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A lot of us have been saying the same thing for 20 years or more.
When SMS set up WUF they were a valid organisation and did a lot of good work.
Unfortunately, as most charities, the governance trustees were elected by the WUF management and were totally ineffectual or absent.
WUF became then totally focused on obtaining grants to fund the burgeoning salary bill as they built an empire.
They were greatly aided by the EU and the Water Framework Directive which paid for all the gardening they have undertaken.
With no EU grants on offer they now take whatever ever money they can from wherever they can such as NRW etc, who they are supposed to police, After paying their own multi £m wage bill they then pass it on to the polluters to behave and adhere to the law.
They are totally corrupt and have no effective accountability.
1988 the DECLARED ROD catch on the WYE, not including nets and poaching, was 6454
2024 the total rod catch was 188
It’s about time they built a museum to the salmon in Ross as they have in Kelso, that’s what it has come to and local politicians have no interests in local folk.
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
Reasonable water I would say Whitney Court, Low ish water Courtfield but take your spinning rods, Low cold water Upper Bigsweir. Ross is always worth a go see Courtfield. As Gary says, thses big fish that WUF say have run through on the high water, never seem to appear, maybe they are just guessing
 
River needs to get below 0.9 - 1.0 meter at Redbrook to start fishing below Monmouth. Current height try around Ross, higher Whitney
Yes as I say I’m hoping over the next few weeks the rains will be kind and it will have dropped to those levels as I’ve got some fishing on a lower beat this year. As I write I’m stripping down and servicing my old abu baitcasters ready for some wooden Devon minnow action.
 
I do not recommend braid on multipliers. In the thin diameters we use on fixed spool reels it tends to cut down into the coils underneath which can cause a jam. Also sorting a birds nest in ultra thin braid is not the easiest job in the world. Yes I know we shouldn’t get one. But it is so easy to catch something behind you as you accelerate into the forward cast and you have to be ultra quick clamping the spool with your thumb to avoid one. I’ve tried heavier 66 lbs Power Pro braid and that worked better. But I didn’t like the texture against my thumb, which I use to control the spool during the cast, so I have since gone back to heavy monofil.
 
I had the 60 odd lb powerpro on them last season always had mono before. I do like the feel of braid with the Devon as you feel every inch of the bottom (from the wye lead) and are directly in contact with the lure. But yes does still dig in when you are pulling out of a snag etc. not decided what to put on them this year
 
Ps I did use some braid called Hercules in a camo green colour from Amazon about a third of the price on my barbel fixed spool reels this year and actually preferred the feel of it. It’s slightly thicker per lb than the powerpro stuff and seemed very robust will probably give that a try in the 40lb /0.32mm
 
Ps I did use some braid called Hercules in a camo green colour from Amazon about a third of the price on my barbel fixed spool reels this year and actually preferred the feel of it. It’s slightly thicker per lb than the powerpro stuff and seemed very robust will probably give that a try in the 40lb /0.32mm
0.32mm, about the same diameter of 12 lbs bs Maxima. If you go with that it will be interesting to hear what you think of it in use.
 
After a painstaking 137 day close season, an early start isn't looking promising for us on the Wye, with Redbrook at 2.4m and more heavy rain on its way, what are your plans???
Will fish the middle river. I naively hoped the lower river would come good for early march but this latest spate of 5’ seems to have made that look unlikely with further rain next week
 
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