Feedback & Reports

Tried just about everything to get a barbel, just wasn't happening today for whatever reason. First blank of my four days on the Wye, oh well, I'm sure it would be different on the right day.

First time on this beat fished 11am to 6.30pm met Don the owner who was a pleasure to meet and very helpful. As for the fishing it was a little hard finally hooked into a fish after moving swims which got me stuck and then snapped off in some rocks which there seem to be quite a few in this deep fishery. Will try again another time, stayed at the Inn on the Wye which is convenient for this end of the Wye. It also serves good food.

Fished from midday. All three of us were in Legg Meadow. Merv fished in the 'WUF Tree' swim and had two chub to 5lb, but no sign of barbel. Meanwhile my Dad and I both fished in 'The Bay' where most of the sport was had fishing a bowed line three quarters of the way across. I finished with 3 barbel from 6lb to 8lb, while Dad ended with 4 barbel ranging from 7lb to 11lb, with only one of the fish coming from a closer line. Dad and I spent some time trotting corn with no success.

All fish were caught on 14-16mm halibut pellet with pellet mix in a feeder. I experimented with piling in the bait with a dropper, but it didn't seem to make a great deal of difference.

A lot of canoe traffic, but all were conscious of us and kept their distance. We met the owner, as everyone seems to do on this beat. It's very reassuring that he takes such a keen interest in the health of the river!

My second trip to the Wye and a bit of a struggle. We started off fishing what looked to be a perfect swim midway along the Wood Beat with no success. Don came along for a chat and suggested we might have more success fishing one of the Meadow beats. So, after another mug of tea, we moved up river a bit and spent the afternoon fishing a couple of the Meadow pegs with no more success. This was clearly operator error as the guy a couple of pegs above us was catching judging by the comments of some walkers on the opposite bank. For the last couple of hours we moved back to the Wood beat where P. caught the only fish of the day on meat - a sizeable barbel, not weighed, but must have been pushing 10lbs.

I haven't fished this stretch of the Wye for 25 years and my how the fishing has changed in that time! Stick float and maggot are no longer the order of the day - it's big feeders and pellets all the way now! It's still a cracking stretch of river and the surroundings are fantastic at this time of year. It was a pleasure to meet Don the owner and hear all about the recent catches. Like the Wye of old it's all about being in the right place at the right time. On this session, I had one Chub around lunch time then sat patiently until the action started at dusk. First I had another Chub (both fish were around 3lb) then two Barbel followed - 8lb 6ozs and 9lb 9ozs. They were beautiful well-conditioned fish. Meat was the successful bait, feeding Elips pellets and Hemp in a feeder packed with Hinders 'Barbel Bomb' groundbait. I fished in Legg Meadow (peg 5 on the peg guide on Lower Wye Fishing website). Many thanks to Don and Allyson at the Wye & Usk Foundation for their help. Can't wait to come back!

My wife and I fished the Courtfield beat on a blazing hot, bright day - not ideal. We had a few chub to about 4 lbs during the day and 1 barbel about 6lbs at dusk. I imagine the beat would fish better with cloud cover and a bit more flow and colour. However, like so much of the Wye valley, it is stunningly beautiful and peaceful. The owner came round and chatted and is a very nice guy who knows the fishery well and can advise anglers. As one no longer in the first flush of youth I found the banks a bit precarious but there are some fishable pegs and it is no different in that respect to most of the middle Wye - if you need flat canal banks don't go there. A maximum of 4 coarse rods are allowed per day so you don't have to queue up for a swim which is nice. Would we go there again? Yes, definitely.

3lb chub, 4lb chub, 7lb barbel & 1lb eel, all caught on ledgered pellet over groundbait. Weather very hot/sunny for time of year, barbel only showing after sunset. Several 10lb+ salmon jumping. Fished top section, Leggs meadow.

2 Rods fished today 2nd trip of the week! 2nd 10LB Barbel ( 10lb 4oz ). Total was 5 Barbel & 3 Chub to one rod. Same tactics Pellet & paste. If you want big fish this is definitely the stretch for it.

As suggested in the Wye and Usk Handbook, an ideal venue for 5 coarse rods with 3 anglers making the most of Courtfield with the other 2 ‘Old Timers’ settling for Wyebank.
Arriving late morning after travelling down from Lincolnshire on what must have been one of the warmest late September days on record, like many other previous reports we were met by the owner Don Macer-Wright. Don made us all most welcome and then spent the next hour or more, first identifying and describing the most productive Courtfield swims, after which he took the time and trouble to walk the full extent of the Wyebank beats, which apart from Holme Lacey once, has been the only bailiff we have ever seen on any WUF water after many bookings, many thanks Don.
Total fish caught from Courtfield between the 3 rods was 8 Chub to 5lb and 11 Barbel ranging from around a pound up to 9lb plus.
The 2 anglers on Wyebank shared a catch of a single Chub and 10 Barbel, again with fish from as small as a pound up to over 9lbs.
All the fish were caught on ledgered pellets, we should have taken the time to read previous reports and taken some waders and float fishing tackle to open up much more water, never the less considering the bright sunny conditions and extremely clear water for the time of year, it was a most enjoyable start to our annual 3 day holiday on the Wye, watching the many varied birds and regular leaping salmon.

Not fished this stretch before arrived on a very hot & sunny day to find a low & slow moving river. Dropped in at the top end of the stretch at some well fished pegs, however it was slow going and moved further down to the rocky faster water. Nice to see the owner on this stretch - first time I have seen an owner or Bailiff on any stretch, nice touch.
3 Rods after a tough day caught 2 Barbel & 2 Chub. The good news is my Barbel wieghed a magic 10lb & the other 9lb 4oz. Pellet & paste did the trick.