Feedback & Reports

Well....

I think it's been my week. I managed to get two fish today at Bigsweir.. 12lbs and 6lbs both on a Pot Bellied pig and using a v fast sinktip line. The water when I arrived was quite coloured and did not look promising and by mid day it was completely chocolate. However, I banked the first at 10.15 and the next at 11 ish with the hight tide coming in at about 1pm.. both fish were caught on Wyeseal. Lots of fish were showing that looked to me as if they were moving fast up river. Both fish were returned.

Thank you very much for helping me to fish at Sheephouse on Saturday and Luggsmouth on Sunday.
My catch report: Saturday 2nd July 2008: 1 barbel 6lbs, 2 chub largest 4.25lbs, 1 dace. 2 Barbel fell off. Huge amounts of Himalayan Balsam bankside. Water rising and quite vinegary to brown later.

Sunday 3rd July 2008: 11 barbel largest 8.5lbs, 3 chublets biggest 1lb and a dace. Water dropping quickly and clearing.

All in all very good fishing.

Weather, overcast. Conditions, clearish. Fly-hatches, BWOs with 1 mayfly seen

Had a brief hook up with 1 trout that rose to a Black Kilnk and a couple of tugs on gold head hare's ear, but other than that nothing. I did at one point spend about half an hour in nettles way above my head as I tried to get out of the river. All good fun.

There were fish rising very sporadically, but no fish rising regularly in one place.

Great service as ever from the foundation.

2 x 7?lb barbel. 2 x 4?lb chub, 1 x 3lb chub. 1st visit to Wye & Usk Foundation waters. Very impressed.... will return.

Just to let you know how we got on last Thursday. Between the four of us we had 5 barbel up to about 8 lb and 5 chub up to about 4 lb. The conditions weren't very helpful and most of the fish were caught late into the evening by which time it was raining heavily. We all enjoyed the beat despite the relatively poor catches and I will certainly try it again in the autumn. Thanks

Sun 27th July - Caradoc: 2 rods - 1 barbel(7lbs) 2 chub to 4lb 8oz (very hot & sunny & river lowish)

Mon 28th July - Holme Lay: 2 rods - 2 barbel (5lbs) 4 chub to 4lb 9oz (very hot & sunny & river lowish; end of day thunder storms)

Tue 29th July - Caradoc: 2 rods - 16 barbel to 8lb 8oz and 8lb 4oz (river invigorated by previous evening storms)

Wed 30th July - Backney: 2 rods - 11 barbel to 8lb 8oz

All fish weighed on electronic scales. Very enjoyable even when fishing slow.

M.J. Holmes

Barbel to 9lb 5oz, chub to 2.5lbs and several eels. Approx 20 salmon sighted to mid double figures

Tough conditions, but was with Chris Ponsford on the 26th. Put us on the fish, refined the rigs, and was generally a great help, and good company!

WUF Notes :
26th July 2008 Caradoc - 8 barbel to 9lbs & 3 chub to 3lbs all on pellet

27th July 2008 Holme Lacy - 3 barbel to 7lbs & 5 chub to 3lbs all on pellet

Just to let you know what I caught, fished Holme Lacy last Wednesday we had three barbel ? two about seven pounds and a small one about a pound and a half ? lovely stretch of river and the ghillie Colin gave us some good advice. On the Friday we went to the Caradoc beat which was a fantastic stretch of water ? we managed to catch two barbel and four chub ? the barbel being about seven and a really big chub of about five pounds.

Thank you for all your help and assistance ? the directions were excellent and we stayed at the Green Man at Fownhope which was close to both beats ? I would like to visit again this summer do you think you could send me some maps of other beats available where there may be a few barbel so that I can plan ahead for my next expedition into the wilds of Herefordshire.
Many thanks

1st time on this particular stretch,not ideal conditions, bright, hot sunshine,and the fish not really feeding boldly, however managed to winkle out 2 chub and 4 barbel between 5-7lb. as [nearly] always enjoyed the river, and the fish were a bonus.