River Wye

[sagefly]

Stop giving away the secrets and start tying the silk cut shrimps ;D

[ar]

Word has reached my royal ear that Bigsweir had ten fish yesterday. Hope there are some left for next Thursday when I am over there.

[ar]

I fished Bigsweir yesterday. One or two fish showing early and late but none caught on any of the beats. After the recent heatwave the water temps are now high. Catches seem to have fallen away. Bigsweir had 44 fish in June (including 10 in one day) but none so far in July. Once the recent rain flushes through the system things may change.

Still, the lower Wye is a magical place to be at this time of year, especially when graced by a large otter splashing up through the Llandogo run within 15 yards of me at 5.30 am and then floating back down on his back 15 minuts later.

[sagefly]

Any news on water heights & catches on the Wye?

[charlieh]

There's a report posted yesterday by Geoff Franks on the RWGA site - don't know if you've seen it.

www.rwga.co.uk/index.php?doc=reportchoose

I think he tends to the 'glass half empty' persuasion, though, as shown by the gloomy reports he writes for T&S.

Incidentally, he also has his own opinions about the best way to tackle the river's problems, and to say that they don't coincide with the Wye & Usk Foundation is putting it mildly. He seems to have little faith in the environmental regeneration work they're doing, and would rather see more money spent on increasing the hatchery effort. For my part, I'm more in agreement with the WUF.

[severnfisher]

Charlie,
Concerned to read of the small numbers of grilse about on the Wye. The Severn has seen a pretty big run of them since the middle of august. Biggest for a few years.
Tom

[charlieh]

Tom, glad to hear that the Severn has had a good grilse run. How are you doing with the fly - any more success? I think the Wye grilse have been in decline for several years; I think they haven't been there in numbers for at least the last four years. The lower beat I fish occasionally used to catch the bulk of its catch in July/August/September, but in recent years the balance has swung to favour the 2SW fish in May/June.

It seems to me that in the last few years we may have started to see a turn in the natural cycle of salmon runs, away from the big grilse runs that were a feature of the 60s, 70s and 80s, and back to more MSW fish. The Wye didn't have grilse in great numbers in the middle decades of the last century, and perhaps it is reverting to that pattern.

I haven't been down there since May, so I don't have any up-to-date news. But I was cheered back then by my host telling me that he had seen more smolts going downriver this spring than he had for many years - almost like when he was a young man, he said. I wonder if perhaps this will mean better grilse numbers next year, or maybe there'll be a bumper lot of 2SW fish in 2008. It'd be nice to think so!

[acw]

Fished a near Buith Wells beat on sunday ,well if truth was told shared a rod with young Hugh .
Did not see a fish all day ,Hughs casting is coming on well !
Did have a pull saw a flash of brown ,thought it was a coloured grilse and then Mr Chub gave up !
Thanks greg for fixing a fun day ,will see you and the Guys at Mortlake this sunday !

[severnfisher]

Hi Charlie,

We seem to be lucky on the Severn in that there appears to be an increase in both grilse and MSW salmon. The problem is that with the catchment being so big and with relatively few anglers it is difficult to put together an accurate picture of catches. Hence EA postcards on fishing effort.

We've had some cracking fly water in recent weeks. Though it has receded to ultra low at the moment.

Had a few more on the fly. Took your tip about duller offerings such as the Lady Caroline and tied up some Icelandic shrimpy things with Honey Dun. I've had success with that patern and also with a skated Yellow Dolly on low water and a gold bodied WG in dirty water. This is in addition to the 'sea trout' patterns and tactics I use in the deep dusk.

Usk Grub has continued to bring them up, but unfortunately nothing has stuck.

Fly fishing for salmon is getting fashionable on the Middle severn . Actually bumped into somebody else doing it the other evening who I didn't know. First time for seven years.


Tom

[elwyman]

Some good news about the Wye:

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/6198070.stm

[robmason]

I'll be not far from Wye-shire in April next year. Any suggestions as to locations that I should aim to get on?

[ar]

Whereabouts will you be?

[acw]

robmason said:

I'll be not far from Wye-shire in April next year. Any suggestions as to locations that I should aim to get on?

Rob
call me blinkered but Bigsweir is a must

[robmason]

I think I know where Bigsweir is. The road crosses the Wye at that point on the way to Monmouth. Andy, do they do day tickets?

AR, when I say close, I mean in Bristol!

[teififly]

Rob, used to fish Bigsweir twice a week until I moved to West Wales, april is to early for Bigsweir or any beat below Monmouth unless the river is at or below summer level the fish just dont hold. In 8 years I caught only 1 fish in April.
The middle Wye Hereford down to Ross will give you a better chance of a fish.
Steve

[robmason]

Cheers Steve, where would you recommend?

Rob

[toucan]

Rob,
Your best bet is to look at The Wye and Usk Foundation website www.wyeuskfoundation.org/fishing/index.php which has details of most of the available fishing on the river. Some can be booked via Seth at the Booking Office.

In April, the best fishing should be on the Upper and Middle river but in recent years the lower beats have started fishing earlier, largely because of persistent low water conditions. So Bigsweir might offer a chance if the water has been low. If we get a nice wet spring then head further up river. Above Glasbury you will find a beautiful upland river with great fly water, and if you are very lucky a big Wye springer.

Another tip, don't overlook the Usk in April if you're going to be based in Bristol. The rod catch is about the same as the Wye but the river is a fraction of the length.

Mark

[robmason]

Thanks for the link toucan, that looks just the ticket!

[teififly]

Hi Rob, just had a look at the W.U.F. website and if I had to choose one beat to fish in April it would have to be the Carrots, followed by Caradoc then Whitney.
As Mark has said the upper Wye valley is beautiful, I used to fish at Pwill-y-Faedda in the early 80's it did not really come into it's own until the first flood of the summer. The last season I took a rod on the beat was 1987.
Harris and Stokes (agents) Hereford used to let beats on the middle and lower Wye don't know if they still do.
Steve.

[robmason]

Thanks for the tip Steve. Just noticed the "wash off" policy. When I first saw it I assumed it was something to do with tackle disinfection ;D. Can't say I've ever had my money back before through being washed off.