Feedback & Reports

Two salmon caught, both on a small double general practitioner. 1st fish of approx 15lbs taken from the middle planks and returned. The second fish of about 6lbs was taken from the top of beat. A very enjoyable day for me with my 1st two fish day, and my biggest salmon.

A lot of cold water coming down (with the dead leaves appropriate to this time of year) but quite clear. Nowhere else looked fishable, but the Irfon saved the day once again. And a nice class of grayling were prepared to rise: 10 x grayling 12 - 16 inches, 2 x out of season trout 6 - 7 inches. A few large dark olives seen during the afternoon, but it seemed to be one of those days grayling wanted a bit of colour in a dry fly - a few on a Red Tag but most took Powell's Orange Otter, which was a bit of fun. And just in case anybody wonders about it, no, I haven't persuaded a compliant otter to let me dye his belly fur with picric acid and red ink according to the old recipe. Instead, a dull orange was made up from a mixture of orange and claret seal's fur. Mink present on the beat.

N.E corner with brisk S.E. breeze and sunny skies. 4 x 1.5lb Rainbows caught and taken on Mepps Aglia 3 and Comet 2. Two larger fish lost before accessing the net! Water levels well up on the last visit.

6lb salmon caught on spinner.

Water level still high and too deep to wade in the upper part of the beat but the easier lower section was in good form. Had 16 grayling (nothing particularly rod-bending but all nice fish) and 4 trout on nymphs and dry Adams. One grayling taken. To have such a water to oneself for a day is well worth the drive up from Sussex.

We were greeted by a river running hard, coloured and we chose the slacker water (mistake) which produced 1 chub around 3lb. In the last hour we moved upstream to what was very turbulent water. Jeff had maybe 4oz lead to hold bottom (I was bird spotting by then)....think last time we had that much lead on was on a charter boat out of Whitby!

He had a few barbel - biggest around 5lb. Taught us a lesson that what we think is pacey water is just a light breeze to the fish.

Arrived to find river dropping steadily but still coloured. Caught 30 Barbel and 1 Chub, all on Pellet. Best fish 9lb, with plenty of sevens & eights. Will be back!

River still high, fast & murky with a lot of flotsam and it took a while to find a fishable spot. A quieter stretch of water yielded 3 grayling and 1 small trout - all taken on a nymph and all returned. This is an attractive beat which I would like to revisit in less dramatic conditions.

This return covers 3 days fishing between 6-8 Oct 2010 by 2 anglers. 18 barbel caught to 10.02 plus 4 chub. River was high limiting swims available and flow meant that only near bank fishing was possible.

Day 2 and Jeff joined me. For Wye novices we winkled out a few decent chub to 4lb and Jeff had a barbel at around 5lb. With the river up, limited to the swims but we did quite well on the bend furthest from the car park. Luncheon meat and a spicey pellet.