Feedback & Reports

Very tough day, we went in high hopes of the milder recent weather bringing the barbel on to feed but we were wrong!! Tried several swims from the power lines down, with various hook baits but couldn't get a touch. Right at the end, NC had a pike follow his feeder and it subsequently grabbed a plug the first time of asking (glad I bought a tiny bit of pile gear with such an occurrence in mind). I think we probably needed about two weeks of better weather rather than two days. And with the current forecast, it looks like it will be next season before I venture this way again. Thanks to all at WUF, directions and service all first class as usual, just a shame the fish weren't playing ball!

1 Pike

At around 10.15am I landed a 38.5" cock salmon 22lbs from the Waterscross Pool of Craig y Heul, aka the Fishing Lodge, which is the 150 yards no fishing stretch in the Courtfield beat, now extended to 250 yards double bank. Yesterday a fish was seen rising here and another one below the Boat Pool of Courtfield plus a further 3 fish were seen leaping early morning on Legg meadow. I believe this was a run of fish going through after the small lift and dirty water below Monmouth. They are the first fish seen breaking the surface in the first week. All quiet again today. maybe my fish was part of this run.

1 Salmon

Swim feeder using Meat, Maggot and Pellet. Three barbel - 13.5lb, 10.5lb, and 8lb.

3 Barbel

One lost fish on first cast then no further action to either rod on any of the 'swims' tried. Conditions looked right but could not locate the fish. Only other real excitement was when a very large pike (probably mid 20's) attempted to take the feeder on the retrieve.

Low and clear fishing maggot and feeder on lower beat. Down to 5/6lb flurocarbon 14/16 hooks. Moved to find fish mainly 2 rod lengths out near cover. 2 caught, 1 struggled, I blanked. Stayed at Red Lion, Madley. Very welcoming.

5 Barbel, 6 Chub

First time on this beat. 3 hours exploring the beat for later in the year.

Fished all day with the fly with no luck.

Last session before the close of the river coarse season, almost year since our last visit to Sugwas, weather the same, river level as low and strangely the same number of fish caught!! All fish to pellet and feeder combination, chub mainly in 3-4lb bracket, just the one barbel 6lb 10oz. Lot of salmon showing during the day. As always this stretch is a graveyard for feeders even on heavy tackle, but thats the price you pay for feeder fishing the Wye.
Roll on June 16th.

1 Barbel, 17 Chub

Water temperature had risen slightly from the previous day bringing a better response from the fish. We had 6 barbel to 6lb 7oz and three chub on pellet, fishing under our brollies for most of the very wet day. It was nice to end with a chat with Colin who has done some good work towards clearing the vast amount of flood debris on the banks.

6 Barbel, 3 Chub

Fished Legg Meadow section Mon 4th March to Thurs 7th (inc). It was cold on arrival but Don had confirmed that a couple of barbel had come out over weekend, so I decided to go for barbel and leave the pike rod behind.
On Monday I had a couple of chub and two barbel of 6lbs 1oz and 8lbs 9oz. A very heavy frost on Monday night killed the sport on Tuesday and Weds only produced a single chub of about 4lb that had to be netted promptly to avoid a following mid double pike! Weds night was mild and wet making the high banks treacherous but I found a safe pitch and hunkered down. Had 3 barbel to 8lbs 6oz in a short feeding spell mid afternoon and a single chub as the light faded. Small pellet hookbaits behind a feeder was the tactic.
Not my most productive sessions at Courtfield but given the poor conditions I was very satisfied with result and its always a pleasure to fish this lovely stretch of river and to meet the ever helpful Don.

5 Barbel, 4 Chub