Thanks Gary

Now I've mined some exciting ML workings that have provided the # totals of salmon that will be caught during 2019 on the Wye and its tributaries....a figure that will correspond ( MOSTLY )with both those of RWGA and WUF

The lower figure is : 1455 the upper 1798



Get weaving there's much to be done!

 

Thanks Gary

Now I've mined some exciting ML workings that have provided the # totals of salmon that will be caught during 2019 on the Wye and its tributaries....a figure that will correspond ( MOSTLY )with both those of RWGA and WUF

The lower figure is : 1455 the upper 1798

Get weaving there's much to be done!

I glad to see someone optimistic as after last year even the lower figure would be a big step in the right direction. Looking on the bright side we've had a bad year every 4 years (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 & 2018) so let's hope your prediction comes true as it will require some decent runs of fish combined with good fishing conditions; things that were sadly missing last year.

Tight lines to all on the Wye and may your fish stay attached long enough to get them into the net.

 

Hoping we get a decent year of water conditions more than anything , a year without oxtail soup would be nice, river in perfect nick i would think at the moment shame we aren't starting early, would be nice to start early and finish earlier but that's a can of worms that wont be opened, good luck to everyone that casts a line on the river this season, water dependent lets hope some of the big springers are about, i love fishing March and April more than any other months you just never know and recent years have shown me personally there are big fish still running the river

Tight lines

 

Yes worms and shrimps...they were the prime way to fish the Wye, Towy, Loughor or any river that held depth, colour and salmon.....a real skill.
Are they permitted anywhere now?

 

It's down to a lack of lumbricus terrestris, probably also pandalis borealishwell:.

 

Dendrobranchiata

Not forgetting the Dendrobranchiata of course. Another major factor.!!!

 

Yes decapods...we used to have white clawed crays in the Arrow around Kington and I guess all the way to the Wye...someone 'did' for them over a very warm August bank holiday w/end in 1990 . They were delicious and I guess they owed that to the trout spawn....there were no salmon in the top of the Arrow then nor many FEBs ...hey ho ...onward

 

I love the Wye. I went to Monmouth comprehensive and lived in the Wye valley until I was 18. I fished for trout that whole time (Tintern angling club if you're asking) and never dreamed that one day I would be able to afford to fish the Wye for Salmon.

Fast forward to 2010. At the age of 32, I caught my first ever salmon in June on the the Wyesham beat a stones throw away from the bridge I'd spent so many years hanging around with friends. A special moment.

Earlier that year, knowing nothing about salmon fishing, I'd gone for a day's fishing, or as I thought of it, casting practice, in March. I had no expectation of catching whatsoever. My fly just stopped swimming in Cottage Pool and I connected to a fish that did exactly as it pleased for the next 15 minutes. It didn't make any big runs, it didn't do anything spectacular, it just cruised around the pool doing exactly as it pleased. Eventually the hook pulled out, and I may or may not have sworn for about 10 minutes non-stop.

I've caught a fair few salmon since up to 18lbs but I'm convinced that was the biggest one I've ever hooked by some margin.

The Wye is a magical river. Best wishes to all those fishing her this year!

 

I enjoyed reading that, thanks for posting.

Ps the way you described the one you lost it sounded like a big one to me too!

 

The Wye.

Lovely post Tommy, unusual to have a positive post on this river, they unfortunately are far less interesting made by those with a big egos and know little of the river. I was born and bred a couple of miles up the valley from you. The Wye Valley and it's river are truly magical and I suspect you are feeling a little homesick,I know I would be. I have fished the Wye all my life and it breaks my heart to see the state she is in now and yet I still persist because of her magic. I have fished many places in the world including Scotland, Ireland, Russia, PNW, Australia, Canada and even the Amazon.i have also fished a couple of rivers in BC and even endured combat fishing on the Frasier. What is pretty common to most of them is their decline. I must say that the Wye Valley will always be my favourite place on this Planet. Tommy, British Columbia is a beautiful place but remember your heritage the Wye will always welcome back her sons, she will be here waiting. Good luck to you and keep us posted on your adventures

