Feedback & Reports

This beat rarely disappoints, but unfortunately this was one of those rare occasions when it did.

Arrived about 4pm not expecting much to happen until later , unfortunately sun came out about 6 ish which due to the westerly aspect of the river means in shines right down the length of it, killing any chances of fishing.

Decided to pop into the Bell for a pint and then walked back down to the bottom end to await the evening rise.

Conditions were perfect, warm, very still, hatches of great variety and quantity, think I even saw some mayflies, but unfortunately the fish just weren’t interested.

2 barbel 5 & 6lb 3 chub 2, 4 & 5lb. The rivers were great just dropping and fining down after the down pours we had earlier in the week.

2nd time with the Wye & Usk, first time in March snow on ground and the river tidal, nothing whatsoever. On Friday 23 July had a 3lb Chub and 9lb barbel and mate of mine had a two barbel 4lb and another 9lb. Great fight with the bigger ones and lots of activity, warm, cloudy intervals, river high, used Halibut pellets. Really a great day in stunning surroundings.

3 barbel to appoximately 8lb - not weighed.
4 chub to 5lb - not weighed. All caught on ledgered luncheon meat. River coloured and high but level slowly falling - not wadeable

2 Barbel to 6 lbs, 4 Chub to 5 lbs. River coloured and dropping after heavy rain.

The river looked perfect carrying plenty of colour but results didn't reflect this. 4 rod totals as follows:

Fri. 23/7 Backney - 3 barbel (best 7-4)
Sat. 24/7 Middle Hill - 4 barbel (best 7-10)
Sun. 25/7 Whitehouse - 9 barbel (best 7-5)

The barbel were interspersed with a few chub (best 4-8) but not in any significant numbers. All of us "rang the changes" with baits but all the barbel were caught on either pellet or meat.

It was extremely disappointing to find other anglers on all of the beats we had booked (bearing in mind all had a limit of 4 coarse rods)! We knew this was possible at Backney so this was no issue but another angler arrived to fish Middle Hill Court and there were 3 other anglers sharing Whitehouse with us. As the number of fishable swims is not particularly high on these beats, the presence of other anglers did restrict opportunities to rove up & down the beats and it certainly does nothing to alleviate clearly increasing angling pressure.

In coarse angling terms the cost of fishing these beats is relatively high but is acceptable when exclusivity is factored in. We definitely left feeling a little cheated and it would be nice to have some explanation of the situation!

** WUF Note **

We were sorry to hear the enjoyment of this angling trip was affected by extra anglers on the water. While we endeavour to ensure a degree of exclusivity, the beats do sometimes experience poaching activity (as do all fisheries). Having investigated this report, we believe that the other White House and Middle Hill Court anglers were fishing without permission. Should anyone come across what they believe to be poaching on a Passport water, we request they contact the Foundation as soon as possible, leaving a message if out of office hours. Although difficult at weekends, we can sometimes have the owner, a bailiff or one of our habitat team members attend the scene.

2 Barbel to 6 lbs, 4 Chub to 5 lbs. River coloured and dropping after heavy rain.

2 Barbel to 6 lbs, 4 Chub to 5 lbs. River coloured and dropping after heavy rain.

The river level had fallen back several feet from a few days ago but was still above summer level with a swift current.
Caught a few small brown trout using klinkhammer and nymph NZ style then as the fly passed under a willow branch a 15" grayling took the klinkhammer and as I brought it across the main flow of the river I saw a silver flash as another grayling, 12" this time took the nymph. I called to my son for help and after several minutes he managed to net them both at the same time !!
We fished on upstream picking up several more trout to about 10". After passing a stretch of very fast shallow water we saw a trout give away his position by rising just under the far bank. Second cast he took the nymph, turned and took off downstream into that fast water, I had to follow him down for about thirty yards before once again my son managed to slip the net under him from behind. Until then I didn't realise how big he was 20", my best wild brown by far.
In total 9 trout and 2 grayling between us to both dry and nymph all returned safely.
An afternoon to remember !!!

9 Trout, 2 Grayling

3 Barbel to 81/2 lbs. River high & coloured.