Feedback & Reports

Bites were hard to come by thanks to the un-forecast bright conditions. Pellet feeder tactics with a longer than usual hook length came good in the end, with two decent Chub and a Barbel of around 5lb. River was up slightly, but well within normal winter levels.

Top half of the stretch has several swims with good access, but there was a large bonfire/waste pile next to the parking area that looks to be from the farm. The bottom half is much more wild, with somewhat limited access and some sketchy looking swims.

1 Barbel, 2 Chub

River was very clear which combined with sunny intervals during the day made the fishing slow. Most fish were caught on bread but were hold up close to snags as you'd expect. Boilies and meat did catch fish but trotted bread flake over liquidised bread out performed static approaches. Best chub was 5lb 3oz caught first thing on trotted bread flake.

11 Chub

Last minute booking. Stunning weather. Managed 4 barbel and 4 chub on maggots. There doesn’t seem to be the usual amount of chub as previous years. Still a pleasure to be on the Wye.

1 Trout, 4 Barbel, 4 Chub

Weather was very mild for this time of year, with very little wind. We started on float and persevered until 1pm, the only bite was a trout that acrobatically threw the hook.

Then my fishing partner tried a maggot feeder with instant success, from then on it was pretty regular bites from the chub.

I did try the float over the fish again to see if I could tempt them but they, didn't seem interested in a moving bait.

The surprise barbel came just as the sun hit the horizon.

1 Barbel, 23 Chub

Half day fished , love this place

6 Barbel, 6 Chub

Perfect weather apart from the up stream wind , good day all round

7 Barbel, 3 Chub

1 small pike early in the day.
Although I found Fownhope village ok, it was not that easy to find the parking/river stretch and not easy to establish the boundaries of the permit.

1 Pike

On arrival, the sun on the clear water allowed me to watch 2 pairs of barbel wallowing in the gravel, clearly very attracted to each other.
Nothing in my bait bag prompted any reaction, they were far more interested in each other than in feeding.
Fascinating to watch them. Kept me entertained for over an hour but overall, a day with no sign of action on the rod tip. An inquisitive pike of 12-15lb paid me a visit as I was leaving, again great to see.
Despite the landing net staying dry it was a restorative day on the river, good to be back after an absence of over a year. Mallards, mergansers, pheasants and wood pigeons kept me company through the day.

A bit of overnight rain tempted me for a last Grayling session . The river was up just a little but had a slight tinge which gave hope . 4 hours later 31 Grayling had graced the net trotting red and bronze maggots

3 Trout, 31 Grayling

Difficult fishing conditions ( sunshine gusty wind low and gin clear river)in the morning gave way to overcast skies later on as well as the wind speed reducing . By fishing as light as I dare in the way of hook link diameter the fish responded by coming on to feed for the last few hours . all fish on maggot feeder. In the end a good days fishing.

1 Trout, 1 Grayling, 2 Barbel, 7 Chub