 

Lovely post Tommy, unusual to have a positive post on this river, they unfortunately are far less interesting made by those with a big egos and know little of the river. I was born and bred a couple of miles up the valley from you. The Wye Valley and it's river are truly magical and I suspect you are feeling a little homesick,I know I would be. I have fished the Wye all my life and it breaks my heart to see the state she is in now and yet I still persist because of her magic. I have fished many places in the world including Scotland, Ireland, Russia, PNW, Australia, Canada and even the Amazon.i have also fished a couple of rivers in BC and even endured combat fishing on the Frasier. What is pretty common to most of them is their decline. I must say that the Wye Valley will always be my favourite place on this Planet. Tommy, British Columbia is a beautiful place but remember your heritage the Wye will always welcome back her sons, she will be here waiting. Good luck to you and keep us posted on your adventures

A great post Llandogo, and I know your village well. Sadly, what you say about decline is all too true. Even in BC salmon farms, commercial over fishing and warming sea temperatures seem to be gradually killing the golden goose. BC is well behind the UK in that regard but, unfortunately, the direction of travel seems clear.

Even though I live in BC, the Wye Valley will always be the place I feel at home. In my biased opinion there's no finer place than Monmouthshire in May when the sun is out, the flowers are blooming and maybe, just maybe, there's a springer waiting for you in your favourite pool!

 

Ross AC

Really looking forward to the new season with only 7 weeks to go. I know there are doubts about it but as usual at this time of the year I'm full of hope and enthusiasm.

Keen Club members at Ross have spent the winter opening up about another 150 metres of bank for fishing when the Wye is in flood. This gives us some promising catches close by the bank in water 5 -6ft of water for early season spring fish. When these were fished last is mist of time stuff.

All the best to all Wye salmon anglers for the coming year and tightlines to all. Go to our website at rossanglingclub.co.uk for details of membership opportunities. Trev.

 

Cleared 60 mtrs of old willow out at Caemawr on Muddy Bank to open up one of the old pools unfishable before the weekend , lovely flow through here looking forward to fishing it now

 

View attachment 34573

Cleared 60 mtrs of old willow out at Caemawr on Muddy Bank to open up one of the old pools unfishable before the weekend , lovely flow through here looking forward to fishing it now

Great work, how many miles of excellent fishable Wye are currently under Willow bushes which grow, fall or split and regrow making the banks unfishable. Strength to your arm, pollarding a normal process in the past but lost with lack of labour and no demand for baskets these days.

 

Just to be pedantic. You have been coppicing (pruning at ground level). Pollarding is trimming the crowns of trees and shrubs. I'll get my coat.

 

Coat .... or jacket ???

 

Back in the 70's,80's I use to fish all the way down from the Neck Pool past the Pink Hut and below.That's when Caerphilly Angling club use to rent off Major Hopkins. On a Sunday we had a coach from caerphilly that use to take us there.
Always stopped off then on way home in Storey Arms for sausage n chips, great times.

There use to be an island on the opposite bank.
Some great dace fishing we had.

In the hut use to be salmon records written in pencil on the wall.
Amazing the hut is still standing, when I fished Caermawr several years ago, like going back in time

There were some big perch down by the island and some of the guys caught some big ones.Also good chub along the long straight stretch and the bay to the left of the Neck held good bleak when river was high.

Well done Steved

Sewinfly. .......

 

I fished this beat in the 70's when Major Hopkins owned the water. (Did you know he committed suicide, poor chap?) he never spun, always fly and caught numerous fish just below the hut.

I remember one day in early september seeing literally tens of grilse head and tailing up the rapids and into the hut pool. They wouldn't take a bloody thing!!

My best pal caught a 31.5lb fish one morning in April and followed it up with an 18lber three or four casts later, right opposite the hut. From the photo it has not changed a lot except for the willows!!

