Feedback & Reports

The morning drizzle relented around lunchtime but with the water still very cold, it proved to be a challenging day. Despite our best efforts with pellet, maggot, cheese-paste and meat, there were few signs of fish, with the barbel remaining elusive throughout the day. C H did, however, manage to entice 3 chub, all perfectly conditioned fish weighing 3lb 2oz, 3lb 9oz and 3lb 12oz. Two out-witted by a small halibut pellet and one by luncheon meat.
Great to see the darting kingfishers and soaring buzzards (less happy to see at least 3 cormorants overhead through the day). Overall, as always, a day on the river was good for the spirit.

3 Chub

Bright sunny day, river near normal levels and clear but still pushing through. Took temp of water around 6-7 deg, chose to fish first swim over the foot bridge. Fed the head of the swim (from behind the willow) with 2 balls of heavy halibut ground bait laced with small pre-soaked micro pellets, gave this 20mins to work down into the swim. Fished over this with hair rigged elipse pellets for 3 hrs with out a touch. A change of bait resulted in 2 small salmon par and a 1.5lbs chub. Went back on the feeder and pellet and at aprx 5-30pm took a 4-5lb chub. Lovely to be out and warm in the sun even though fishing was slow.

2 Chub

Foggy when I arrived and chilly, another angler already fishing, think I would have chosen his swim (first spot over bridge) as it was the only area that looked to have a nice bit of flow against a steady piece of water where you would think fish would be? Not the case today however he told me he had one decent bite and this resulted in a hook pull.
After a natter I moved down to the 2 large trees on the same side. Although the river looked fine it was in fact tearing through. Mashed some bread and started with flake on the straight lead but the flow was to strong and with no slack water flake was gone in 40seconds. Set up float rod, sure enough it was ripping through, flake again was my choice on a size 4 with the 6no BB baulked 10" from the hook, float buried 3rd trot down, resulting in a 1lbs 8oz chub. 3hrs with not another touch packed in and left due to it turning very cold. Did not really expect much but must say was surprised how poor it was today, last nights frost gets the blame, will try again before season ends.

Not one bite. With relative low water this beat proved difficult on the day as the river appeared relatively lifeless.

Hard, hard day. River up again over night and powering through. Managed a 3lb chub late in the afternoon on crust. Highlight of day was as I crossed the bridge a stoat was crossing towards me, he lept on to the stone pillar and then lept into the river 18ft below and swam across the powerfull flow and climbed up the steep bank and was gone. Loads of game birds about, the area is a big sporting estate. Will be back in a few weeks time.
Well done The Wye and Usk Foundation.

Four chub on Cheese paste. Following on from TS who fished Sugwas, I too have taken home other people's line nearly every week this year. It's not hard to put it in your bag.
Note to WUF, forgot to say last week that someone has broken the barbed wire in the middle field at Perryhill. The beat really does need a few stiles put in place before the land owner gets upset.

Not a productive day 0 fish landed.

Hard Hard Hard - water well up and as such left hand bank pretty much unfishable and river roaring through. Fished other side 50 yards from bridge for 4 hours, not even a knock. Bet a good stretch with reasonable levels though.

Water low and cold. A few chub - no barbel.

Booked over my mobile £15+£3?? Anyway got to the river 12-45pm, slightly above Summer levels. Chose last swim on the LH bank, not a good move! Evil snag just in front of the over hanging willow at the tail of the eddy. Lost 4 complete rigs and 3 fish (this really needs sorting please W.U.F). 15LBS braid coming back looking like it had been cut with a knife! Hopefully fish will ditch barblees hooks and swivel, my in line feeder rig means the feeder detaches as soon as main line breaks? Keep this in mind if you fish this swim please. Time to move, well I still had a few rigs left. Crossed bridge and fished in front of trees 80m from bridge down stream. 2 x 10mm elips hair riged on in-line feeder saw me take 4 Barbel to 6 lbs in first 1 1/2 hours. Bite's dried up from 4-30pm would be very easy to associate with 3 cormorants turning up and very clear water conditions? Left at 6-30pm. did notice a MINK on the far bank around 6pm!