Feedback & Reports

Cracking day with river in good order but I couldn't find a fish in any of Don's recommended spots or areas I figured out for myself. The river was up a couple of feet and Don had suggested the conditions were right to try for the chub and dace that occupy the bottom pool, fishing maggots on the stick from the steps near the lower car park. I didn't try it but I should have. Still, the sun shone and all was well.
One more go before the season ends, I think.

Took the minimum of gear today and decided to try a roving approach for the pike. Had a nice 8lber early on and a 14lber in fantastic condition in the afternoon towards the bottom of the beat. Both fish on deadbaits.
Salmon very active today with a couple of very acrobatic fish keeping me entertained!

Was it really 23rd February as temperatures soared to 17 degrees as the two intrepid anglers decked out in layers of thermals and winter apparel began to disrobe bit by bit as they walked the length of this beat set in wonderful countryside for the first time.
With great anticipation we settled for the two pegs at the lower end of the beat, we thought known as the Rock Pool. After 3 biteless hours though a decision was made to move up the beat to fish the two pegs nearest to the line of trees which proved to be the right move.
With the river rising, about a foot overall during the day, the fish started to oblige around mid afternoon and between us we had four Barbel 7lb 1oz, 6lb 10oz, 6lb 7oz and 3lb 9oz and one Chub 3lb 1oz
These fish were caught on either meat or pellet fishing fairly close in down the side.

Decided in a crazy moment to visit the Wyebank beat in near artic conditions, fished from 9am-3pm stick float on the pin feeding maggots, freezing tempature with air temp at 2 deg C and water temp at a little over 3 deg C, biggest problem was line freezing in rings of the rod but managed to catch 2 Chub to 4lb 8oz and one Brown Trout of about 1lb, river was in good condition lower levels and a little tinge of colour. Just a shame about the weather....roll on summer and those Wye Barbel!!

1 Trout, 2 Chub

Trotted herring produced a old warrior of 28lb (new PB) and a couple of hard fighting well conditioned fish of 17lb and 11lb. The 17lber broke my rod when it tail walked under the tip!

3 Pike

A days roving piking. Conditions were auspicious, clear river running at winter height, heavy cloud and double digit air temps. 3 fish landed and another chance missed. Pretty special fish! First was a mighty 27lb 8oz, 2nd was a sleek powerful 17lber that fought explosively and last was around 10lb.
First 2 takes came at 10.45 and 11.15am, 3rd and the missed chance were 4 and 4.20pm. Despite fishing some choice proven swims the lack of action outside those periods was thought provoking.
The fish definitely wanted a moving bait today and the big girl was in a 4ft deep run out of a typical slack.

3 x grayling 6,10 and 15 inches. The Arrow looked in nice condition, plenty of water and running clear, but it was all quite hard work, apparently for individual fish rather than shoals. Typical Court of Noke at the backend of the winter season - there are a few nice grayling, but in my experience they don't exactly throw themselves at you!

7 chub on bread and cheese paste. Hard day had to keep moving to get bites.

A days pike fishing was the plan and Courtfield the venue. Arriving to find a ground frost and a slowly rising river from the previous days rain we were glad the barbel rods were left at home. Walking the stretch, as this was our first visit, we were encouraged by the water available and for the Wye the access to it. A roving approach was adopted to start with to try and find any feeding pike but apart from one missed opportunity, as a rightly disappointed K.B struck into thin air, this method was not successful. After a chat with the very knowledgeable and friendly Don a plan to sit it out in some pegs with previous form seemed worth while but as the light began to fade we both had to concede defeat to the Wye pike.

3 grayling about 1.5lbs, caught on a pheasant tail nymph dropper.