Feedback & Reports

Lovely stretch but as with previous comments there are very few fishable pegs. Not much option for roving and there is no path between the fields.

Started in the middle field but with an angler opposite in the first fishable peg options were limited. Found a nice glide over gravel along a tree line and stated trotting. Had 5 chub ranging from 2lb to 4lb. Decent stamp of fish coming sporadically, all on maggot.

Then set up the tip rod fishing feeder loaded with pellets and ground bait with meat on the hook. Had the first barbel after an hour, fishing above over hanging trees where a rocky outcrop on the far bank river bed to mid stream made a deeper channel on the inside. Nice fish, 6 1/2 ish. Followed an hour later by a 3lb chub. Last fish came at around 5pm, barbel at 8lb 2oz.

Lovely day, but good job I was by myself as would have struggled with more than one angler.

2 Barbel, 6 Chub

Only a couple of accessible pegs per section so be prepared for a long walk and allow plenty of time to explore and find a peg. Really needs some work to create some water access. Managed to find a shoal of chub under a far bank tree line, but two others struggled with just two bites in 7 hours.

1 Barbel, 16 Chub

There were four of us. Lovely section but agree with previous comments regarding access.

3 Barbel, 20 Chub

3 chub caught on pellet and ground bait feeder. Only a small handful of swims accessible to fish. Weather conditions were lots of heavy showers. The flow was very strong and fast.

3 Chub

Catch - 4 barbel, 3 chub

Worried for weeks that there wasn't going to be enough water in the river and then the week before we arrived the gauge went up over 1m. Very pleased and arrived at this beautiful stretch in high spirits for a 2 day session. River was coloured but thinking down about 2' over the 2 days.

Pleased with our outcome with biggest barbel at 8.25lb, but as often on Wye Foundation waters the access to swims was a real issue. Looking at the beat map there are 3 large fields, all with access and a great looking stretch of river.

Orchard section - there is a large, and well used, swim where the parking is available and then a number of swims upstream from there, To get to them you have to get over/through a live electric cattle fence that has been place by the farmer so close to the downslope that it feels unsafe at times. Downstream from here in the Orchard there is no access at all.

Open field downstream of Orchard - access is via the first road parking marked on a left hand bend. 4 good swims in this section but be warned most are a long way from the parking.

Bottom field - access is via the same road parking or further on at a right hand bend before housing. Access to this whole stretch is impossible, either because there is 10m of trees/shrub/stingers to cut through to make your own route or because, again, there is an electric fence running along half the stretch, this one at least wasn't turned on.

Fishing Passport Note : Access to the river has become more of an issue this season and something wr are discussing with the fishery owner.

4 Barbel, 3 Chub

Second day, same river access issues. River coloured and raised after rain. Fish caught on luncheon meat.

5 Chub

First time to Sugwas. Access to fishery is great but access to river not so. There is only one clear swim to fish the river and that has overhead willows that limit reach. There are couple of other points that probably count as swims but they are on steep banks and very close to a live electric fence.
We fished all these swims as luckily only two tickets had been sold on our two days. If more anglers were booked I don't think we could all have fished. Access under the electric fence involved passing gear over and rolling on the ground under, then climbing down steep bank and perching on an unhooking mat. Not for everyone and a warning should be added to the fishery description to make this clear. I wouldn't have risked the steep bank swims if it had been very wet.
So in summary a lovely beat and great river but only one swim. The river was coloured and fast.

1 Chub

Last visited Sugwas some years ago. What a huge disappointment today's visit was. Walked the whole beat. Zero fish able swims. Electric fencing tight to the river. Overgrown everywhere. This is NOT "wild fishing". Left fishery without wetting a line. Disappointed as made a special journey from Norfolk.

1 Chub

2 Barbel, 8 Chub