Feedback & Reports

18.00 to 21.10 Sharing rod with grand-daughters, one first time fishing. Luncheon meat touch-free-lined with one swan shot and 8 hook with spring to screw bait onto, cast into current from end of bottom crib and let settle just as. Any more weight constant snagging up. All 18 chub could have been clones. I photoed a 1st time angler with her first fish. Weighed just that one and it was 3lb 14oz so all around this weight and in good condition and fought well in current. The other fish was an eel 1lb ish.

Thought we had used a lot of bait only to be later told by grand-daughter that a big black rat has its head in the bait> it was a juvenile mink and the chase along the bank with landing net in hand resembled Laurel and Hardy film with more colourful language!! Despite a limp in its rear RH leg it went under a rock and into river. Never known one come so close, I hope anglers are not feeding them ?!!! or perhaps the limp leg gives the clue to its hunger?.

I have a problem now that both grand-daughters want to go fishing again, never worked so hard without actually hooking a fish myself but happy smiles all round.

The river is now in excellent condition since the short flush through and fish are on the feed, surprised no barbel but perhaps chub were beating them to the bait and pellet and feeder would have caught barbel. Thank you Don and WUF.

18 Chub, 1 Other

Low and clear. Ledgering.

9 Grayling, 9 Barbel, 5 Chub

First trip on this stretch, which is another lovely piece of river. The river dropped rapidly (2ft) overnight and a further foot during the day. Water very coloured to start with, but cleared as the water dropped.
Fished the end of the beat, as others (and Don) advised. Nothing in the morning, but had a nice 8lb barbel and 3lb chub in the evening on pellet. Both pristine condition and the barbel fought incredibly hard.
Plenty of canoeists between about 9.15am and 5pm but all very civil and did their best to skirt around my line for the short time I was fishing alongside them. River was still running at full width, so that may have given them more space than recently.
Loads of wildlife and a stunning dawn on the river, with mist rising through streams of sunlight - makes it all the more enjoyable. Will definitely be back.

1 Barbel, 1 Chub

River chocolate and trees coming down in the flood. Half-heartedly fished the slacks to blank. A washout really.

1 Barbel

Just two/three hours on the float this morning at first light. There is something magical about rivers (especially the Wye) at dawn. I do like this beat. To have the river to myself and watch the wildlife go by (well perhaps not the mink) let alone the opportunity to fish for such pristine fish. Priceless.

3 Chub

River clearing and in good condition. Float fishing today - trotting corn and small pellets for a few hours morning and evening. Tremendous fun. Unlike yesterday (when I hunkered down under a brolly at the end of the beat) today it was on with the chest waders and I was able to fish down from the top of the beat to the bottom. Caught all along the beat.

2 Barbel, 14 Chub

Glad I braved the remnants of Bertha for a few hours at/after daybreak. Back in the evening after drying out for a few hours! Consistent sport from 6 through until 10 and then from 5 until 9 (ish) even though river the colour of chocolate by the early evening. Fed with PVA bags of pellet and ledgered pellet, spam and corn hookbaits - all caught. Nothing huge but a great days sport.

6 Barbel, 11 Chub

River low but nice flow.

1 Barbel

River was apparently up a few inches and had a good tinge of colour to it. Flowing faster than I was expecting as well. All the action was after midday, with a lost fish after lunch (inconsiderate canoeist was partly to blame)and then nothing until 5pm. The swim (at the bottom of the section)then came alive although by this point I'd used the majority of my bait so couldn't fully take advantage. Best fish went 9lb 10oz with a 5lber soon after. Feeder fished pellet/groundbait mix with a trimmed down fishmeal boilie well soaked (i.e. for several days)in Korda Spicy Squid Goo. "Gerron the goo lad!" the guy from Korda told me. Seems he was right.

2 Barbel