Feedback & Reports

Really gloomy day with river around a meter up but clearing well. No barbel today but 3 chub around 3-5lbs on pellet.

Misty moisty morning after a 3am get up. Arrived to find the river higher than I expected. Careful monitoring of online info persuaded me to give it one last go before serious Winter set in. Started off in swim below Vanstone Pool and fourth cast had what felt like a good fish on before the hook straightened out (so much for the manufacturers extra strong boast). Very hard work from then on and I worked my way swim by swim downstream trying all manner of baits. Eventually managed one barbel around 6lb before getting a pike rod out and fishing one of the slacks. Not a sniff.
Anyway glad I made the trip, satisfied my curiosity and got there. The river and surroundings were beautiful, I watched a kingfisher fish for at least half an hour and had a cheeky mink for company. I also pike fished on the Wye, something I have yearned to do for a long long time. Happy to squelch off back to the car for a long drive home. Will return but probably not until next Summer.

Fished the lower end of the beat and were fishing for barbel. 1 rod had 1 chub at 4lb 5oz and other rod had 1 pike at 14lb 4oz and 1 chub at 4lb. Lovely part of the river even though no barbel banked.

Had a good three and a half hours fishing. Two Barbel of 7lb 2oz and 6lb 12oz, together with four Chub between 2lb and 3lb 8oz. All on ledgered luncheon meat. Limited fishing to a short session as rain started to come down making the bank very slippery and dangerous (to a 60 year old) especially when trying to land, weigh and release fish. However, great to be out on the river. Hope to be back again soon.

Originally booked to just fish for grayling but fortunately the lady in the Wye & Usk office pointed out that it was still possible to fish for salmon. As a result ended up taking both salmon and grayling gear. It was a long hard day with absolutely no interest from either species. At 5pm decided to have one last run through Church Catch. Right on the bend and Bingo. A nice 31 inch hen salmon. What a pleasant way to end the season.

6 x grayling 14-17 inches, 4 x out of season trout 8-10 inches, small Rusty Klinkhammer and Red Tag. Water conditions were now about perfect but the day's weather metamorphosed from a clammy morning fog through a sort of Scotch mist to end the afternoon in steady drizzling rain from low clouds. No sight of the sun but at least it wasn't cold. A very few olives seen and just the occasional grayling rising until early afternoon. I was painfully aware that this might well be the last dry fly opportunity of the year, so I stayed with the method.
What was slightly worrying was that the grayling, although looking in good condition, all seemed somewhat dazed and on this occasion fought hardly at all when hooked. I am not used to being able to skate a heavy-shouldered 17 inch cock fish into the net in under 30 seconds but that was how it went. The trout, due to spawn before too long, were comparatively thin. Is this the result of a summer of constant floods and associated poor feeding; perhaps the fishery scientists can tell us?
Congratulations and well fished to CP of Clevedon for his Irfon salmon from Cefnllysgwynne's Church Catch. I think I saw that one move when out with a client after grayling the other day. They are showing regularly in some of the deeper pools of the Irfon now. I am off to Scotland tomorrow, for a last try at the same species.

River high but clear appart from the Luggsmouth Pool which had a brown slick running down the far bank. Only had 2 fish all day, a 4lbs chub and a 7lbs barbel, both caught on 12mm x2 halibut pellets. Can't wait until my next visit to this beat, thanks WUF.

River clear and at a good height (0.5 on the Cilmery gauge). Weather overcast, warm but with a persistent light drizzle. Despite such good conditions the fish were reluctant. We fished the top end of the fishery above the Grandstand and rose a few desultory fish to sparse hatches of Olives and Iron Blues and finished with three out of season trout and three or four grayling all about 8 or 9 inches. No interest to "bugs" fished hard over the gravel runs.

This is a report for four days 19th,20th and 22nd,23rd of October.
Began on the Friday with the river about 5 foot higher than normal levels and racing a chocolate milky colour. Two barbel 6.5lb and 5lb. Oh and a gudgeon. Saturday a barbel first and last cast of the day and one other 7.25lb,4lb,6lb and two chub. Both these days were clear after a misty start but the weather for my last two days were like sitting in a cloud. Day three river falling and clearer. Two barbel 5.75lb,4.25lb and three chub to 4lb. Last day only two chub. I also meet Colin Richardson who was very friendly and helpful. I am returning to fish in a couple of weeks.

One grayling 12", one trout 10"; many more takes. River 6" up, clear. Top beat excellent and enjoyable fishing. Might the stiles be checked over, to easier usage by over 80s? I look forward to returning next year and staying at the Cammarch Hotel.