Feedback & Reports

5 Chub

River very high again so limited options. The first spot I tried at the top was very snaggy and moved after losing all my gear twice. The best Chub was around 4lb+ and the Barbel a good 8 but didn't bother with the scales after a pretty hard fight in heavy flow. All fish on my secret marinated meat ;-)

1 Barbel, 3 Chub

Fished 5 swims between us which we've caught from on the last 2 trips this month without a bite between us despite trying our standard feeder tactics for coloured water and multiple hook baits. River at 2m plus of minus all day, with good slacks, flow and colour, everything looked spot on for a few barbel. However the big influx of water the day before must have been very cold as the water temperature was 3 degrees down from last week and the report from Saturday. This is the only explanation I can think of for the blank day, my first on the Wye this year and first ever on MHC.

2 Chub

6 Barbel, 3 Chub

Cold start, beautiful by midday. Fished 6 swims between us taking 2 Barbel 6 & 8 lbs and 3 Chub 1.5 to 3 lbs. Meat was the best bait for me but also caught on Robin Red boilies. River in great condition with plenty of swims.

2 Barbel, 3 Chub

River was about 2m up and 10 degrees. Stefan the bailiff said it would be hard work as the day before only one barbel was caught. I too caught just one, around 5-6lb on groundbait feeder and pellet. That was about 1pm, 2 hours after I started fishing. I was fishing the very top end of the stretch next to the sign. Hooked another at around 4pm from the next fishable swim down. Unfortunately the hook pulled. This felt like a better fish. No other bites. 4oz feeders held bottom fine. Fair few snags. Fished 11am to 5pm. Thanks Wye and Usk - another cracking stretch and I shall be back in March!

1 Barbel

The conditions were good but a tough day on the river.

4 Barbel, 12 Chub

Although I had a few barbel here on Friday the anglers since hadn't had much so my confidence wasn't as high as it should have been. However despite only 8 degrees this morning, the water temp was 10, there was a bit of colour and the river was slowly coming up so hopefully.....
We fished 3 swims down the bottom with my mates having first and second picks and taking old favourites that normally produce and I'd had 5 fish out of on Friday, leaving me in a swim that isn't normally as good but looked good in the conditions. Fishing being the wonderfully unpredictable passion it is they had one one small barbel between them (although Steve lost one at the end through a hook pull) and I had 3 barbel (6 to 7), a babber and 2 small chub. GB feeders and an assortment of hookbaits with halibut pellet best.
As I do the selecting and organising I'm only happy if we all catch but that is really difficult at this time of year and in these conditions. One more trip next week and that might be it till March..... Still beautiful place and the rain held off!

4 Barbel, 2 Chub

Fished all day down the bottom without a bite. See other report for the day for the detail.