Feedback & Reports

Now I know why all 4 rods were available at short notice!! It was a fine weekend and the stream of canoes were virtually continuous, making fly fishing after 11 am impossible. Even without the canoes I would think that 4 rods is 2 too many!
Packed up at 12 midday. Mick the Ghillie whose services I hired was delightful and help save the day from a totally wasted experience.

Short late evening session, river painfully low and in need of rain..both chub to luncheon meat.

2 Chub

We arrived at 3.00pm to the normal Saturday afternoon events at Wyebank of swimmers, picnickers and canoeists. We expect this and so went to the bottom swim, baited up and then to the pub for some refreshment. At this point there was continual flow of canoes head to toe which even made baiting up difficult through fear of the canoeists thinking we were firing bait at them. We returned to the water at 6.00pm to find that there was still a continual flow of canoeists. As canoeists ourselves I can tell that these were mostly inexperienced paddlers. I can only presume that they had got in at the launch above Lower Lydbrook which leads me to believe that they are now running evening sessions as well as morning and afternoon. The river is there for all to use and I have no objection to this but the canoe hire companies seem to have no limit to the number of canoes they are prepared to put on the water. There is a distinct danger ( as you are aware) that the river will fall into decline if there are not limits set. How this is possible I admit I do not know.
Hypothetically, if every beat was to open its waters for one day to as many anglers as wanted to fish on both banks and there were lines coming from every direction canoeing would be extremely difficult, "would the canoeists and the hire companies complain" I think they would!
I would be interested to know what the foundations thoughts are?
Now to the fishing, by 7.30 it was just the odd canoe coming through and they were mainly non hire canoeists who know the river code and they were all fine. We caught steadily from 8.00pm and the biggest Barbel was a magnificent 10lb 7oz a new PB for Vaughan. I love this river, to fish and canoe and just hope some controls can be put in place so we can all continue to enjoy its beauty. If only the canoeing authorities would put as much effort into the preservation of this river as the Foundation.
Keep up the good work.
R

9 Barbel, 8 Chub

2 Trout

SG , MH and SM make there annual pilgrimage to Fownhope 5 and boy did it not disappoint! , Probably the best days chub fishing we will ever experience . Perfect weather and good river conditions all set in stunning scenery.
SG finished with 34 chub best 6lb and 6 barbel fishing the 1st swim in the woods , MH finished with 56 chub and 3 eels fishing the first field , But best of all SM finished with an incredible 75 chub, best 6.4lb and 2 barbel, average size of the chub was around the 4lb mark making a conservative 300lb bag of fish !!. This came from the lucky stone peg and most of these fish were caught on the float using red pellets, which complimented the fishes natural diet of cherries from the trees above the river.
All in all a fantastic days fishing for all 3 of us , one which we will never forget thank you wye and Usk.

8 Barbel, 165 Chub, 3 Other

1 Trout

1 Trout