Feedback & Reports

Fished for 2 days and had around 13 barbel and 8 chub between us. River looked great but fishing was quite hard. Lost loads of gear fishing in the swims in the woods, so much so it became impossible. Spent most of the second day in the first field, less snags but less fish.

13 Barbel, 8 Chub

Could only manage a late afternoon/evening session and was able to winkle out a few fish with nymphs from the faster water. I was hoping for some dry fly action in the evening but the fish never really got settled into a proper feeding pattern and were easily spooked.

5 Trout

The river was looking a little fresher after a small lift last week but still needs more, as they all do around here. All quiet as far as any fly coming off or falling in so prospected with the old workhorse of a fly, black klinkhammer .
Only worked up to the house below the fish farm today as was quite a windy day and with it coming in from all directions too!
Picking off trout here and there in the 6 to 8 inch bracket, none of the bigger chaps wanted to play today but still great fun but the highlight was a 14inch cock grayling, never had any grayling out of here before, lovely! Am certain there was another decent one in the same pool too as fluffed a couple of the those 'blipping' grayling type rises !

6 Trout, 1 Grayling

River up to a foot dropped back to 6 inches perfect, plan to nymph pocket water for couple hours and dry fly fish in evening. Started well with 3 quick fish, then went into missing take after take, often hooking for a second, then losing fish. Just not sure what happened really tentative takes. Dry prooved no easier with few rises demanding excellent prersentation. A win for the end of season trout. Loved it.

5 Trout

Fished for several hours, one trout landed, one lost, and a few other takes. Strong on shore breeze throughout the day. Generally dry and sunny.

1 Trout

Did not start till 12 and both fished the bottom pool with feeder and pellet tactics. We were into fish straight away, I had 10 barbel in the first 10 casts, though the fish were mainly small they ranged from 12oz.to 8lb. I finished the day with 31 barbel and 3 chub while Steve had 17 barbel, 1 chub and 1 dace. A brilliant day on the Wye again.

50 Barbel, 4 Chub, 1 Other

First visit to this stretch and have to say I was a bit surprised by the lack of fishable swims and the poor maintenance of the access steps at the top end given the day ticket price. However, the river looked the part and I rotated 3 of the swims at the top and caught fairly regularly throughout the day, although I did take a long lunch break from midday until 3.30pm. 5 barbel to 9.01 and a couple of decent chub made it all worthwhile.

5 Barbel, 2 Chub

River was up and coloured, with considerable flow - perfect for Barbel. 8 Barbel in all; 1 x 7lbs, 5 x 8lbs, 2 x 9lbs with largest fish 9lbs 4ozs, all on standard feeder tactics. Most fish caught on the uppermost swim of the beat, (much to the entertainment of the visitors to the botanical gardens) but some also found opposite the boathouse. Wonderful fishery unsurpassed in terms of sheer beauty, quantity and quality of fish. Thank you for a great birthday, fishing the Wye.

8 Barbel

Arrived at 2pm, weather overcast to start but the sun did make an appearance later in the afternoon, very warm and humid. The river was very low with a green brown tint and lacked any real flow resulting in a covering of silt and algae on the river bed, when wading I left a cloudy brown trail behind me, I'm no expert but the river looks like it needs a good flush through.
The fishing was very tough going, no hatch and very little fly life about but I persevered with dry flies, at one point I was standing in shallow water and could see trout all around me but they stubbornly refused dries, nymphs and spiders!
Perseverance finally resulted in a take or two which I missed before finally hitting one that stayed on just as I was about to give up and go home. A far cry from the last time I fished here when the trout were almost suicidal.
A lovely beat, full of fish but difficult today.

1 Trout

A wonderful beat although the fishing was a little more challenging than on our previous visit. Usual tactics of swimfeeder and pellets or meat were used. Barbel ranged from 5lbs up to to 8lbs. Chub were around 3lbs each. Lots of wildlife including an Otter boldly swimming downstream in mid river.

4 Barbel, 6 Chub