Feedback & Reports

The day was cloudy for most of it with hot spells and strongish gusts of wind. The river was slightly higher than my last visit 3 weeks previous. Caught 5 barbel from just over 1lb to 8lb 2oz. 3 chub also caught again from over 1lb upto 3lb 12oz. All caught on a feeder with pellet on the hair.

5 Barbel, 3 Chub

1 Trout

Another red letter day at probably my favourite Wye & Usk beat, despite the river being lower than I have ever seen it - and gin clear. Barbel from 5lb to just over 10lb and chub up to just over 6lb. Started in my usual spot and got in to fish immediately - not quite a fish a cast, but not far from it. Went quiet around lunchtime but picked up again in the early afternoon. Tried a couple of other locations later and picked up a fish few from each - but couldn't resist a return for the early hours of darkness. Every fish taken on 2x12ml eclipse pellets glued to the hair, with a wide range of micro pellets (halibut, krill and betane) in a large drennan flat-bed feeder. 18lb micro braid hook link with 12lb red mist mainline on my Daiwa Infinity Specialist Barbel 2.25 test curve rod. Lots of loose fed pellets with the occasional balls of ground bait also seemed to stimulate bites. A very good day with a good fishing buddy, and one I hope to repeat very soon - but the river really does need some water.

37 Barbel, 26 Chub

River level low and clear with good pace. Fished from 8am till 9pm, had 9 barbel weighing 6lb 4oz, 5lb 2oz , 4lb 2oz, 6lb 2oz, 7lb 8oz, 5lb 6oz, 2-3lb, 5lb 8oz, 6lb 8oz and 5 chub weighing 4lb 8oz, 4lb , 4lb 8oz, 3lb 5oz, 4lb 3oz. Lost 4 fish due to fishing close to weed and sunken snags. All caught on cage feeder setup with halibut marine pellet or pepperarmi. Some illegal fishing at lugs mouth on bend but John the gillie had a word and they left. Several canoeists all well behaved. All in all a beautiful beat and excellent fishing.

9 Barbel, 5 Chub

River level dropping, caught 1 Barbel 4.5lbs at 6.20am. Thought I was in for a great day, however nothing else all day. On a sour note there was an idiot on opposite bank who drove to his swim, had no landing net, no changing mat & insisted on casting to same snaggy swim even though he had to pull for a break 3 seperate times leaving line in the river. I fished again 2 days later & same angler was back so he can't have been poaching. Does the WUF know who controls the opposite bank they may need some advice? It would be shame for them to ruin a lovely beat.

1 Barbel

Ee fished the middle of the beat on an clear area of river bed and stayed on this part of the river all day fishing about 10 meters apart. Single rod with a small feeder feeding 6mm pellets and fishing single and double 8mm pellets on the hook
We had a steady run of barbel up to 7lbs and chub up to 3lbs.
Fished up till 9pm.

23 Barbel, 6 Chub

2 small trout 9 to 10 inches. Both returned.

2 Trout

Fished numerous swims in the lower beat below the orchard, finally finding some fish in a swim with steps down in to it. Fished eclipse pellets over T 1 boilie, along the left hand tree margin. Result - 3 barbel to 8lb 3oz. Other angler was unfortunately less successful, great venue, great scenery and river. However, the footpath from the orchard in to the lower beat is almost completely overgrown and a sign on the entrance gate would help 1st time visitors like ourselves. Will be back.

3 Barbel

With the river having returned to normal summer levels, the bottom of the Island seemed like the place to try. There seems to be a huge shoal of Chub here with some Barbel occasionally moving in. Bites were immediate and continued for the entire duration of my stay. The fish were not huge with the best Chub just over 4lb and the best two barbel a couple of ounces either side of 7lb, but they give a good account of themselves in the faster water. Good therapy after struggling to get bites in the early part of the season.

10 Barbel, 24 Chub

1 good trout of about 15inches and 2 of about 10inches all caught within the same pool within 5 mins. No other fish seen or touched for the rest of the day. It amazes me that there doesn't seem to be as many fish in this beat compared to other beats on the Usk. I've been fishing the Usk beats for 3yrs now and I always struggle on this stretch. Such a shame as its probably one of the more diverse and picturesque beats of them all.

3 Trout