 

When Richard gw & I fished Caemawr we had most success fishing in the fast run below the hut pool casting tight in under the willows on the opposite bank.

I have waded across the river in low water on the shingle bar above the mud bank that you refer to.

We were also told that a good lie was below Commodore's Rock, but never dicovered it. Perhaps it is the large boil opposite the hut, where we have also caught fish.

 

Had the only fish off Caemawr last year on that Commodores lie , we put a drone up over the beat last year in the extremely low water its amazing the lack of structure in there with all the boils you expect to see boulders everywhere but in fact there arent many, below that gravel bar on muddy bank it drops off quite deeply could be a good holding spot

 

Mud(dy) Bank

Good name that; took me a while to wade out to clean ground there last season only to find it was wall to wall with chub. They would hammer even the biggest tube, maybe 3" with another 2" tail. They finally disappeared after a big swirl at the drop-off you mention and I moved on with the idea that perhaps Salmon don't like sharing with Mrs. Pike either!

See you there for the work-party?
LJB

 

Good name that; took me a while to wade out to clean ground there last season only to find it was wall to wall with chub. They would hammer even the biggest tube, maybe 3" with another 2" tail. They finally disappeared after a big swirl at the drop-off you mention and I moved on with the idea that perhaps Salmon don't like sharing with Mrs. Pike either!

See you there for the work-party?
LJB

Hopefully with the willows out it will dry up , the willows trap everything the hope is we will bring the flow close into the bank and wash away the silt that builds up around the underwater branches , it should remove the eddy that has been formed where Mr pike has lived , I am dropping a dead bait in there at some point he's a biggie. It should add a good length of water to fish and you will fish the head of the next pool much better as you couldn't fish it before.
We shall make sure there's enough work for the party to get stuck into and then everyone can fish the pool as it used to be fished

 

Did not know that had happened to him.

Sometimes we use to see people in the hut and on the opposite bank on the gravel bank fishing.

I was fishing on the straight once and must of been about 14 at the time.Sitting on my wicker basket "remember them" looking at my feet area and there were 4 small cans of hieniken in the plastic ring holder.
I was made up 4 small cans of beer fishing at Caermawr, sorted for the rest of the session I was.

Fising for bleak once in the bay to the left of the Neck as the river was in flood on a small pole.
Float under again,another bleak and then the pole bent in double line straightened out and ping.
Next thing the float is skimming across to the far bank,salmon away.

Good times.

Sewinfly. ....

 

Good luck with the big Green Slimy.[/QUOTE]

It could end up knowing what it's like to be stuffed not of chub this time I know a bloke who lives just up the road that likes stuffing fish

 

Good luck with the big Green Slimy.

It could end up knowing what it's like to be stuffed not of chub this time I know a bloke who lives just up the road that likes stuffing fish[/QUOTE]

Stuffed pretty much anything in his time so I hear:evil:

 

Some lovely fish being caught up north gives us all hope not long now

 

not long now

Have you decided to start on the 26th then

 

Seems the NRW/WAG enquiry into new welsh Byelaws is not going too well, certainly from the anglers point of view. WAG seem to be treating it like a criminal trial with a Barrister cross examining Angling representatives for two or three hours at a time and in some cases trying to denigrate their evidence and competence.

This is NOT the way it should be and NRW may well live to regret the stance they are taking. Anglers will be really angry at what is taking place and I suspect will be reluctance to assist them in the future which NRW will need if any new byelaws are to be effective..

As for angling representatives competence, including the Angling Trust apparently, we have against us NRW Officers who claim to know the remedy and yet have been in charge of our rivers for decades. A couple I have known for over 30 years plus who have been responsible for the state of our rivers during that time. I won't mention any names but many of you know who they are. They are partly responsible for the state we are in yet now yet lecture us on what the remedy might be. They bend whichever way the wind blows depending on the answer their employers want and should have been replaced years ago.

