Feedback & Reports

This report covers 4 rods on wyebank and courtfield on 19 Sept, 2 rods on courtfield on 20 & 21 Sept.

Sorry we did not keep exact catch records, but the party caught a fair number of barbel with at least three double figure barbel and a couple of five pound chub from the upstream swims in the meadow. The average size of barbel and chub was significantly larger than other beats, and the whole stretch was well kept and an extremely enjoyable venue. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Baits varied, hemp and pellet probably taking most fish.

The outstanding aspect of these beats, however, is the personal attention and advice from both the riparian owner and the baliff. Both were true gentlemen, and devoted hours to ensuring that all the party were in the best possible swims, using the best tactics for the conditions.

3 x trout 6-8 inches. Water as low and clear as it has been for a long time in this brook and I found the fishing very difficult this morning. The trees seemed to have sucked up all the rain which fell in this small catchment.

5lb cock fish, on a alleys shrimp, on little run! (Owner guest rod)

15.30 to 18.00hrs. Overcast with sunny intervals and river level slowly rising but clear. Waded out to Island and used a heavy ledger to hold bottom solid as rolling ledger unusually produced no bites. Difficult cast 20yds downstream on edge of willows to deeper area but 3 prime barbel, 6 to 9lbish on large halibut pellet (again unusual no bites on luncheon meat) banded to 8 hook on 3ft hooklength. Used all the 2lb test curve to bring fish upstream through flow but all recovered quickly on return.
Saw a long furred jet black mink on far bank with what appeared to be an 18inch grass-snake dead in its mouth, hope its passing through!
Can anyone explain why nearly all barbel I catch are hooked in the fishes right side of lower lip??

Made it to the river 4.00pm 1'9" falling, coloured
Caught a very lively fish in the Rock pool, turned out to be a coloured cock fish, a little bigger than last weeks, of perhaps 15lb, again unhooked in the water with no fuss.
Leaves beginning to become a problem.
2 trout of about 1lb (in superb condition) also took the silver stoat.

What a splendid location; range of environments, utter peace and quiet, friendly welcome at the parking site and other rods.
Lovely day spent, a couple of early bites without any fish landed. We'll return in the next season.

14 x trout 6-7 inches, on a Klinkhammer. An afternoon session on this forest brook, having become quite bored during the morning by standing beside a coloured Usk working away at coffee-grinding. After lunch, I figured if I have to stand out in the rain, at least I'll go where I can catch something fairly regularly! And we do seem to have had enough rain at last to bring these little forest streams back into condition a bit. It carried on raining all afternoon, the brook coloured up a bit, but pugnacious little trout seemed quite keen to nail the fly.

Did a check on the beat on Sunday evening - it was low and gin clear. Spotted lots of fish before we left and got a good feeling about the day ahead.
Arrived at 6am, what a difference. Gone was the gin to be replaced by chocolate. My heart sank as we sat up our rods. A whole tree drifted past followed by clumps of weed and branches of all sizes. We started off next to the car park as it still looked fishy, but the debris being washed down made it almost impossible to keep a bait static. Plan B - we went past the orchard to the open field and tried to find slower stretches. 2 hours in Tom (river virgin) hooked into a barbel that got off but it lifted the mood. Half an hour later a shout from Tom - I helped him net his first ever barbel at 6 1/2lb, he was well chuffed. I found a gap between 2 overhanging trees and found chub and dace providing good sport. The largest chub was about 4lb and in good nick. It went dead about 3pm so we went back to the swim we tried in the morning and eventually Darren got a fish - a lovely chub of about 3 1/2lb but he was still mad about missing a brilliant bite that nearly pulled his rod in.
It was about 7.30 and on my last cast I hooked into a barbel. I called it a day after netting an 8 1/2lb fish which fought like mad in the fast water. Could have fished on but had a 4 hour drive back and we thought we'd finish on a high and build up the antisipation for next visit.
Great stretch of river. Will be back and Tom is now no longer a muddy puddle man - it's rivers all the way. Thanks WUF.

1st day of a weeks fishing on the Wye. River quite low and clear but managed 20 Barbel between 3 rods. Best fish around 7lb

3 brown trout, best 12 inches in length. Two caught on a grey mayfly on the point and 1 to a PTN dropper. Wet day and some difficult fishing conditions: terribly overgrown and I had decided not to return until access was improved but glad I went.