Feedback & Reports

After two somewhat difficult days on Lower Hill Court, Sunday saw our party of four rods arrive at Wyastone Leys. Having fished the stretch before, I was looking forward to getting in to the top swims by boys rock where I knew from previous visits the water was relatively deep. Despite this, the clear and low conditions conspired against us again. Two rods attempted some trotting, though this only saw minute dace and chublets, all minnow sized, attacking the bait. With a long drive ahead, these two rods packed up around lunchtime and headed home.
The other two rods stuck to their guns (and feeders/ groundbait etc) in the boys rock swim. One rod managed an eel fairly early on, the other managed one barbel (probably 5lb, not weighed) around 2pm. Clear bites? We probably had three or four between us. In the early part of the day we received lots of very tiny pulls and plucks... though given the fact that these only came to meat baits we tended to put it down to eels, or maybe chub. Anyway, after the excitement of our one barbel the swim went completely dead. We stuck it out into the late afternoon, but having been deceived into thinking there would be some kind of barbel "witching hour" the previous two days and finding out that there was no such thing, we decided to call it a day around 6pm - again, a fair drive home looming helped that decision along.
So all in all, a somewhat disappointing return in terms of catching. However, as always - this beautiful part of the world can make even the toughest day's fishing a wonderful thing, so much so that the majority of the conversation in the car on the way home centered around when we'd come next. Obviously that will depend on conditions improving, lets hope we get some rain soon.
Thanks very much to all at WUF for wonderful service with booking, access, directions etc. We'll be back!!

1 Barbel, 1 Other

I have never seen the river so low and clear...tried our best but only 3 Chub to show for it

3 Chub

Water very low and clear, upstream from the entry point mostly unfishable as the accessible bank was at least 10ft above the water level. Fished the stone beach, nothing to feeder tactics but trotting maggot produced many small dace and chub plus one small barbel about 2lb. This fishery would obviously be much better with higher water levels.

1 Barbel, 40 Other

1 Trout

Fished from 11 ish on a clear sunny day. Great for scenery, not so good for fishing. Trotted for a few hours and could catch lots of really small stuff, but nothing worth mentioning.
Like many other reports, things picked up around 4.30 and after a couple of missed bites landed a decent barbel of about 5 lbs, followed by a small chub. Both on meat, and both from the roadside bank, where there was less flow and deeper water.
First time I've fished the Wye, so difficult to comment on conditions, river did look a bit low, but very clear water.

1 Barbel, 1 Chub

Fished float at lower end of beat, lots of small dace, chub and minnows.

River low and clear, but a very pretty venue. All anglers fished the first long shingle beach. 3 rods fished various baits with cage feeders. 1 rod trotted maggots which yielded 2 chub of 3lbs 4oz and 12oz. Also, numerous small dace. Feeder yielded 2 barbel at about 6pm. 1 at 6lbs 8oz and 1 of 12oz. A trying day but a pleasure to be there!
We stayed at the Pilgrim Hotel at Much Birch. The food and the Wye Valley beer were great and the staff very helpful.
We will be back!!!

2 Barbel, 2 Chub, 12 Other

3 Barbel

Arrived mid morning after a hearty breakfast at the Pilgrim Hotel. Water conditions were very low and very clear. We fished either end of the beat looking for the faster water. Experienced knocks and taps on the feeder all day. One of us remained in the fast water at the lower end of the beat and one moved to a slower deeper swim on the upper end of the beat. The fish started to feed in the last couple of hours before dark. We lost a couple of fish but ended the day with a PB of 10lb.5oz and another of 6lb from the deeper swim and a very fit 8 1/2 pounder from the lower fast peg opposite the island.
Will definitely fish this beat again hopefully with at least another couple of feet of water and more colour.

3 Barbel

Numerous small Dace caught and 1 eel approx 2.5lbs Barbel and Dace all caught on stick float, best barbel 7.0lbs. Eel caught on tip. Enjoyed excellent accommodation and food at the Pilgrim Hotel.

6 Barbel