Feedback & Reports

Arrived on beat at 2.30pm and fished until 8.30pm. The river was in great condition, the best it's looked this season so far. The river was carrying 5ft of extra water and dropping off nicely.

Finished with several barbel from 6lb to 9lb, all caught on feeder and pellet tactics.

3 Barbel

Arrived early morning and started to fish the feeder in the cloudy low light conditions to take 5 chub before the rain came down.
The chub stopped biting so we started to explore the rest of the fishery, which I have to say was stunning. After a few hours spent searching different swims and falling down the banks into nettles (proper boys stuff) we still couldn’t find any Barbel so headed back to base camp for a quick recharge.
I soon set out in search of Barbel again and this time came up trumps after spotting one move between two clumps of weed. I was soon set up and it wasn’t long before the first Barbel was on the bank.
Knowing that I had a well known legend “Barbless” friend with me, I did the honorable thing and let him jump into the swim. It wasn’t long before he hooked a Barbel, surely this was it he was going to finally catch a Barbel after two seasons of trying, but alas it parted company after cutting him off on a rock. Myself and K fell about laughing as our still “Barbless” friend lit up the valley with a torrent of obscenities.
Thankfully after continual resting of the swim he managed to bag his first Barbel and tranquility returned to the valley.
The fish kept coming for the rest of the afternoon and between the 3 of us we managed 8 Barbel and 11 Chub with at least 4 other lost fish. None of the fish were weighed, however the chub were around 3 and 4lb and the Barbel ranged from about 4lb to one which was knocking on the door of 10lb.
A great day was had by all and we would defiantly book this beat again.

8 Barbel, 11 Chub

4 Barbel from the first swim you can get to and 3 chub from the shallow fast water. Tried the top croy but not a touch. Left early because of the rain.

4 Barbel, 3 Chub

Bottom fishing low clear water.

4 Barbel, 5 Chub

All six barbel caught on Halibut or crab pellet , ranging from 5lb 2oz to 6lb 12oz on a simple ledger rig .all fish were in superb condition.

The river was clear and low, lot of streamer weed in places with a shoal of barbel spotted in a really dense weed area on the near bank, however like most of this beat almost impossible to fish for.

The only downside to this beat is the lack of swims available, I know you can "make your own" ,which is what we tried to do, only to find that once you get next to the river, it is either a steep drop off ranging from 6-10 feet or overhanging trees making landing anything all but impossible.

There are maybe 4/5 places to actually fish from. I was disappointed in the lack of swims/access to the swims.
That said if you want to go and stalk these barbel the effort is well worth it these fish are beautiful in colour and condition. Take a rope to get back up the bank if you are feeling brave.
On a really big plus point fishing from the croy is an absolute joy , you will know what I mean when you get there!!!.

The scenery if fantastic with all manner of wildlife to watch " as we'll as your rod tip". Trout rising opposite the Croydon all evening after the hatch.

It's a healthy climb to get back to the car, take a torch if you leave at dusk it's quite dark in the wood. I would go back here no doubt but with a view to going light.

6 Barbel

Arriving at first light we managed 3 Barbel from 6 to nearly 8lbs from towards the far end of the beat. By 10am, it was already pretty hot & obvious that the Barbel had gone for an early siesta so we packed up & made our way back for a well earned full english & a cold shower.

We returned at 5pm, & with the mercury touching 32C we made the sweat drenched trip back to the same area. As the sun started to drop, the Barbel came on the feed again & we managed another 5 of a similar size until the light started to fade & we reluctantly had to reel in & call it a day.

An enjoyable visit overall but limited somewhat by the the weather conditions, the low & clear water & the limited number of fisherable swims, particularly as our trio included a father & son meaning we needed to fish close together on the grounds that returning to a distraught mother to explain how we had sacrifed her precious teenager son to the river Wye might have been a bit tricky.

I note from a previous report that there is nothing to stop you from creating swims but the feasibility of this is a bit constrained by the level to which the vegetation has now grown on along much of the beat. Whilst accepting this may not be too much of a issue to anyone young & fit there is still the consideration of finding a spot that allows for access close enough to the water to allow fish to be safely landed & returned.

8 Barbel

Did an evening session here, 7-10pm and caught a couple as the light dropped. River was low & clear. Pellet caught as usual. A Polish couple turned up and were fishing from about 8pm. Told them to leave but when will the Wye & Usk Foundation start to clearly signpost their venues as private fishing. They claimed to "no understand it is private fishing" but having read previous reports am sure they know very well but as no comeback, turn up again!

WUF note - If situations like this arise outside of normal office hours please call the NRW Incident line on 0800 807060 as instructed on your booking confirmation email.

4 Barbel, 1 Chub

Arriving to see the thermometer registering 28 degrees meant we knew it was going to be a tough day with the river so painfully low!
After a very short walk down a pleasantly shaded footpath you're on the river, and despite fishing the Wye regularly for over 15 years we both commented on the beauty of this beat. Spent the first hour or so looking for any barbel daft enough to be out in the sun before settling down to fish at around half 2pm.
4 painful, sweat soaked, sundrenched hours later without a tap I went for another look around with the sun getting low and settled on a spot that earlier that day I hadn't liked the look of.
Got settled in at about half 7 and just as the renewed sweating outburst was ending and dehydration was starting to verge on serious and I was considering wringing a mouthful of sweat from my T shirt (all drinks having long been drunk) a big barbel belly-flopped not 15 feet in front of me. Dropping a bait on its head resulted in a bite in 5 minutes saving me from straining a drink from my shirt but unfortunately streamer weed intervened and the hook pulled.
The next 80 minutes went mad with a 7lb 3oz and an 8lb smack on landed, 3 lost and at least half a dozen missed before simply seeming to switch off again.
One of the easier beats on the Wye to fish regarding existing swims and places to make swims for Wye regulars, visiting anglers may not agree but there's nothing stopping you from fishing anywhere really except a few trees at the top end. Didn't get snagged once and we did the short hop up the hill to the car in the dark with no torches and no problems - I was expecting the north face of the Eiger based on previous reports but it's less than 50 yards with just the odd root and step. Lovely beat, many thanks to WUF.
Oh, and to the 'angler' who visited before me. It's ok, I picked up your used teabags and took them home to bin them.

2 Barbel

Very hot day. Had a couple of Chub in the morning, then three Barbel in the evening, all on pellets from the croy. Nice quiet beat.

3 Barbel, 2 Chub

2 barbel off the croy at the top of section. 3 chub out of middle field, all on meat.

2 Barbel, 3 Chub