Feedback & Reports

Nice stretch of water and good to be able to drive right alongside the river for a good stretch of the beat, makes a pleasant change! Quiet day in the end after a promising start and just the one nice fish of 8lb 14oz landed and one lost in the weed, not a sign of a chub during the day which was strange. In hindsight we should have been more mobile but placed confidence in our swim choice.

Lots of water to go at and whilst there are some swims you can get comfy in and set up for the day, a roving approach is probably the way to go on this beat I suspect. It's worth noting though that you could well have people fishing the bank opposite in some areas which could restrict swim choice.

Nice that the fishery manager took the time to meet us and give us info, will definitely fish again.

1 Barbel

A beautiful location. Unfortunately some of the most attractive swims along the shallow section of the beat were unfishable due to steep banks and overgrown trees and nettles etc. Otherwise really enjoyed our experience our hard work payed of with a nice selection of fish between us. The largest just under 9lbs barbel, and some large club upto 4lbs. And some squermy eels payed us a visit.

5 Barbel, 8 Chub, 2 Other

Tough fishing due to algea bloom. Tentative feeding. Still great fishing.

7 Barbel, 3 Chub

Arrived at the beat for 6.30pm , found the gate with the track, but my car is a little low and a little rear wheel drive for that, so I left it parked just inside the top gate.... For anybody in the same boat this will mean A LONG walk to the top of the beat, easily 30-40 minutes.

Although it must be cracking course water, I'm not really sure if it's a good beat using a fly for salmon, there is one attractive looking crib in the middle, but access is impossible down vertical banks so it remained un fished. The rest is pretty much as still as a canal.. I tried to find Thomas wood crib at the top, walked a long way and still not sure if I found it, managed to get the line wet for just under an hour in the end fishing in a very slow, gentle current past a little Croy.
No salmon seen.

A pleasant evening stroll none the less with Elderflowers, Owls and Deer in abundance.

2 chub again on red maggot feeder, no barbel. Wet & muddy as prev day, lovely couple of days though, look forward to seeing this stretch in Summer / Autumn.
Stayed at the Hostelrie in Goodrich again, fabulous as before, very welcoming & good food, along with the beer!!

2 Chub

Two chub to red maggot feeder, very wet day, rising river. Very muddy, land owner ground workers with jcb made it worse around car park area, everyone on the beat left before dusk, conditions were getting dodgy for getting up the hill through the field off the fishery, very muddy.

2 Chub

Snowed in at the cottage so went to the pub instead.

A cold overcast day but thankfully very little wind to chill the bones. The river was at a normal winter height. We fished 3 swims in the lower field and tried our full portfolio of baits and methods but the chub and barbel were simply not there or not interested. But a deadbeat fished 5 feet from the edge under some fallen branches tempted a beautiful 12 lb pike to leave her lair. A second pull later on to the same tactic resulted in nothing more than a few choice words.
The easy vehicle access to the bank is a huge plus for this beat and with lower water and drier banks there will many swims to try out. But overall probably fewer features than most Wye beats.
Thanks WUF for all your work.

1 Pike

Didn't stay long, I couldn't make it through the wooded area the journey was too arduous through mud and fallen trees. Take my advice if you intend to fish the woodland swims travel as light as possible it's a long walk. The bank along the meadow swims is mostly inaccessible, I managed to access 2 areas which were very muddy and not much room to manoeuvre . Having said all that I have to say Peter, the fishery manager was very kind with his advice and answering the phone when I needed him. Maybe I'm getting too old for this sort of fishing.