Barbelling on the Wye

[cg74]

Pikepro1 thanks for your post. Bit dismayed at the lack of other responses, was a member on here years ago in Grahams days and it was different then

The thing is, questions like yours get asked so frequently, posters must get a bit bored of endlessly re-writing the same thing (I know I do).
If you look back to this time last year you'd find all the info you want. But in short if the river is low, clear and the temp is dipping, I'd fish maggots.
If it's up and coloured, I'd opt for pellets, with feeding levels to suit the exact conditions and the fishes appetites.

Re hookbait size, I nigh on always fish smallish (8-12mm) ones wrapped in a paste that breaks down fairly fast, even in the biggest of floods.

 

[geoffmaynard]

I think Grahames comments about using big pellets is spot on. Small lighter feed in a fast water swim washes downstream rather quickly, notwithstanding the fact that the water speed will be slower on the bottom - you might as well be feeding chum mixers. Heavier, larger pellets will tend to stay closer to the hook bait and will attract fish up to the hook bait rather than small pellets and groundbait which could have the opposite effect.
These days I tend to fish a straight lead with a PVA bag of 6 - 8mm pellets rather than use a feeder. These have the added point of being resistant to small fish mopping them up - there are a lot of small dace in my stratch this year.

 

[wye_oh_wye]

Sorry to those of you who posted or sent me a PM got back from fishing and PC has been dead, now back at work I can log onto a working computer for access

Well! What a couple of days! Weds myself and two fishing pals fished WUF beat at Fownhope. I didn't have a bite..... Barbel of 4lb and 6lb 4oz taken along with a couple of chub to about 2lb or a tad more were taken by my fishing buddies - great to see beautiful fish coming out in such beautiful surroundings. Drizzly miserable day made the whole thing feel worse than just blanking. All the usual advice given about groundbait loaded with pellets of different sizes, varying hooklengths etc and didn't get a sniff apart from a slight pull first chuck resulting in lost hook which I put down to a pike. One jumped clear of the water when one of my mates retrieved his feeder giving us a chuckle. Have to say that I don't think I have ever sat in such a gorgeous place and had it so tranquil though - couldn't hear a car or plane only the odd tractor on the adjacent farms which is perfect if you think about it.

Thursday, beautiful day and river looking awesome when we visited the Courtfield fishery. Took a walk and decided to settle into what looked a beautiful rocky 'crib'. Immediately slipped down the wet bank and sorely bruised my backside!

That should have been an omen as the entire day passed without a bite as it did for my fishing pals. And my god, did we lose tackle!? Almost every cast I lost a feeder and/or hooklengths/the whole lot. There didn't seem a spot any of us could get a bait to without it being snagged.

Last chuck as it got dark I had a great rod tip shaking bite and made contact feeling the fish pull very hard in mid river but it soon wedged itself into the same snags that had blighted us all day and I lost it. Very dispirited I returned home that night and vowed that I'd be packing up fishing for good!

Time has passed and I'm still not sure that I'll change my mind. Sounds terribly like a spoiled brat spitting out his dummy doesn't it but bear in mind that the Thames is blighted with crayfish and chub seem to have almost vanished and then it all seems so much worse to plan trips to such lauded fisheries and return home biteless. I might get my rods out to visit the Thames and see if any Roach are showing or even try the feeder for some crayfish who knows?

 

[Titus]

Dont give up, the Wye can be a fickle mistress and this time of the year with the change from summer to winter tactics makes it all the more difficult. If it's any consolation I know another good angler who has been struggling recently on a very prolific bit.

However, if you do decide to pack up I'll be happy to give you a job lot price for your gear.

 

[russell_bush]

The Courtfield stretch is possibly the snaggiest stretch of river in Europe. I fished it for 2 years or so when a small local club had it. By the end, I was using small rocks as leger weights, which were tied onto a weak link of light line. It saved fair bit of money !

 

[pikepro1]

I fished the Wye a bit further down from Courtfield on Sunday. Between my brother and I we landed 4 barbel, and lost a couple to hooklengths chaffing. We had to work hard for those fish even though the river seemed to be in really good conditions. Looking on the WUF catch reports for this beat, it seems to be one of the more popular beats and everyone seems to be using the same pellet and feeder tactics. Maybe the long hot summer we had with virtually no rain has taken it's toll on the fish? Could these 2 factors put together be a reason why the fishing is slow? Highlight of the day was seeing a rather large pike follow my brothers lead into the margins!! Will be back with the pike gear!

 

[Titus]

Repeated post deleted

 

[wye_oh_wye]

Dont give up, the Wye can be a fickle mistress and this time of the year with the change from summer to winter tactics makes it all the more difficult. If it's any consolation I know another good angler who has been struggling recently on a very prolific bit.

However, if you do decide to pack up I'll be happy to give you a job lot price for your gear.

