Barbelling on the Wye

[wye_oh_wye]

Hi guys,

hope someone can give me some useful feedback on this.

Only been to the Wye once and caught nowt just outside Hereford. My mate's looking at booking accommodation for two or three nights to give us more time on the bank instead of driving. We're looking to go second week of next month and have seen what looks like a decent 'fishing' hotel called the White Lion at Ross on Wye.

It has some of it's own bank to fish on but mentions other waters available nearby such as Biblings.

Has anyone got any experience of the White Lion and the waters around there? Did a search earlier and though the feedback was old some of it was critical of the Biblings for instance. We don't want to go and waste our money and so if forewarned with relevant advice we hopefully can avoid that.

Any advice on methods/baits would be appreciated too. Meat or pellet or both? Lead or feeder? If feeder then hemp perhaps or must it always be pellets?

We have also looked at fishing near Bewdley on the Severn. Suppose both are about as prolific as each other?

 

[jasonbean1]

To be honest your best bet for the wye if your not that experienced is to look for a cheap deal in a travelodge in Hereford, if you can get the one next to woody's tackle all the better. You'll be fishing some of the best wye waters around, good access, day ticket and you will get good honest advice each day off woody on which are the best sections to fish depending on conditions

Good luck

 

[pikepro1]

Hi, done a bit of barbel fishing this season on the Wye. The fish are there in numbers but you have to go looking for them. Most of my fishing was done on Wye and Usk Foundation beats as my fishing partner and I feel the added expense (£20 a ticket) is worth it for a mile or so of exclusive river. If you are around Ross then the town stretch in Ross itself is on a day ticket, £6 i think. Tickets can be purchased on the bank or at Wye Angling shop in Ross.

You won't catch huge Barbel on the Wye, a double is a big fish, however every fish is in immaculate condition!

Hope this helps!

 

[pointngo]

wait for some rain would be my suggestion but this place might fit the bill...

Coarse Fishing on the Wye

 

[geoffmaynard]

wait for some rain would be my suggestion but this place might fit the bill...

Absolutely. I run a small fishery just upstream of Hay on Wye and know quite a few local anglers, some of who regularly fish Red Lion bit of the river at Brewardine and at Letton and our area at Hay. The river at the moment is as low as I've ever seen it. This in itself is not too big a problem but it also means the river is gin-clear - and when this happens the fishing gets tough, especially if you are new to it. Even locals who know the hot spots for 15 miles downstream of me are really struggling, with plenty of blank sessions. For the best chance of good results, go with someone who has local knowledge who can put you onto good holding swims even when conditions are poor. Hire a guide for a day even, it will be worthwhile - "Local knowledge pays on those difficult days". A lot of the river looks like one huge barbel swim, but there can be long stretches with nothing in it. When there is some colour in the water it can be very productive so if you have the luxury of going at short notice, do that, a day or three after its rained, because conditions can change very swiftly on the Wye. Keep your eye on the EA river water height gauge which you can find on the EA website and is updated every day. My local one is here:
Environment Agency - River levels station data
StationId=4016
If you ever fancy fishing 10 mins drive upstream where we tend to get rather less numbers of fish but more bigger ones, feel free to PM me for up to date reports and info on local accommodation. For Brewardine the Red Lion is recommended.

 

[wye_oh_wye]

Many thanks to all the replies. We're certainly chewing on all of your advice.

Unfortunately due to the nature of the jobs of both my mate and I and living in Oxford we don't have the luxury too much of just taking off for a trip at short notice. We haven't had a visit to a barbel river for a couple of seasons now with different family **** getting in the way etc and so with this weather being as mild as it is we're looking to make sure we can get some days in.

But it looks like they might not be that productive if the river is low and clear and we don't have local knowledge.

Failing that I suppose there is the Severn but that's probably lower than normal too.....?

 

[russell_bush]

The Biblins is a closed shop fishery now. I'm not a member as it happens, just pointing it out to you. As a local to the Wye, I'd say with the very low and clear conditions at the mo, arrive as early as you can and fish as late as you can.

Be prepared to lengthen hook links to three foot or so or even longer to try and get bites. Good luck.

 

[wye_oh_wye]

Thanks fellas. We've been to rivers in this state before including the Wye and Dorset Stour leaving it almost fruitless.

We've made a decision to not go the week we discussed but leave it for two or three and hope we see some rain.

Without your valuable insights we wouldn't have been so informed so many thanks for that.

In the meantime we need to work out where we'll go once the river is in better nick. Is the previous comment about Hereford area being the best bet accurate or is Ross/Symonds area ok too?

