Feedback & Reports

River was low and clear so not the most conducive angling conditions. Fished pellet and feeder for the day. Second cast of the day in a meadow swim saw a 7lbs 6oz barbel come to the net. Followed 30 minutes later by a beautiful conditioned 5lbs 2oz chub. Thinking we were in for a great day faded as time ticked by. After 3 hours and a swim move no further bites were forthcoming. So we tried the swim feeder grave yard wooded stretch. This time we found a few clear area's and caught 2 chub over a 3hr period. The barbel just didn't want to feed.
Thinking that they might feed as evening approached we returned to the meadow. This proved right as at 5pm the barbel came on the feed. 3 more barbel were landed, 7lbs 6oz, 8lbs 4oz and 7lbs 14oz.2 were lost, one to a snag and another shredded the hook link on a rock. Canoes were no problem and we caught one chub when the canoe was directly overhead the bait. So a good days angling again.

Washed off. Nil. Gutted.

18 barbel to approx 8.5 lbs and 1 chub on pellet baits

River was coloured but falling with very little surface activity. During the day 3 fish to nymphs with another couple in the evening on a Sedge. Largest fish just over a pound.

4 Barbel and 6 Chub all caught on pellets.

Arriving at the river at around 8am, after a long drive, we walked the meadow section and spoke to the other two anglers that we would share the beat with. They were very friendly and informed us that they had caught 1 barbel and as we chatted they proceeded to land a nice chub of just over 5lb. The river was coloured and very slightly rising after overnight rain but a good 6ft down on the our last visit. With the use of ropes and spikes (due to the slippery banks) we settled in to our chosen swims. It would be fair to say that the fishing was very slow with four rods fishing and often moving to cover new ground it felt as though it would come down to waiting it out for the fish to feed. An afternoon move down into the faster moving water of the wooded section provided me with my first barbel of the day which was worth the wait as it was in mint condition and weighed in at 10lb 4oz, a new pb for the Wye. Shortly after I was attached to another strong fish but unfortunately this was lost to a hook pull. A 6lb barbel was the last action of the day for me once the light had faded. K B had sat it out in one of the meadow swims and managed to pick up a very respectable 6 barbel, mainly in the evening, up to 8lb.

No fish caught. River running full and no fish seen.

Evening session wading and long trotting with pin in bottom pool. Chubber float overshot and overdepth and held back to 12 hook with sweetcorn until early dusk then 20mm halibut pellet for last 45 mins.
Sweetcorn produced numerous dace mostly around 6oz but 2 dace around 12oz ( one weighed at 14oz and NOT a chub!) plus chub to 3lb. Then a barbel of around 6lb so changed to halibut pellet and loose fed pellets at my feet for 4 more barbel to around 8.5lbs. Freelined pellet at dusk for 1 barbel of 9lb 14oz.
Summer is watching a float go down the Wye with finger on centre-pin.
Most anglers seem to be arriving at 10 and leaving at 18.00hrs, the Wye produces better early and late so as the days shorten more fish will be caught as anglers will be still around at dusk. Average size of fish in Wyebank and Courtfield is increasing in last 2 weeks.

Arrived in light rain and the first juicy looking pool directly opposite the meadow car park has a nasty looking grey brown slick down the middle and smelt of effluent (AKA sewage ).
Went upstream and sure enough just below the confluence of R.Senni and R.Usk an orange pipe firing out volumes of said effluent with lots of small suspended solids and small bits of paper. This created the unpleasant slick and the smell. Back to the car ( walked past the sewage pumping station!) and found a water bottle and filled it with the pipe discharge ( hmmm enjoyable). Note this was NOT surface run off of which there were others nearby of a totally different colour, smell and free from suspended solids.
Went to the bottom of the beat some 1.5 miles downstream and managed to catch one small trout but my heart not in it so went to find a phone to report the pollution (mobile forgotten). EA Hotline poor as they required a postcode or street name to identify the area.
Otherwise this would be a lovely beat but is now spoilt for me.
In three years this is my first genuinely adverse experience of a WUF beat. Shame.

WUF note - We have followed up this report and the EA are investigating immediately, 16th Aug 2012.

Conclusion to report - EA sent an officer out late on the night of 15th August following the initial anglers report and located an overflow pipe that belonged to Welsh Water. It had become blocked and wa discharging sewerage into the river but has subsequently been jetted and cleared.

Heavy rain on arrival did not fish til afternoon. Water heavily coloured from heavy rain, still having travelled from London for the week I had to have a cast. Not a sniff, never mind had a lovely walk along the whole beat and saw some very interesting wildlife.