beat details had fallen from back pocket, this obviously has name, address etc so if found I was not intentionally littering.