Feedback & Reports

Despite hoards of canoeists and some of the hottest days of the year the barbel fed well and over a day and a half we banked around 28 barbel, most in the 2 - 5lb range but a handful were in the 8lb bracket. Several chub up to around 4lb were also caught. Big feeders filled with scalded pellet doing the job, with bites sometimes coming 'on the drop'.

Caught around 30 fiesty young barbel in the 1.5 to 3lb range. This is very encouraging to find two to three year old fish in what appeared to be large shoals. Rarely catch barbel under 5lbs usually. We also caught a few chub to 4lbs and half a dozen barbel in the usual 5-8lb range. All taken on halibut pellet.

As suggested in the Wye and Usk Handbook, an ideal venue for 5 coarse rods with 3 anglers making the most of Courtfield with the other 2 ‘Old Timers’ settling for Wyebank.
Arriving late morning after travelling down from Lincolnshire on what must have been one of the warmest late September days on record, like many other previous reports we were met by the owner Don Macer-Wright. Don made us all most welcome and then spent the next hour or more, first identifying and describing the most productive Courtfield swims, after which he took the time and trouble to walk the full extent of the Wyebank beats, which apart from Holme Lacey once, has been the only bailiff we have ever seen on any WUF water after many bookings, many thanks Don.
Total fish caught from Courtfield between the 3 rods was 8 Chub to 5lb and 11 Barbel ranging from around a pound up to 9lb plus.
The 2 anglers on Wyebank shared a catch of a single Chub and 10 Barbel, again with fish from as small as a pound up to over 9lbs.
All the fish were caught on ledgered pellets, we should have taken the time to read previous reports and taken some waders and float fishing tackle to open up much more water, never the less considering the bright sunny conditions and extremely clear water for the time of year, it was a most enjoyable start to our annual 3 day holiday on the Wye, watching the many varied birds and regular leaping salmon.

fished 16.00 to 19.00. Sunny day, ideal for trotting and a bit of fun so waded out to fish off bottom end of island and fished down the fast gulley under the willows. Sweet corn on 12 hook under an overshot chubber type float, centre-pin to light avon type rod. 5 chub, 2 to 3lb and 6 barbel all 2 to 4lb. Bites ceased when sun went behind trees and light ledger then tried to no avail.
While these fish are not large by Wyebank standards they were great sport in the heavy flow. This year has seen a large increase in numbers of barbel from 2 to 4lb. 10years ago there were only large barbel present and only the last 2 years have these smaller fish started to show so we can be confident that the large barbel commonly caught in this area have another generation coming on. There have been several chub over 6lb caught recently but anglers are disapointingly not returning reports.

No fish but possibly a take. A very enjoyable days fishing on a great beat for fly fishing. Made far more enjoyable for by being greeted, shown around and pointed to the right spots. I'll look forward to fishing here again!

Started off the day slow, ended up with 7 barbel to 9lb on chopped down boilies and groundbait. A word of warning, if you are fishing this beat in the rain take some boots with a deep grip on them as the banks are steep and very slippery. Yours truly taking a dip up to his neck...
Also this beat is a bit tackle hungry, take plenty of feeders/leads. I would advise casting more downstream than across the river as the boulders are a nightmare and the flow just bounces your rigs into them.
A day of ups and downs but one of the nicest places I have ever fished.

3 small barbel.

15.30 to 18.00hrs. Overcast with sunny intervals and river level slowly rising but clear. Waded out to Island and used a heavy ledger to hold bottom solid as rolling ledger unusually produced no bites. Difficult cast 20yds downstream on edge of willows to deeper area but 3 prime barbel, 6 to 9lbish on large halibut pellet (again unusual no bites on luncheon meat) banded to 8 hook on 3ft hooklength. Used all the 2lb test curve to bring fish upstream through flow but all recovered quickly on return.
Saw a long furred jet black mink on far bank with what appeared to be an 18inch grass-snake dead in its mouth, hope its passing through!
Can anyone explain why nearly all barbel I catch are hooked in the fishes right side of lower lip??

Approx 22 fish between 2 rods mostly barbel to 8lb 4ozs.
The bulk were caught in the early part of the day but odd fish caught off and on all day including as the canoes passed. Canoe traffic lighter now and mostly well behaved with only the odd out of control one causing lines to be hastily retrieved.

Arrived just after 7, gentle mist rolling down the river and disappearing as I decided on where to fish. The river was slightly up and provided a strong flow to test my fishing skills - or lack of?

I am normally a fly fisherman, but opted to try my hand at Barbel fishing for a few hours. I decided upon the last peg and used a rolling weight with halibut pellet on a hair rig, not much joy so switched to luncheon meat. In four hours I caught 2 beautiful barbel and 2 large chub, all the fish were about 5LB.

Had a great chat to the owner and a big thank you to him and the WUF. A wonderful half a day, would definitely return to fish again.