 

[geoffmaynard]

In the meantime we need to work out where we'll go once the river is in better nick. Is the previous comment about Hereford area being the best bet accurate or is Ross/Symonds area ok too?

Three weeks is a long time in this part of the world, especially if it rains heavily in between. Ask again then.

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

Having spent a long weekend there this weekend doing exactly what you and your mate are thinking of, i can tell you you made a good decision. We struggled our way to a total of 3 barbel and a few chub between four rods fishing for three days, all on usually productive Wye and Usk Foundation beats on the lower/middle section.

Lets hope we get some rain soon, as long as it doesn't get freezing cold then it should improve things dramatically.

 

[wye_oh_wye]

Well chaps, Weds and Thurs booked off this week and off to a couple of the Wye and Usk beats. Up near Hereford on Wednesday and lower down near Ross on Thursday

Any feedback on the river levels? Was watching the live webcams on the WUF website but they suddenly jumped up over the top of them. EA gauges showing levels currently about 0.8 - 1.1m above summer levels. Does that just mean it's 3 - 4ft up?

If so should be good timing. Banking on some colour in the water so will fish a feeder with groundbait/pellet with pellets or meat on the hook. Banking on using 12lb mainline and have tied several hooklengths mostly using 9lb fluoro as I thought it might be clear water. Anyone see any problems with that? Been tying up size 6, 8 and 10's with hairs to take either pellet or meat, having not fished here like this before do I need to beware using too big a hook if using say a 8mm pellet or should I not bother using something that small as a hookbait if there is coloured water?

Suppose if it's losing its colour then longer 3ft or more hooklengths and slightly finer hooks/pellet sizes?

 

[pikepro1]

Would you be able to report back how you get on please? I'm down the Wye on a WUF beat next weekend, hoping that the rain has freshened everything up after the dire end to the summer! Tight lines!

 

[wye_oh_wye]

Will do. Let's hope I have lots to report.....

 

[wye_oh_wye]

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

 

[russell_bush]

Just fish confidently, it's not rocket science. River is looking good, and it is very mild. Enjoy.

---------- Post added at 22:55 ---------- Previous post was at 22:49 ----------

Sorry, what I was trying to say is don't beat yourself up about it, the conditions look good, so fish well and confidently, and we'll look forward to seeing your catch reports.

 

[aebitim]

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

Did you get my P.M?

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Wye o wye

Stayed on the wye for number of years for 6 months at a time.

River should be in reasonable condition for your few days.

I suggest you give each swim an hour and if no response move ideally down stream

Don't be afraid to feeder fish pellets in groundbait in decent quantities using mixed sized pellet feed. I suggest 2 to 3 casts into a swim to offload some bait by pulling it out as soon as touching bottom
Don't make the common mistake of only using small pellets in your feeder and moving fish downstream, use some 8-10's

If a rocky section dont use a hooklink of more than 1 foot.

Play fish hard with rod held high.

My last session gave me 16 fish in 3 hours incl 2 doubles despite low water..

Graham

Graham

---------- Post added at 15:05 ---------- Previous post was at 15:02 ----------

If you do pop into the White Lion please give Dave my regards.


Graham

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

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

Probably due to the 'Barbel Wars' Wye :wh

 

[pikepro1]

Looking forward to hearing the feedback on the river! Reading the catch reports on the WUF website, the fish have been hammered on pellets this year! It's amazing as well that on certain beat I've fished several times, everyone fishes the top end closest to the car! These swims are good and have marked some for a spot of winter piking but if the anglers were prepared to travel light and walk half a mile or so they'd be onto some cracking barbel sport!

 

[wye_oh_wye]

Guys,
thanks for your comments. River had depth, pace and touch of colour but beat we booked didn't have too many swims that were safe to access with higher levels

Drizzled all day and I blanked! Also lost end tackle several times too, my god the mighty river can eat tackle!

My mate caught 6.4 barbel on pellet and 2.0 chub on meat. Other mate had two chub with 4.0 barbel which I think fell to pellet.

I fished pretty much as outlined by all the useful previous comments with varying size pellets etc. Did fish with 2 to 3ft hook length though which I'll shorten tomorrow when we return to a stretch just below Ross. If I blank tomorrow will probably pack it all in and get on with the long overdue decorating.....

---------- Post added at 15:24 ---------- Previous post was at 15:17 ----------

Did you get my P.M?

Aebitim - just found it in my junk folder. Thanks though a little late for today. Trying again tomorrow below Ross. Will send proper reply tomorrow or Friday from my pm. Thanks again