Feedback & Reports

First trip to the Wye for 40 years. No barbel or Indian Balsam in those days. Memories of trying to hold bottom with a spilt cane rod and arlesey bomb in a chocolate coloured torrent were still vivid. I arrived to find the river chocolate colour but not too much of a torrent! Found a swim - didn't fancy going into the water as couldn't see the bottom and on own - a bit rudimentary but looks good. Tried various baits and had a barbel earlier on a boilie 6lb 1oz my first barbel ever believe it or not. Hooked 2 without detecting bites - loose weed on the line was a real nuisance all day. The first was a good fish from the slackwater on the far bank, on sweetcorn, ripped off downstream and snagged me in a tree before the hook pulled, Second on pellet, hook pulled again.
Shocking weather all day, got a soaking and good coating of mud but very happy. Great river, great fishing and will be back hoping for more barbel and a few chub and less Indian Balsam.

Following the previous days heavy rain we fished whitehouse for the first time. It was unseasonably cold (13c), drizzly with low cloud and the river was carrying a little extra water but not coloured. The fishing was tough, I managed a barbel and 2 chub and my friend a barbel, but best was only 3 1/2lb. Next day we fished Backney, the rain had finally stopped and it was warmer. Overnight the river had risen a couple of feet, was highly coloured and pushing through like an express train. We struggled to find many fishable spots but eventually settled in acouple of swims near the bottom of the length. My friend had 2 barbel around 6lb, I had a barbel of 7lb14oz, a 3lb chub and to my surprise a 13lb 9oz common carp. All fish were caught on 8 or 10mm hallibut pellets, meat and boilies were also tried without success. I would like to try both fisheries again under more normal summer conditions and Backney in particular was a lovely tranquil spot. Many thanks to all at WUF, the maps and directions were excellent. You are providing a great service and we'll be back next year.

River level looking good at last, but rained all day. Seems like the barbel have moved from their low water tightly shoaled areas, as the usual spot only gave 2 small ones for me. Wobbly legged dad managed a load of chub and as we were packing up I looked upriver to see him, rod hooped over, trying to pull a barbel from the far bank snags while sat in a pile of mud. I did laugh.

He took a tumble trying to save his rod which was rapidly disappearing into the river and without his crutches couldn't do much but sit there in the mud and try to haul it out. To his credit, he didn't lose it and finally got his first barbel this year at about 6lb. :) Happy, soggy days.


p.s. Should be noted that the field and track to the river was still very solid on leaving, but the small area between the inner gates was getting slippy and if the rain continues, the safest way to get in/out will be to open the two inner gates at the same time, and drive straight through without stopping. Stopping between gates is going to create a mudbath and make future visits a bit more difficult.

River at about 10", first time on beat. Lovely fly water, but bucketed down all afternoon. Eventually gave in at 5.30 dripping wet! No salmon contacted or seen, but had a few suicidal trout. Fancy it fishes better on higher flows.

3 trout - 1.5lb to 3lb.

4 trout to 15" and 4 grayling to 14" on a mix of Klinkhammer and Sawyers Killer Grub, NZ nymph style. Raining heavily from soon after I got there, [1pm] until I stopped fishing at 6pm. The water was coloured but only slightly up. A lovely beat that in better conditions would have been even more enjoyable to fish.

Drove down from Lincolnshire in the morning, and it rained heavy all afternoon. Foy bridge is a nice little beat for 2 rods for a few hours sport. We caught 3 barbel of 4-5lb and several chub all on halibut pellets.

Only managed a 2 or 3 hour session in the morning with a good dozen or so trout (lost count), mostly in the 5" range, one hitting the 10" mark. Several grayling in the 8" range, with three between 10-11". The better browns taken on dry, whilst better grayling on weighted nymph. Very few fish rising. All taken at lower end of beat, very strong upstream breeze made for difficult fishing. Activity dwindled with arrival of afternoon.

Stayed at Wyeside campsite, fished just beyond footbridge. 6 brown trout 11"-14" caught using worm. 2 kept, 4 released. Also 2 smaller brown trout caught and released.

With a forecast of further rain I arrived at this beat for a 7am start. Access to the river here is very easy and even after some overnight rain it was possible to get the car to the fishing hut on the lower beat.

The river was running at a good level and had some colour. It was just a case of how much fishing I could got in before the gathering clouds brought further rain and tipped the balance.

I fished a pair of nymphs French style to start with and after 2 or 3 drifts I had my 1st WBT to hand. The fish being a modest 1/2lb but it gave me the encouragement that the chosen method was appropriate. 6 more WBT were taken and some lost using this method over the next couple of hours, the pick being a hard fighting fish of a touch over a 1lb. All fish were returned to the river safely.

The heavy rain did arrive shortly after 11am and lasted about an hour. I continued fishing during the downpour until I was soaked through. I was feeling rather damp so I decided to pack up on the lower beat and get some lunch - the Fish & Chip shop in Crickhowell providing a hearty meal that this hungry angler had to close the box on with a good portion of chips remaining.

Access to the upper beat was again very good but unfortunately the extra water in the river had coloured it badly. A strong downstream wind had also developed and after about an hour and a half's unsuccesful fishing it was time to call it a day.

A great beat but it was just a shame I wasn't able to get the most out of it on the day.