Ha ha, I'd say it's worthless but suppose it's mint having not been tested properly

---------- Post added at 04:46 ---------- Previous post was at 04:44 ----------

The Courtfield stretch is possibly the snaggiest stretch of river in Europe. I fished it for 2 years or so when a small local club had it. By the end, I was using small rocks as leger weights, which were tied onto a weak link of light line. It saved fair bit of money !

Russell - that sounds about right. Was thinking that if I returned there I would use a 'rottom bottom' with bits I can afford to use. Anywhere near the flow I was having to use 5oz feeders to hold station which I suppose for established Wye or Trent men might be normal? If I chose a slack then it seemed every bit of junk that might have drifted down river had ended up there - logically.

Shame the WUF info for this beat didn't reflect that it could be so rocky. That might be naïve but other anglers on here and some sending me PM's are saying that other stretches are fishing ok without the tackle losses.

---------- Post added at 04:49 ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 ----------

I fished the Wye a bit further down from Courtfield on Sunday. Between my brother and I we landed 4 barbel, and lost a couple to hooklengths chaffing. We had to work hard for those fish even though the river seemed to be in really good conditions. Looking on the WUF catch reports for this beat, it seems to be one of the more popular beats and everyone seems to be using the same pellet and feeder tactics. Maybe the long hot summer we had with virtually no rain has taken it's toll on the fish? Could these 2 factors put together be a reason why the fishing is slow? Highlight of the day was seeing a rather large pike follow my brothers lead into the margins!! Will be back with the pike gear!

Pikepro - I think you could be right. It is popular as could be seen from the well trodden paths and access down to most of the swims. The day before at Fownhope which was a much dirtier day weather wise did produce a few bites but this looked virgin territory. Also met a chap who seemed to be offering instruction to two other anglers and he said the fish didn't seem to be about in the numbers he's seen them before so who knows? Keeping some perspective on the day it was a blank that's all but I can't afford to throw so much tackle away.

 

[pikepro1]

I do enjoy the wilderness that some of the WUF beats offer, a 15ft landing net handle would be handy in some places though!! I've lost count of the cracking looking barbel swims that I've had to walk past because it's unfishable. I've mainly fished the lower river but am on the hunt for some beats higher up that I can don the waders and trot a bait own! A barbel on the float is a major ambition of mine!

 

[wye_oh_wye]

Absolutely! I took a stepped up float rod and pin with me but the only place I could get down to water level had white water beside it or I didn't feel safe fishing that way. Maybe in the summer next year?

Whereabouts on the lower river have you been fishing?

 

[pikepro1]

I've fished the majority of the WUF beats below Ross. Some of which you need mountain goat like agility to get near the river! It's a stunning part of the world, if I had to choose one place to fish for the rest of my life it would be the Wye in the Symonds Yat area! Only problem is the sheer ignorance and idiocy of some canoeists!!

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Wye oh Wye.
If you decide to visit the Wye again please pm me before.

I will make sure you catch a few fish and don't lose much tackle.


Graham.

 

[wye_oh_wye]

Yeah, saw a few of them. One of them made me laugh though. Bloody family full of kids and two adults in various boats stopped upstream of me. When they eventually moved through one of the little girls screamed and her older brother who was only about 8 shouted "shut up child" then shouted to me "sorry about the silly kid, mate!"

Made me chuckle in the gloom for a sec.

 

[pikepro1]

At least they said sorry!! I've had a few that are just deliberately awkward!

 

[chub_on_the_block]

I had my first trip to Wye a fortnight ago - just when the stormy and very windy remains of that hurricane were passing through.

Three of us struggled on three different WUF reaches - no bites at all day one upstream at Whitney Court with pellet, day two some dace and small chub trotting maggot in an alternative venue (River Lugg) as Wye was by then un-fishable below Ross (where we had originally booked), and finally on day three at Sugwas Court back up above Hereford a couple of better chub and a first barbel for one of our number all on meat.

If only it was possible to guarantee conditions when you book a trip in advance. The week after our trip would have been ideal with record autumn temperatures and a nicely fining down river!

 

[geoffmaynard]

Chub: It's always worth looking here before setting out :
Environment Agency - River levels station data
This is for Hay-on-Wye which is a mere couple of miles upstream of Whitney Court, but there are other stations all down the river which are reported online at the EA site.

 

[chub_on_the_block]

Thanks Geoff, we knew of that site - our problem was that the day tickets and the accommodation was booked several weeks in advance (while the river was very low and in desperate need of rain!). Time off work booked etc etc - difficult to change at short notice.

 

[cg74]

Chub, I know it's impossible to pre-empt conditions even a week in advance, so you've got to make do with what you find but if conditions are dire, then head to Woody's tackle shop in Hereford, he'll put onto a stretch that should produce.


Here's a webcam I find useful: Farson Digital Watercams - Hi-def webcam on River Wye, at Hereford

 

[pikepro1]

Does anyone know if you can get day tickets for Ross on Wye town stretch on the bank? I went last year but got the ticket from Wye Angling in Ross. Planning to go on Sunday so the shop will be shut! Many thanks!

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Yes you can
Graham