Feedback & Reports

Arrived to find the Wye very low and clear and badly in need of a drop of water. Unsurprisingly the fishing was a bit of a struggle, exacerbated by the bright sunlight, but between us, my brother and I managed 7 Barbel and I also had two eels. Biggest fish around the 6lb mark - all were in magnificent condition, long, lean, very bronze and a couple of them had the most vivid red anal fins I've ever seen, almost Rudd like. All caught on halibut pellet.

Just a quick note for anyone visiting the stretch - the guidance supplied suggests that there are two car parking areas - the choice of which one is used is dependant on where the resident herd of cows are. On the WUF map there is a suggestion that the track down to the river diverges; on Saturday it didn't and we therefore had no option but to park to the right of the hut. In conversation later with the farmer he didn't seem to mind at all and moved the herd into the top field.

Three barbel late on. Hard work to find fish.

A rainy morning gave way to a windy but dry afternoon and the river was up less than a foot with some colour. A slowish start with no chub showing to trotted bread led to the inevitable ledgered pellet with amazing results. Nine barbel and a small chub for me and five barbel for my father in law (I allowed him into my swim to maintain cordial relations!). He had the largest barbel at a smidge under seven pounds with only a couple of them under five. At one point we were both playing large fish at the same time in an inspired extreme fishing type moment! A fantastic day on our first visit to this stretch - we didn't want to go home. Thank you Wye and Usk.

3 barbel to 6-10 and 1 mirror carp of 13-12. floating weed a problem. Swim feeder and elips pellets as bait.

Our eventful weekend followed on from our van puncture adventure yesterday with one of number crying "where's my seat?" as he was unloading his gear from the van! It soon dawned that the aforementioned seat had, in all probability, been left at Sugwas yesterday! After a short debate two thoroughly cheesed off anglers set off on the 30 minute drive back to Sugwas in the forlorn hope of recovering the seat. Amazingly the seat was exactly where it had been left - laying in the grass along with the rod, landing net and umberella that the silly b****r had also forgotten!!! Amazing as it was that the gear hadn't been nicked it was even more incredible that it hadn't been trampled to dust by the large herd of very inquisitive cattle in the field!

Unfortunately the "Carry On Up The River" performance above was the only significant event of the day as we had only a single chub between us despite our best efforts. I've never seen the river as clear at Whitehouse with large areas of the riverbed visible even at the top end of the beat. This coupled with the bright conditions sealed our fate I'm sure for the majority of the day but even when the clouds came over and it got later, nothing materialised. Again, one of those days!

5 Barbel to 7lb

7 Barbel up to 7lb

River up six feet over night and rising. Having never visited this stretch before it made swim selection diffficult as they were all under water. Tons of weed and rubbish coming down. Settled on the only slackwater available. One Barbel of 7lb caught on pellet and one lost.

2 barbel and a few chub. Strong windy conditions made fishing a little difficult. Bites were few.

A lovely sunny day, where 4 of us were after both barbel and pike. 2 Pike caught one 10lb one 6lb, one on a lure and one on a deadbait, one below the croy and one above it. Had 3 or 4 other takes in the morning. Afternoon one nice 5lb chub on corn up by the posts. Great day, but the barbel eluded the 2 trying for them. (they are novices though)