Fishing the Wye

[Andy M]

First off - apologies for the long post but I hope some of you Wye specialist can wade through: A friend and I will be travelling from the Netherlands to fish the Caradoc beat on Wye for 3 days starting 22 September. Target species Barbel and Chub, feeder fishing and trotting. I should be most grateful for advice on the following given that we could face high or low water levels at that time of year and neither of us has ever fished the middle Wye before.

Current plan:

Bait: 14mm pellets, boilies and luncheon meat mainly for trotting (does garlic help?)
Mixed smaller pellets and commercial barbel groundbait mixes for feeders
Hook size: 8 for feeder fishing, 10 for trotting.
Line: mono main line 12lb - Hooklinks 8 lb floro - or maybe braid
Korum speci floats in 4, 6 and 8g
Cage feeder weights: 50g to ???g

Grateful any comments, additions, subtractions to above;

In addition from anyone who knows the Caradoc beat any advice/tips whatsoever on how to get the best out of it in the short time we have.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[fishface1]

Hi Andy,

Caradoc is a really nice stretch, as is much of the Wye.

I’ve fished it a few times and there are fish all along it at different times of the year, and as importantly in different river conditions.

There are good swims towards the bottom of the beat, but the fish can also be up in the croys.

Trotting banded pellets will find you chub. I tend to take a load of cheap dog biscuits and throw them in at the top of the stretch and watch them down river as this will identify where the bulk of the chub are. Then fish for them with pellet and float. You can get through a lot of bait if you find one of the voracious shoals.

Barbel are a bit more patchy, and generally a bigger stamp than other beats. 7-9lbers would be the norm. Fish for one fish at a time rather than the big hits you might expect on other parts of the river. You can always put more bait in if you find a shoal….

If you’ve not fished the Wye before, be prepared to lose some gear. The fish (normally) love structure, but so do tackle shop owners.

Choose a few swims and only give them a couple of hours without a bite then move.

If the river is up and coloured, don’t ignore the edges, or any smooth steady water.

If it is low and clear, look for the weedy shallower bits.

Good luck - and enjoy your fishing.

 

[fishface1]

One more thing….

Don’t worry about the canoes - the fish don’t.

Do take ear plugs if the pump is running….

That’s actually 2 more things!

 

[Andy M]

Many thanks fishface, very helpful.

 

[Andy M]

Hi again fishface - do you have any thoughts on the list of tackle I mention. Especially range of feeder weights that I should have with me?

 

[fishface1]

It really depends on the level of the river. 50g should be fine for normal conditions, and, depending on the swim, you may be able to get away with lighter, however, you should get some cow weights to clip on if required.

I’ve had to use up to 4oz in the past, but beyond that it ceases to be coarse fishing for me!

Be prepared to lose some gear so take spares.

Your float choice is fine, but also consider old skool chubbers or modern carp puddle pellet floats for fishing the pellet up in the water.

 

[russell_bush]

The Wye is my local river. If it is low and clear, with sunny days, be prepared to get on the river early and fish late too. They will often be the most productive times.

 

[silvers]

that week has seen really low river levels for the last two years ... so it’s bound to Chuck it down this year!!
I fish the Hereford stretches, so not as far down as the Caradoc, so these opinions may not apply.
i’m also a match angler, so volume Is more important to me than individual specimens.

1. pellets ... i’ve got a lot more faith in smaller particles (3mm for feed, 8mm for the hook).
2. feeders ... on a low river you may only need 30g. big jam pots are becoming less and less effective. medium kamasan black cap Is a decent starting point. Dead cows for trimming.
3. Unless it’s really rocky, 8 pound ordinary mono will be fine for hooklength on the feeder. FWIW I use 4.4 bayer at Hereford and have caught barbel to double figures. Other posters will no doubt say that‘s irresponsible.
4. Hooks ... I use Kamasan animals in 14 and 16 to match the small pellets (Hair rigged). But you won’t get 8 pound line through the eye twice (knot less knot)
5. Floats ... a waggler float will often be more effective than a top & bottom, depending on the swim. I’ve used wagglers on the Wye from 2 SSG to 5 SSG.
6. Chub ... last couple of years on the Hereford beats has seen a huge explosion of smaller chub (up to 1.5 pounds). if the same is true down at Caradoc then getting through these ravenous hordes may be a problem.

good luck

 

[Andy M]

Thanks silvers!

 

[Andy M]

Hi all, my trip to the Caradoc stretch of the Wye is imminent and I have only just noticed that all the WUF stretches are barbless hook only. Not a big problem but I was wondering if microbarbed hooks with the barb crushed would be acceptable to any bailiffs that might wander along?
Further, I imagine the river is still low and clear any tips on how to approach it in that condition?

 

[nottskev]

I've not been fishing the Wye, but I've been fishing a comparably big river for barbel through the hot, low water conditions all summer, and these have proved helpful in continuing to catch them:

Loose feed rather than groundbait
Moving rather than static baits
Float fishing or rolling light legers rather than feeders
Hemp and small pellet feed (4 and 6mm) rather than large pellets
Fishing near features and cover where possible
Softer rather than hard hookbaits eg punched meat, mussels or prawns
Fishing the last third of the day rather than early or all day.

 

[Andy M]

Very useful nottskev, many thanks!

 

[nottskev]

Let us know how you get on. There's a thread on here called How Did You Get On where people post brief reports. You'll be in between Hereford and Ross on Wye. There's a tackle shop in Hereford, Woody's, where top advice is available, and there is a tackle shop in Ross (or was when I last fished there) if you need to top up bait or tackle or get a bit of information.

 

[Andy M]

Will do! Any info on my "barbless" question above - thanks.

 

[jon atkinson]

Will do! Any info on my "barbless" question above - thanks.

Using the 'ha'porth of tar' philosophy, I'd just buy some barbless - one less thing to worry about!

 

[silvers]

Hi all, my trip to the Caradoc stretch of the Wye is imminent and I have only just noticed that all the WUF stretches are barbless hook only. Not a big problem but I was wondering if microbarbed hooks with the barb crushed would be acceptable to any bailiffs that might wander along?
Further, I imagine the river is still low and clear any tips on how to approach it in that condition?

The river has had a “mini-flush“ recently

River Wye level at Hereford Bridge - GOV.UK

Check the latest recorded river level and recent 5-day trend at Hereford Bridge

check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk

but is still really low.
No rain in the forecast either

By comparison, I fished it two years ago at 0.18m and that was the lowest I’d ever seen it! It’s barely been in positive numbers on that gauge all summer!
i drove up the lower Wye valley (Chepstow to Ross) at the back end of august and the river looked dreadfully low.

i fully agree with all the points that Nottskev has made On approach.
on hooks
just buy some eyed KamaSan animal barbless - widely stocked/available.

are WUF waters reopened now?

 

[Andy M]

Thanks silvers, yes it is open at the moment but am worried it might close again. Fingers crossed!

 

[russell_bush]

I think that you are overthinking things ! Just relax a d enjoy the river !

 

[fishface1]

It was will not close again this season, and you will catch fish. To be honest, I’d be more worried that we have some torrential rain just before you go and you get the first flush for months and you have to contend with trees, dead cows et al…

It’s a very reliable stretch of the river and will fish in most conditions. If you don’t catch after a couple of hours in a swim, move.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Andy M]

Thanks All! And yes once there I will relax go into meditation mode and enjoy the river and surroundings. And catch a few fish of course!