Feedback & Reports

The first time we've blanked on the Wye! Not even a bite!

Took a gamble on the river falling enough to make it worth the trip - it was still carrying a fair bit of colour (enough to make wading some of the stretches a wee bit exciting). Managed 3 grayling up to 1lb, and a small brownie. Binned it early when the hail began. No hatch, but nice long glides that I bet fish well when conditions more conducive.

17 x grayling 6-19 inches, 10 x out of season trout 8-14 inches, taken by bugging and in fact nearly all of them chose a Pink Shrimp from the cast.

A dull day around 5 degrees, with rain at times and only occasional glimpses of the sun. Nevertheless, Lyepole was as beautiful as ever although not quite so quiet as usual - I could hear a hunt going on in the next valley. Highish water (1 foot 1 at Byton gauge) but colour was fining down during the day. Just above the bridge, I met an otter fishing by day, as they often do in high water. I like to think they don't do too much harm to the fishing, unlike those "black death" cormorants, and in fact fish were taking just minutes after she passed by me on her way downstream.

However, of a very mixed bag of grayling, some small, some middling, a couple of fish at 15 and 16 inches, and a real specimen at 19 inches...well the big one, a nice looking fish in every other way with heavy shoulders and a massive dorsal, unfortunately had a nasty and quite fresh wound on its back. I'm afraid this looked more like an otter bite to me than a cormorant slash. I'm sure it will recover.

The trout were as active as they have been elsewhere this autumn, excellent condition wild Lugg fish, full of fight and pep...and no sign at all of spawning.

Altogether a delightful day and I was so engaged that that I totally neglected to eat my lunch.

Very slow start in the morning with only 3 small grayling showing from the bottom part of the beat. After a break we fished the top part of the beat both fishing the duo and what an afternoon!! My fishing buddy had over 20 Grayling and I had 13 Grayling. Fish in the deeper pools and we both lost some good fish. Largest fish approx 2 to 2.5lb.
Great day out and well worth the cash. Thank you Wye and Usk.

The temperature was 10C and the afternoon generally sunny. The river level was up, but not dramatically, and it seemed possible a barbel or two might feed. However there was no action to report on this final trip of the year.

3 grayling around 12" - 1 wbt. River up and muddy, fish caught on trotted maggots in front of the big house.

River up around 4ft and whilst not too coloured, it was a cold and difficult day with few fish caught - mostly small small chub, dace and minnows. Would love to come back when the river is in better condition.

Try as I might I could not locate the grayling so after about 4 hours headed back to the car. A resounding blank. Did find a salmon redd about 100 metres downstream of the bridge.

First visit to fish the Wye, hoping for some chub and barbel. Overnight frost didn't help with the barbel but the river was running with a bit of colour following rain earlier in the week. Caught 3 Chub during the day. One at spot on 4lb from the top end of the beat in the morning and 2 smaller ones at 2.8 and 2.12 from the lower end in the afternoon. All came from slacker water below trees or in cut backs in the bank. All came to cheese paste wrapped around a hair-rigged halibut pellet.
Can't wait to come back for another crack with a better idea of what to expect.

Very dissapointing day's fishing, two small grayling caught and returned. This was once a wonderful beat in the past, it has now declined with the quality of the fishing and fish stock.
These are my comments that I hope will be taken into consideration. Too much barbed wire fenching along the river bank with poor access. Young heffers were in and out of the river. Cormorant's spotted in the river valley. I shall not return until I hear of the river's improvements from the W.U.F

WUF NOTE: please see OB catch return from 4/12/11