Feedback & Reports

A difficult day all in all, bites were extremely slow coming throughout the day.
The Barbel taken fell to Sweet Corn and Double 10mm Halibut, the fish were about the 6-7lb stamp.
All the chub fell to meat and corn. The "other" were 3 Eels of considerable size and one Dace.

2 Barbel, 5 Chub, 4 Other

4 Barbel

3 Barbel, 9 Chub

A late start at 2pm, great conditions but obviously the water was low. Managed to winkle out four small trout and two grayling using spider patterns. As ever, this is a lovely place to spend time.

4 Trout, 2 Grayling

The 04.45 start and 180 odd mile drive was rewarded with the Edw being in better shape than anticipated , 10 wbt to hand 5-10 ins and a cracking 13incher to the net, Griffith Gnat took 4, others to Grey Duster Para.
All returned in good condition. A great 4hrs on the Edw again.

11 Trout

Having had numerous visits before it was my delight to bring my son Jon for his first barbel fishing adventure. Conditions were perfect for fishing the lower pool. The river had a tinge of colour and was 10” above summer level. Jon caught his 1st barbel 8lb on his 4th cast and continued to catch using red robin pellets and a feeder fished 2/3 over toward the end of the the pool.
I decided to get in the river to freeline and roll meat through the pool with great success, the bites and fights were great fun, I highly recommend it for the more adventurous angler. So 24 Barbel to 8-8lbs, 15 chub to 5-5lbs
And 4 big eels later were home and tired and I really couldn’t have asked for a better 1st trip for Jon.. thanks to Don as always , it really must be the most prolific beat on the Wye. See you in the autumn for the big girls..

25 Barbel, 15 Chub, 4 Other

Lots of small Chub on float with odd quality Dace. Only large Eels on the feeder. Several Salmon topping close enough to almost count the spots ! Far bank busy with anglers.

A very special day for me: my first ever wild brown trout on a fly! the first (25cm) to a nymph, the second (26cm) to a dry fly.
I'm very new to this game, but this was my 5th trip out this season (on a river with a fly rod) and it was great to taste success at last. I missed a fair few takes too! And one much bigger trout that fought like fury managed to dance on the water and throw the hook before I could net it.
I had two sessions: 6.30am-1pm and then retuning for 6.30pm-10pm.
I began just below the bridge where several fish were rising, but couldn't tempt them. There was the occasional large salmon splash both upstream and downstream too.
On my way up the river another large fish jumped clear of the water, then another and another. My first thought was sewin, but when I got a better look they immediately reminded me of mullet. Thinking there couldn't be mullet this far up river I convinced myself I was looking at a large (several dozen) shoal of large chub, but after a bit of research I realise they were indeed mullet - and a good size too. They weren't interested in any of the flies I presented to them though!
I finally hooked my first fish at the top of the beat: I still had one of the nymphs on that I'd tried to tempt the mullet with so I drifted it down the rapids, then was going to retrieve it for another cast when I realised I had a fish on the end: my first trout! Must have been pure serendipity that I pulled in the line just as the fish took the fly.
It was late in the morning by now so I headed back to the bridge, from where i spotted lots more fish rising just below the bridge: a shoal of small to medium chub. They were great fun to target: not so easily spooked as trout and great practice for casting and timing the strike. I missed loads but caught three; all small, but great fun nevertheless.
The evening session was pure magic. It started slowly, and with a single chub caught below the bridge. No sign of the mullet. But soon after nine there was a decent hatch and the fishing switched on for about 45 mins - until the bats came out!
I lost the one trout, then finally got another in the net, plus 3 more smallish chub. So much fun. I will definitely be back!

2 Trout, 7 Chub

Did not fish owing to algae bloom

If you ever watched the film Jurassic Park and were upset that they didn’t offer trout fishing trips there, then here’s your chance. A wild place with challenging fishing. Conditions were very tough – genuinely gin clear water, marble-smooth bedrock and little to hide your approach other than stealth and cunning. Camouflage wouldn’t be out of the question… Every pool, run, riffle and glide held fish, but most were spooked once you stepped within 20ft of them. Each little stretch differs from the previous, and each requires a considered plan of attack. I don’t want to take too much of the magic away, so won’t give a blow-by-blow account of the day; suffice to say that the fishing was excellent and the setting otherworldly. Not too many fish compared to previous days on other streams in the area, but each fish was a genuine achievement.

25 Trout