Dave Roberts - Epic River Wye Roach Fishing

[NoCarpPlease]

Alex Dave B or Dave Roberts? I was working in Korea in 2008, and Dave just managed to get me in for the 2009 Festival when I came over on holiday and won it, having not fished since July 2008 when I went out there.

You
just checked and it was November 2007.
Day 1 I drew up the ash path and the only person to have a bite above the bridge was Mark Jones (Tredegar Angling) who had a 20 pound carp
Day 2 I drew next to you opposite the rowing club. You caught bleak and chublets on the 12ft LXL using a shallow waggler and won the zone.
Day 3 we drew down at Bartonsham after a horrendous frost. I was on Polish Camp and you were below me. I know that I caught one trout. I'm pretty sure that you also struggled.

I was recalling the episode to show that it's not always fabulous on the Wye - feast or famine usually!

 

[dave brittain 1]

Alex 2007 would be more like it. I can't remember where I drew on the first day, but I do remember the 20lb carp, are you sure everybody above the bridge blanked?

When we were opposite the rowing club, was I under the bridge on 95 with a high 20's or a low 30 odd lbs of small chub which I caught late after pulling them up from 96, fishing shallow because of the snags? If it was it's about the coldest I've been as it was like a wind tunnel with a polar vortex or were we further up? Also was the the year when the river froze?

I remember Bartonsham, I had an awful peg with shallow rapids and blanked like the rest of the section.

You're right it wasn't always brilliant but the river was generally pretty good to me, helped by drawing the odd good peg

 

[NoCarpPlease]

Alex 2007 would be more like it. I can't remember where I drew on the first day, but I do remember the 20lb carp, are you sure everybody above the bridge blanked?

yep ... it was my first festival and I remember it well!

When we were opposite the rowing club, was I under the bridge on 95 with a high 20's or a low 30 odd lbs of small chub which I caught late after pulling them up from 96, fishing shallow because of the snags? If it was it's about the coldest I've been as it was like a wind tunnel with a polar vortex or were we further up? Also was the the year when the river froze?

directly opposite the rowing club, just below the trees & culvert (90?)
it was gin clear and you were catching bleak and then the odd 4-6 oz chublets among them.
it was a low 20s
i always remember the learning experience of getting tonked off the next peg

I remember Bartonsham, I had an awful peg with shallow rapids and blanked like the rest of the section.

i think that was the last time they used bartonsham for the festival.

You're right it wasn't always brilliant but the river was generally pretty good to me, helped by drawing the odd good peg

I also can’t complain ... I’ve had lots of decent catches, section wins and frames ... but hadn’t beaten the 40 pound mark until this season.
I never managed to draw on the real hot roach & dace areas on the right days ... I would end up in A section on those days!
i Haven’t fished the winter league for a few years now, so only go twice a year for the charity match and Wye champs ... so happy if I get a decent draw ( I had my “once in a lifetime“ in September)

 

[dave brittain 1]

Alex I didn't think it was the match I drew 95 as I think Chalky was above me, however I also can't remember winning the section shallow on the waggler but I did have a lot of good matches

The Wye Champs is the one I want to win, unfortunately I was runner up in 2008 when Steve Sadler did me by a single fish however I did win the Team Champs earlier that year so I'll just have to keep on trying.

I also think I could have possibly done better off this peg a couple of years ago. It's a peg I'd love to draw again, one of those classic glides all river anglers live for, however the Wye does have a lot of good pegs like this, the difficult part is drawing them in the right conditions.