Feedback & Reports

This was my first visit to the Wye, the barbel having all but disappeared from my local Wiltshire river. It took some getting used to the size of the river, which was coming down at a fair pace, even at normal summer level. I had nothing in the first swim I tried, though there were a few very sharp pulls from what I thought were probably small chub. A move to another swim as the light began to fade brought first an eel, then at last a decent barbel bite and a fish just over the five pound mark on halibut pellet and feeder. Despite relative lack of success I greatly enjoyed my visit, learned a lot and will surely return.

1 Barbel, 1 Other

Only fished for just over an hour due to urgent work requirements. From what I saw of the beat it had plenty of good looking swims etc. and would love to return. The fishing that I did do was tough due to the fast flow, meaning that 4oz feeders barely held.

River condition were good with decent levels good flow and a bit of colour. Overhead conditions were bright and hot in the morning and cloudy staying warm with heavy showers in the afternoon. Commenced around 8AM and had first fish (9 lb 1 oz) around 9AM, the second fish at around 10.30AM (9 lb 5 oz). Then quiet until 2.30PM when had 4 fish in 4 casts over a period of no more than 1.5 hours, none of these fish were weighed but would put smallest around 4.5lb and best somewhere in the high 7's. Then another quiet period until around 5PM when had another 2 fish first fish estimated in high 5's second fish best of the day at (9 lb 12 oz). One surprise was that despite getting 'knocks'/'taps' every cast I had no chub at all.... Comment on the fish would be that all were in great condition except for the 9lb 1 oz fish which despite giving a great fight lacked condition and didn't carry the expected weight its breadth and length would normally warrant... Packed up a around 6.45pm.

8 Barbel

Poor days fishing with no sign of movement anywhere in the reservoir.

2 Trout

1 x coloured hen salmon 32 inches on size 6 Usk Grub fished on a sink tip. One other fish lost. 1 foot 7 inches on the gauge, which is good fly water for our beat, but still with that very strong peaty tinge to the water.

1 Salmon

3lb plus brown trout took a 11/2 inch cascade tube first cast! Returned fish.

1 Trout

Caught a Fresh Cock Grilse (4 lbs) and a Very coloured Cock salmon (12 lbs) today. Both fish caught on Fly (Cascade #8 and Reverend Mole # 10). The latter fish was safely returned.
Lost another fish later in the day. A good run of fish moving through the Usk. River is clearing rapidly.

2 Salmon

1'7" falling,a little colour, overcast. Full of expectation - but not to be! New boards on Ferry are excellent. At least the trout were keen.

7 Trout

After several disappointing outing to the Severn and Stour my fishing partner and I needed a confidence booster and from experience, knew that fishing the Wye would do exactly that...we were not disappointed.
Arriving at Foy Bridge and parking in the lay-by we walked both sides of the beat. There were a a good number of swims on the south bank with maintained steps leading down to the river. Unfortunately, as a pensioner with a dodgy leg, I felt that some were too steep for me to climb. The north bank had less swims but more suited to me. I settled into the second peg from the bridge and my friend dropped in the last one before the downstream limit.
After heavy rains the river was up and pushing through but beginning to fine down. I used a 3oz feeder to hold bottom although a lighter one may have held. With a little bit of weed coming through I used a slightly longer hook length than usual, about 30 inches and initially a pice of meat on a hair rig. After a couple of hours I hadn't had a touch and went to chat with my friend. He had had both Chub and Barbel using two elipse pellets on a hair. I went back to my swim and changed hook-baits and almost straight away
hooked into two quality Chub. I plugged away all afternoon without a touch until around 1830 when I hooked into a Barbel......only a very small one, but it was a Barbel. Between 19:00 and when I packed up at 20:15, I hooked into another 5 Barbel ranging from around 2lb to around 8lb. My friend did slightly better in the faster water just after the rapids and finished the day with 9 Barbel ranging from around 2lb to a fish just under the 10lb mark. He also had 4 Chub and a Perch (on double pellet).
Even the heavy rain in the afternoon/early evening didn't spoil what was an excellent days fishing. I'm sure it won't be long before we make the long trip from Portsmouth to enjoy this wonderful river.

15 Barbel, 6 Chub, 1 Other

Superb stretch of the beautiful river. We fished it gently at our leisure (had we pushed ourselves I see no reason why we could not have doubled our catch) using mostly the more accessible swims at the uppermost limit of the beat (on the tail of the Vanstone Pool). However, the younger members of our group ventured downstream to the Rope Pool and were equally successful. All fish (13, Barbel to 9lbs 4ozs, and 3 Chub of around 3-4lbs) were taken on standard feeder tactics using multiple small halibut pellets and boillie hook baits, no more than two rod-lengths out.
Thank you Wye and Usk for an exceptional and truly memorable day - we would love to come back.

13 Barbel, 3 Chub