Feedback & Reports

Neither of us had fished this beat for a while and it was definitely worth re-visiting. The day was cloudy with a couple of light showers in a stiffish breeze. The river was still carrying plenty of water but had cleared nicely after a week of dry weather. We both spent most of the first half of the day on the lower section of the beat taking seven fish between us. Later in the day one of us went further upstream towards Hergest Court itself and found some very good runs and riffles with some lovely fish in them. We each took another four fish in this session giving us a total of 15 for the day, best around 12". Light tackle is very helpful on this beat. We both began the day with small carbon rods but at lunchtime switched to a 6' cane rod and 5' glass-fibre and found this made a real difference.

The weather was surprisingly more cooler that recent days and there was a strong downstream breeze. I discovered the fish were tending to hold station in the faster water above or below pools. Caught 4 feisty WBT around 6 or 7" and lost 2 (inevitably!) larger fish. All on a copper John dropper above a heavier nymph. Access is a little challenging but I've been on worse and I enjoy the opportunity to access wilder fishing like this. Thanks WUF.

What a fantastic place. Red kites were seen soaring above the water. We both had a really enjoyable day with 60 trout between us. They fed through out the day so sport was constant.The flies that worked for us were sedgehogs, mallard and claret,black and green hopper and a claret bob bits. Will certainly visit this venue again.

First time on WUF water, nice to have both banks and being above Ross, much less boat traffic. Level about normal (I assume). Bright and sunny so opted for deeper swims. Pellet for the barbel (9 in total 3-6 lbs) and meat for the chub (12 in total 2-3 lbs. All fin perfect and olympic fit, taken on the 'pin for maximum fun.

I arrived late morning after a long drive down and settled into a swim at the bottom end of the meadow just before the woods. It was a quiet afternoon only managing 1 barbel and 1 nice chub in the mid afternoon sun but the better action started from 5.30pm until 9pm when I managed another 6 barbel to 9lbs 10oz and another bonus chub.
I finished with 7 barbel to 9lbs 10oz and 2 chub both over 4lbs all to pellets except one chub which fell to meat as did a very large eel. Thank you to Don as always for his advice and putting me on the fish.
If you haven’t made a visit this is a great stretch of the Wye and I would highly recommend a visit not only for the most excellent fishing but just the beauty of the area. A small piece of heaven on earth my only warning is it won’t only be the barbel who get hooked.

One fish followed to the edge but did not take.

Nine trout caught up to 1lb 4oz, one fish taken for the pot, two larger fish lost all on small cdc's.

The conditions were pefect for an evenings fishing in the carpark of Sainsburys in Cwmbran, but by the time I'd driven to Brecon the temperature had dropped from 25 deg to 18 degrees and there was a stiff breeze blowing straight down the river, as was the sun.
Fished more in hope than anticipation from 5 pm, spotted an otter frollicking in the narrow section above the Cynrig. This for me is normally a productive stretch, perhaps no so much in the future !particularly as i could see what looked like a "nest ?" "set ?"
Otter notwithstanding I caught a stocky on a klink and tempted two others which didnt connect.
Sat down on the river bank about 8:30, breeze had dropped. Waded out into the river as fish started to rise around 10 pm, most of the fish were out of reach. Connected with something big about 10:45 in the pitch black lost it after much heavy splashing about 5 seconds later.
Chip shop was shut in Crickhowell.

5 x small trout on a small Goldbead Hare's Ear fished under a dry Caddis pattern, New Zealand style. I was surprised at how much muddy water was even now coming down this brook, which does after all drain a lot of arable land in S Herefordshire. I fished the lower bit up to the weir, but the upper section, which at the best of times is a deep wade in a narrow channel, just had too much water coming down it get upstream safely. A pity, because some better fish live up there. I decamped for the rest of the evening to Cannop Brook in the nearby Forest of Dean...

6 x trout 6-8 inches. Just an hour of fishing time before I was due to take She Who Must Be Obeyed to the pub, so I only did the upper bit. A warm, darkish evening under the trees with plenty of very clear, cold water coming down and, to my surprise, a few of the true mayfly are still out and about on this stream. As it happened, I already had an Elk Hair Caddis tied on the leader, which seemed quite acceptable to these small but very pretty forest trout.