Feedback & Reports

Caught 8 barbel best a tad over 8 pound and two chub one was 5.5 lb. River up a foot, nice comfortable peg at boys rock although lost a lot of tackle in snags ! (also some litter in the peg which i took away!) but a great days fishing, in a beautiful area. All caught on pellets and meat.

Thanks WUF.

3 brown trout 8 to 12 inches beautiful fish... feisty, caught on small olive dun. Very pretty river saw mink, kingfisher, mergansers and lots of dippers. I expected to see more fish.....on the whole great day was had. Stayed at Cefn-Meri at Llanfranach comfy and accommodating 2 good local pubs The White Swan and The Three Horseshoes.

Rather difficult fishing today. The fish really were not feeding well today. The river was higher than we had expected and somewhat coloured. It was impossible to fish some of the stretch. We only managed to catch 14 smallish B Trout between us. We will be back to fish this lovely stretch of the Usk again.

Access was typical of so many Wye fisheries: down a steep and slippery bank, especially at the bottom where receding floodwaters had left the ground quite muddy. Turned out to be an expensive day, as 10+ feeders were lost in a snag which I was later informed might be the carcase of a motorbike dumped a year or two earlier, and slowly being washed down the fishery by each flood (thanks for that info Rudi). However, the snag turned out to be the fish-holding feature, and when the casts didn't go awry 4 barbel were the result, 3 estimated between 5-7 lbs, and a pristine beauty of 11 lbs exactly. Pellet/paste combo was the main producer, with only 1 fish falling to meat. Other fish caught were a chub of about 2lbs, and the real surprise of the day: a 4lb jack pike which grabbed the pellet as I began a retrieve to refill the feeder. Stunning surroundings as ever, even with the Ross road a few yards behind (and above!) me. No less than 20 or so different bird species seen and/or heard throughout the day, the highlight being a juvenile sparrowhawk fly-past on the oppsite bank. The only downside were the incompetent canoeists who insisted on hitting the sides of their canoes with each paddle stroke creating a fish-scaring racket - and surprisingly there were more today than when I fished at Caradoc on Bank Holiday Monday.

Access was typical of so many Wye fisheries: down a steep and slippery bank, especially at the bottom where receding floodwaters had left the ground quite muddy. Turned out to be an expensive day, as 10+ feeders were lost in a snag which I was later informed might be the carcase of a motorbike dumped a year or two earlier, and slowly being washed down the fishery by each flood (thanks for that info Rudi). However, the snag turned out to be the fish-holding feature, and when the casts didn't go awry 4 barbel were the result, 3 estimated between 5-7 lbs, and a pristine beauty of 11 lbs exactly. Pellet/paste combo was the main producer, with only 1 fish falling to meat. Other fish caught were a chub of about 2lbs, and the real surprise of the day: a 4lb jack pike which grabbed the pellet as I began a retrieve to refill the feeder. Stunning surroundings as ever, even with the Ross road a few yards behind (and above!) me. No less than 20 or so different bird species seen and/or heard throughout the day, the highlight being a juvenile sparrowhawk fly-past on the oppsite bank. The only downside were the incompetent canoeists who insisted on hitting the sides of their canoes with each paddle stroke creating a fish-scaring racket - and surprisingly there were more today than when I fished at Caradoc on Bank Holiday Monday.

Access was typical of so many Wye fisheries: down a steep and slippery bank, especially at the bottom where receding floodwaters had left the ground quite muddy. Turned out to be an expensive day, as 10+ feeders were lost in a snag which I was later informed might be the carcase of a motorbike dumped a year or two earlier, and slowly being washed down the fishery by each flood (thanks for that info Rudi). However, the snag turned out to be the fish-holding feature, and when the casts didn't go awry 4 barbel were the result, 3 estimated between 5-7 lbs, and a pristine beauty of 11 lbs exactly. Pellet/paste combo was the main producer, with only 1 fish falling to meat. Other fish caught were a chub of about 2lbs, and the real surprise of the day: a 4lb jack pike which grabbed the pellet as I began a retrieve to refill the feeder. Stunning surroundings as ever, even with the Ross road a few yards behind (and above!) me. No less than 20 or so different bird species seen and/or heard throughout the day, the highlight being a juvenile sparrowhawk fly-past on the oppsite bank. The only downside were the incompetent canoeists who insisted on hitting the sides of their canoes with each paddle stroke creating a fish-scaring racket - and surprisingly there were more today than when I fished at Caradoc on Bank Holiday Monday.

What a beautiful setting for this stretch. Easy access to riverside but settled for swim close to fishing hut that could accommodate the 3 of us. Our friend had flown in from Germany the night before but unfortunately the Barbel would not oblige for him. Only 1 caught, 1 lost and few chublets but enjoyable nevertheless. Many thanks to WUF for providing the opportunity to fish this magnificent river. We'll be back next year.

We just love this stretch of river. One day we will fish it on one of the really good days when the fish are really on the feed. Having said that, we did manage 12 B.Trout and 3 Grayling between us. Look forward to the next time.

Fished Boys Rock, 6 barbel, largest 10lb 4oz all taken on pellet. Anyone who fishes this swim will use a lot of end tackle due to the large stones. I found the best way is to fish as heavy as poss and just bully the fish to the surface.

Yesterday on Cefn R.F., with a downstream wind & showers, we struggled. Mark spotted some large trout & tried for them with a fine leader & small nymph, but they wouldn't take. I fished dry & caught a 10" trout. We left at 6p.m., tired & with aching shoulders.