Feedback & Reports

Very tough day, we went in high hopes of the milder recent weather bringing the barbel on to feed but we were wrong!! Tried several swims from the power lines down, with various hook baits but couldn't get a touch. Right at the end, NC had a pike follow his feeder and it subsequently grabbed a plug the first time of asking (glad I bought a tiny bit of pile gear with such an occurrence in mind). I think we probably needed about two weeks of better weather rather than two days. And with the current forecast, it looks like it will be next season before I venture this way again. Thanks to all at WUF, directions and service all first class as usual, just a shame the fish weren't playing ball!

1 Pike

First day of a 3 day trip, very wet and difficult to safely access many swims. However, for the time of year had a great morning and early afternoon session with 6 Barbel all of similar 'stamp', maybe a shade over 8 lb range (not weighed). All in great condition.

6 Barbel

Not a very good day only two chub and a roach of about one pound lots of rubbish in the river due to rain. Will be back in better conditions.

Unfortunately heavy overnight rain wrecked the day with water levels rising fast and more rain coming. Fished through the morning, caught nothing. Got a bit dangerous so packed up early but I will be back.

Conditions were borderline unfishable with high water level and ferocious push from the overnight rain but we managed one 11 lbs barbel on pellet. Otherwise nothing.

River high and fast. Lots of debris....I tried 5 different swims in the upper part of the fishery but not even bite all day. Access is ok, stairs are not that hard and the first swim is not too far. Area and the river is ok, but next time I will be going to different area of the Wye, which I like more.

Species caught on the day : 2 x barbel, 2 x chub, they were caught on pellet. First time we have fished this stretch, easy access to swims, no problems parking, the 62 steps down to river keep you fit (going back up not so easy).

A and T from our party fished Wyastone on Friday 26th. Fishing was slow probably due to the drop in temperature over night and the easterly wind. Caught 3 barbel to 8lb 4oz. All on pellet.

We turned up to fish this stretch for the first time. Having read some of the earlier catch reports that said this was a difficult section to fish we were surprised to find this was not the case. The walk down from the upper car park area was a bit tricky due to the narrow flight of concrete steps so wouldn't recommend this access for the less physically able. We didn't check out the lower access as its on a 4 hour parking limit. Anyway the fishing was good, we had 8 barbel between the 2 of us to 8lb on pellet. It was a bit snaggy as usual for the Wye but not the worst we have experienced. We would return to this stretch in the future.

What a difference a month makes! Having found a distinctly friendly and welcoming river on an overcast but pleasant day in September whilst on holiday when I fished this beat for the first time, I persuaded a mate to come with me on another visit to barbel utopia... only this time, the river was high and charging, we had frost overnight followed by bright sunshine all morning and the reception from the river was hardly open arms... In the circumstances (particularly having read through numerous catch reports here) I suspected that we might have to wait for the late afternoon for a feeding spell, and so it proved to be. Fishing from 10am, neither of us had so much as a twitch to get excited about. Then at about 4.40pm, JC hooked and lost a barbel in the swim three down from the powerlines. Next cast on the same spot, a barbel of 6lb8oz was landed. This persuaded NPH to move from swim 2 to swim 4. However, what neither of us was prepared for was that the feeding "frenzy" would only last 20 minutes, as after 5.00pm no more bites materialised. Worth a 170 mile round trip? I would say "yes" - as the sight of a leaping salmon (twice!) and a peregrine falcon are things we don't generally get treated to on the thames. We will be back. Thanks to all at WUF, the access here is fine but next time I might hhave a more realistic evaluation of how mmuch bait I really need - as climbing the steps on the way back to the car with unopened bags of groundbait and pellets is demoralising!