Feedback & Reports

8 x grayling 6-17 inches, 1 x chub around 3.5 pounds, 3 x out of season trout 6-14 inches, long trotting. Another gloomy grey day, water cold and clear, and running at 2ft 3 inches. Grayling located at one place only - otherwise they seemed to have disappeared somewhere into flooded pools. There were two nice fish at 16 and 17 inches; most of the others were shotts of 10-12 inches.

8 Grayling, 1 Chub

Really hard going, a bit too much water but perfect visibility for czech nymphing. Fish not interested at all. fished hard on the bottom under the rod tip and lost a lot of flies but couldn't seem to find any hard feeding fish. Two fish to 12 inches and one of 14, no small fish at all. Freezing until about 1pm, then cold rain. Fish all caught within half an hour of each other from middle of beat. A gritty day on the Arrow.

3 Grayling

Very poor day thanks to high levels and limited swim access.
Fished for a short time in the morning and gave up when it started to pour with rain. Nothing caught.

The day started off with the first real frost of the season and with temperature below freezing it was going to be hard conditions. This was my fist time fishing the Wye and was looking for my first Barbel on my Birthday.
The bank was very slippery an some swims very muddy. I fished the last swim near the Island and cut. I would of needed waders or high wellies to fish over the cut as the water was high. I caught one small barbel (my first) around 2.5lbs that I was very happy with, on pellets and feeder early on. The water was coming though fast and made it very hard work.
I will come back to the Wye again in the summer and hope to catch more barbel. I had a great day all the same and a great birthday catching my first river Wye barbel.
Thank you.

1 Barbel

It was a difficult days fishing with the river in flood. Tried ledgering for Barbel and Chub without success. Changed to float tactics near to the bank and caught one small Dace. Although the fishing wasn't too good the wildlife was fantastic! Lots of Kingfishers darting about, Robins feeding on the maggots at arms length, buzzards circling overhead and Mallards paddling up and down. Lots of noisy Pheasants too but I dont class them as strictly wildlife.

1 Other

River was in flood - though at a steady level through the day. Fished a large chunk of flavoured luncheon meat. Caught 1 x 1lb eel - that was right in the main flow with 6 oz lead holding bottom. Put it back. Nothing else. Roved, fished the main flow, creases, slack water and at one point 12ft above the water in a tree. I am sure the barbel were feeding but due to my lack of knowledge of this stretch didn't catch. I had a great day though and will be back. Lovely fishery.

1 Other

Found the river quite high but more than fishable. Stunning place. Highly frustrating day with a lot of hook ups on the bottom. The rock here seems to grip the hook especially when fishing deep nymphs. But managed a few. Nothing bigger than 12 inches.

3 Trout, 12 Grayling

The water at Abernant was high and fast moving (3') but it was clear enough. The level fell during the day, and visibility continued to improve.
Graying up to 16" were caught, most were under 12", and mainly caught long trotting with maggot, although nymphs were used for a couple.One 15" and several small, out of season trout were also caught.
We were guided by Oliver Burch, whose knowledge and expertise made our day well worth while in tricky conditions.

11 Grayling

Arrived to find the river slightly higher than I anticipated and rising, but we decided to crack on anyway. Stuck at bugging the whole day, first fish was an out of season WBT followed at regular intervals by a few grayling up to 12". All taken on a pink shrimp deep.

1 Trout, 6 Grayling

A cloudy, wind-free day. No insects and just a few solitary rises - took a fly rod but barely worth a cast. So spent the day, as planned, trotting for the first time for over fifteen years. Was reminded from start to finish that managing a centre-pin reel is a lot more difficult that I had remembered! Found grayling though, from a few 6 inch graylets to several very fit 14-15 inch adults; most fish, as has been the case throughout the season on the upper river, were 8-11". Also six OOS trout of 6-10 inches. Left wondering why it had taken me so long to get back to fishing with other than fly rods.

6 Trout, 20 Grayling