Feedback & Reports

The river looked just about perfect but the fishing was tough. 2 anglers and both started near the fishing hut with a couple of early morning fish. We then moved to the field beyond the woods section and caught most of the chub and barbel. All fish were caught on meat. Had my first ever encounter with a very inquisitive otter which ended up sitting on a rock about 2 feet away from me. I thought that would put an end to the fishing and seconds later had the best barbel of the day!!
We both really enjoy fishing this stretch but experience shows that you have to keep moving!

3 Barbel, 9 Chub

Following a really interesting a motivating session the previous day we arrived at the river with high hopes.

It was a beautiful morning, a falling river, mild weather and we had clear tactics in mind as we settled into what was in essence a pre-baited swim because we were returning to the pitch used the previous day that produced 3 great barbel and a monster run that got away.

Oh dear, best laid plans and all that produced a session with no real activity at all, two bites all day producing two small chub, in fact very small chub based on the Wye average. So, very disappointing and a reality check that you can never assume anything with this river.

Hey ho..that's the challenge that attracts, it's not 'catching' it's 'fishing' and we shall return in the new year with renewed vigour and the knowledge gleaned from our three visits this year. Overall it's been a really rewarding 2022.

2 Chub

A challenging session today due to a fast flowing river full of detritus, logs, twig rafts and leaves.

Fished fairly tight to the margins in the meadow swims below the wood as a consequence, about a rod length out.

It fair to say we were not optimistic however our patience and simple feeder tactics were surprisingly rewarded with 3 barbel, best going 7lb, plus one hefty fish lost after an incredible supercharged run mid afternoon. Thankfully that fish threw the hook, size 8 specimen, although this was bent hence our surmising it was probably a pretty decent lump.
Having tried patiently with various baits, luncheon meat, krill and halibut pellets etc in the morning it wasn't until we switched to hair rigged sweetcorn, 4 pieces on the hair, that the runs started to come.
Overall an interesting and informative day, very satisfying on reflection.

3 Barbel

Tackled the hill for the second day and found the river up by a foot. Still fairly slow but had barbel to 9-1 and the best chub was 3lb. Again pellet feeder worked best. Otter still about after spotting yesterday.

5 Barbel, 10 Chub

Unfortunately the extra water from yesterday's rain hadn't arrived so still fairly low. Took on the hill and had barbel to 8-6 in the first field. Pellet feeder worked best. Did have an otter pop its head out the water 6 feet in front of me which was quite a shock.

5 Barbel, 5 Chub

Let’s be honest this place is a very tough long walk. Beware if you’re carrying gear ! The water conditions were good. Weather was rain showers and dry grey spells all day. There is a super barbel swim with speedy gravelly water toward the bottom of the beat. Looks super salmon section . We took 1 barbel here around 7lb and lost one and took also a chub. 2 chub of 4lbs + were also taken from toward the top part of the beat just below the woods. Generally it was tough going. Luncheon meat freelined and pellets on feeder were the methods. Kingfishers seen, a white egret, no salmon.

1 Barbel, 3 Chub

River at 0.4 on the Ross gauge and clear, skies and temperature perfect.
Two fished the meadow, one of whom tried up the top in the afternoon, and one fished the Lucky Stones. All bar one of the chub came from the Lucky Stones so very peggy yesterday. I'm a lot more mobile than my more mature mates so the woods weren't a problem but in damp/wet it is still very tricky, particularly on the way in, requiring one hand to be free to grab grass at the trickiest bit!
8 good chub with the biggest 4.14 and the rest between 1 - 2lb. Could only catch chub on meat or maggot and no bites when I sat it out for barbel on large pellets or boillies.

23 Chub

Cold foggy morning but had fish straight away in the woods, bites soon dried up so a move downstream into the field section eventually found some fish again. Bites pretty hard to come by. Caught on bread, corn and meat. Had a surprise late on as a good double figure pike leapt clear of the water right in front of me - will bring pike gear next time!

6 Chub, 3 Other

Fished a few swims in the lower field below the wood with a cage feeder and meat or pellet as hookbait. Had a small chub and a 5lb 4oz barbel in the morning mist, but the rest of the day was dead - no knocks despite moving around, until one last small chub. Very difficult to access swims in the furthest field.

1 Barbel, 2 Chub

Chub below the woods, 2 to bread on the float remainder to meat on the lead, couldn't get the Barbel interested, most of the Chub didn't show till late on.

14 Chub