Feedback & Reports

Well I should say here and now that I booked one ticket on the web and the other by telephone and paid a kings ransom for the privilege. To rub salt into the wound Don the owner thought I had booked just the one ticket! This made me very embarrassed. Please make it easier to book two tickets on the web or explain how to do this! Anyhow the fishing was not great with a frost in the morning and the river being up 5ft. We settled into the area where the stream enters. One barbel for 7lbs 8oz was our reward. Still you can't bag up every time.

WUF Note : Wyebank will allow a party of two anglers known to one another but not two individuals - hence the reason for having one rod reserved for telephone booking only.

Disappointingly blank, but not a lot I or anyone else could do about it. Overnight rain continued to hammer down all day and Wyebank offers few options when river is moving like an express train across its width. Made a token gesture, but even Don's suggestion that the only swim offering a chance was the slack water by the level markers didn't produce. Hard to stay cheerful with rain running down your neck and the prospects of a fish remote. Packed up musing the cost of a two-day Wye trip in which I'd fished effectively for only a quarter of the paid-for time.Cheered up on way home, reflecting that with 70th birthday coming up, another completed outing on the lovely Wye is a bonus.

Managed to get just one barbel around 6lbs and a chub on a day when the river fished very hard indeed. Nice stretch of water and one we'll return too another day.

We arrived at the beat to a very fast and flooded river (over 3' up according to Don). Struggled to find any fishable swims but after some sound advice from Don, we managed 3 chub to 4lb 8oz and 1 barbel to 4lb 8oz. A hard day but good sport and lovely surroundings yet again. All fish were taken on groundbait feeder and boilie. Looking forward to our next visit! Thanks again to Don and the WUF.

River up but still had 7 barbel best fish was 10lb 4oz plus 2 chub.

A wet and chilly day at Wyebank but rewarding nonetheless. Having visited this fabulous beat a few weeks previous in what were pretty tricky conditions we were eager to get another crack at it. The final tally was 5 barbel to 8lb and 2 chub. All barbel were caught from the bottom pool with touch legering tactics as some of the bites were a little twitchy. Great to meet Don for a chat and to listen to his valued advice. A great stretch of the Wye and one that we will certainly be returning to. I think our final tally would've been greater if I hadn't needed to retreat from the rain every couple of hours due to the lack of an umbrella!

A difficult day on Wyebank but non the less enjoyable. Conditions less than ideal with one of the first frosts of the season with temps of 4 degrees on arrival and clear blue skies. I fished the top pool below the island, wading to reach the fishable areas with high hopes of catching chub by trotting a float. My partner in crime headed for the bottom pool with Don's advice echoing in his ears.
Needless to say we retired to The Courtfield Arms for a lunchtime pint to compare disappointing notes with one chub from the bottom pool and two trout from the top! I did manage to catch 3 canoeists (or should that be, they hit me) which did not improve my mood!
I do feel that some degree of competency is required before letting people loose on the river. If I'd been knocked off my 'waded feet' I'd have been trying find dry land some considerable way down stream, if at all.
The day ended with a total of 3 trout and a few dace to the float on maggots and one chub to the feeder and pellet but having walked Courtfield, nobody had caught as much there, so perhaps we should be content!
Thanks to Don and Rudi for there kind advice but ultimately I think the conditions and canoes were against us. We'll be back though.

PS: I did hook "'something' from the top pool, freelining a cube of luncheon meat, which despite making early line on, turned and headed for Monmouth taking all 80 yards of line from my reel and leaving me with a rod and empty spool for contemplation! Ain't no stopping us now sprang to mind!
Don suggested that it may have been something with an 'adipose fin' shall we say, who am I to argue as I've never felt a pull like it!

My fishing partner JP has already submitted a comprehensive report on Saturdays visit to Wyebank. No barbel to report,1 chub late mid afternoon,my ony real bite of the day. Cold temps night before, bright day kept the barbel away. As ever Don helpfull & courteous, & Wye & Usk booking service as good as always. Hoping to return to Wyebank towards the end of October when river is a bit quieter.

8 barbel and 7 chub, overcast perfect conditions.