Feedback & Reports

Fished from 8 - 3 p.m. As expected, no fly and no rises, and the river low at 1.01 m on the EA guage, so I checked out some of the streamier water and decided to see how the fish responded to spiders. Had ten grayling and four trout either on a GRHE and partridge spider, or on a furnace red tag on the middle dropper. Only salmon parr on various nymphs on the point. Had another lady on a HE emerger. Most grayling 8-10" but also two bigger fish of 15". No trout over 10". Water level, wind and sunshine considered, quite a pleasing result on the day.

4 Trout, 11 Grayling

Fish taking something sub surface, but nothing I had in my box. Wind was quite strong making dry fly and upstream nymph difficult. More excuses!
40 plus goosanders didn't help!

9lb 2oz Barbel caught on the lower beat in the large swim by the tree in the open field. Caught on 10mm halibut pellet wrapped in halibut paste, cast halfway out to the weed bed with 4, 6 and 10mm halibut pellets catapulted in the area. Hard days fishing as the river was so low and it was so bright but a magnificent fish caught. Happy days.

1 Barbel

Three small fish taken on different flies during evening session, first field above bridge - bibio, blue partridge and black gnat. Best fish just over 6 inches. 7ft wt3 rod and line, 6ft leader with 3lb tippet. No droppers.
Water very low and clear. Access to bank above bridge difficult due to barbed wire fence but beautiful spot, well worth the effort and day ticket price. Parking not ideal but road not exactly busy.
Online booking worked really well for my circumstances, short business trip. First time fished in Wales, hopefully not the last. Many thanks.

3 Trout

River was perhaps a little low. There are some really nice deep pools and runs which are surprisingly deep for what appears to be such a small river in certain places. Few fish seen, 3 nice trout all taken deep on bead head nymphs. Casting in places is not easy and the trees have a good dozen of my flies - perhaps I'm just not a very good fisherman. If there was some trimming of the overhead branches and clearing out the side, it would be a much easier fish - however perhaps then it wouldn't be in the wild stream section!

3 Trout

Fished a couple of hours in the evening, mainly with the purpose of testing out a new switch rod. There were plenty of sedges about and a few blue winged olives hatching but not much surface activity from the trout. Caught a few up to about 13" and a small grayling, mostly on nymphs in the faster water with a couple falling to a black klinkhammer.

7 Trout, 1 Grayling

River low and swims changed a lot since last year with the floods.
Barbel hard to temp with all the usual offerings had to wait till the evening to get a few although they were jumping out of the water all day! My son had 35 Chub on the float to 5lb on hemp and sweetcorn in 2 hrs before the sun and arm ache got the better of him. Feeder tactics gave him 5 more Chub and 1 Barbel.
I stuck to the feeder mostly 16 Chub and 4 Barbel being my reward.
My 60th season angling and a fabulous day spent with my son on the beautiful river Wye. All the bird life and catching fish is a bonus.
Thanks Wye and Usk Foundation and to the baliff Colin for keeping the swims so beautifully mown and strimmed. Good to see Colin and catch up on the changes to the beats swims and best approach to find the fish.

5 Barbel, 56 Chub

Water very low and clear, all fish taken were only 5/7 inches max. Perhaps the reason no larger fish were caught was the arrival of 2 people at around 18.45pm fishing the far bank with what looked like spinning or worming tackle. They made off when we approached, obviously local as they new where to go!
Also had to politely request the family who arrived to go swimming not to as we were trying to fish!
Otherwise a nice day and thanks to W & U for usual efficient booking etc.

3 Trout, 5 Grayling

Following on from the previous day we were back on the river at dawn. I went back in the same swim I had fished the day before to try and get a fish or two under my belt before going off to investigate other areas and leave the swim to one of my colleagues so they could hopefully have a few (the barbel appeared to be holding up in one area). After a couple of hours I had achieved my aim with four barbel to 8lbs 8ozs. I went off and set up in Legg Meadow. My colleague then fished the holding area and had another six barbel to 8lbs 15ozs and an eel by dusk. I spent the day baiting the deepest part of the swim I had chosen in the meadow, then fished it for the evening. While it was not as prolific as the swim I had been in earlier, barbel were passing through and I managed to catch another three of 7lbs 6ozs, 8lbs 11ozs and my first Wye double of 10lbs 1oz, taken at last knockings just as I was gathering my bits together. The perfect end to the session of a lifetime. Over the two days I had 20 barbel. My other colleague unfortunately had to leave early without wetting a line. Back In September.

13 Barbel, 1 Other

Well what can I say?
Arrived to find a family picnicking right where I wanted to fish with kids and dogs swimming in the river. Barbecue in full flight on the bank, radio at full whack and a scene reminiscent of Weston Super Mare beach!
Started fishing only for another family to arrive on the dreaded canoes and hold an impromptu white water lesson directly in front of us for the next 2 hours before they dragged the canoes out on to the beach and also started to have a barbecue party!
Caught 3 barbel and a solitary chub amongst the commotion, biggest at 9lb 1oz for my 13 yr old son.
Have to say I left the stretch a little dejected having paid nearly £50 for exclusivity only to have my fishing ruined by townies!
I do think WUF should offer evening/half day tickets and also some discount for juniors. £22.50 is extremely expensive for coarse fishing unless total exclusivity can be guaranteed.

WUF note - Unfortunately it is very difficult for us to react to these reports days after the incident. Please call the Booking Office immediately if you should encounter incidents such as this. This beat has a ghillie/keeper who we can phone any time to deal with issues such as this. We try to ensure exclusivity but it is impossible to monitor the whole river 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

3 Barbel, 1 Chub