Bit like our MPs . Never want to listen to the people or those at the sharp end. In their arrogance they think they know what's best for us. We shall see.

Check out some of their evidence here;
ShareFile and in addition you can find the summary documents and presentations from this link: http://www.hwa.uk.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Inquiry-Documents-List-23-1-19-.pdf

Good luck with that.

 

Thank you for this...indeed barristers are expensive and prolix, two items which often tell against their purpose and points. Fortunately Mark Lloyd of the Angling Trust is there to puncture the 'puff' and keep matters on track.

 

Mark Lloyd was there alright and subjected to a similar grilling to the others of two hours or so. He was I understand left angry and upset.
Not had a recent update. WAG/NRW have basically shot themselves in the foot I reckon.

 

With the upper river getting their extra 2 weeks I still can’t see why we don’t start earlier than March 3rd

 

With the upper river getting their extra 2 weeks I still can't see why we don't start earlier than March 3rd

Totally agree. The EA took 5 weeks off the front end of the season to save exploitation in the days of catch & kill but didn't reinstate the 26th January start when river became 100% C&R. Why not?

 

Totally agree. The EA took 5 weeks off the front end of the season to save exploitation in the days of catch & kill but didn't reinstate the 26th January start when river became 100% C&R. Why not?

Why not ask WUF? Apart from the 100% C&R they were complicit with the EA on most of the changes in regulations and have worked hand in glove with them over the years, including lets not forget the canoe 'agreements' on the upper river and all the hatchery issues.
The angler at the sharp end has never been consulted by WUF on any of the issues which have affected us over the years. The EA 'consulations' are a shame. Big brother knows best for you and the rest of us Richardgw. At the end of the day the reasons why decisions are reached by EA/NRW/WUF is to FOLLOW THE CASH, FOLLOW THE CASH,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

In the same vein

I'm surprised that not much is being made on here in respect of the threat posed by the consultation being undertaken by the Environment Agency into the duration of the Coarse fish closed season.

The EA are consulting on three options:

• Retain the current coarse fish close season on rivers - 15 March to 15 June;
• Retain a close season, but change the duration - 15 April to 30 June;
• Remove the close season altogether.

The consultation will be online for 8 weeks from today (14 January) to 11 March 2019. It can be accessed at Coarse fishing close season on English rivers
- Environment Agency
- Citizen Space. We also have arrangements to receive for email and postal responses.

It would seem to me that if the coarse close season is removed we the salmon fishers on the Wye will find it much harder to find places to fish. I know that some beats on the Wye make some effort to attract salmon anglers during March to June knowing that they cannot attract coarse fishers in order to add income.

if there is a removal of the coarse closed season some beats may become no go to salmon anglers when owners realise that you can pack more barbel anglers into a mile of river than salmon anglers.

We might well say goodbye to access of some classic beats in the Wye should the consultation go the "wrong way". The same logic could well apply to other rivers such as the Hampshire Avon.

We may ultimately be forced into paying much more for our fishing in order to buy off the coarse anglers, now there's a bit of irony!

 

I'm surprised that not much is being made on here in respect of the threat posed by the consultation being undertaken by the Environment Agency into the duration of the Coarse fish closed season.

The EA are consulting on three options:

• Retain the current coarse fish close season on rivers - 15 March to 15 June;
• Retain a close season, but change the duration - 15 April to 30 June;
• Remove the close season altogether.

The consultation will be online for 8 weeks from today (14 January) to 11 March 2019. It can be accessed at Coarse fishing close season on English rivers
- Environment Agency
- Citizen Space. We also have arrangements to receive for email and postal responses.

It would seem to me that if the coarse close season is removed we the salmon fishers on the Wye will find it much harder to find places to fish. I know that some beats on the Wye make some effort to attract salmon anglers during March to June knowing that they cannot attract coarse fishers in order to add income.

if there is a removal of the coarse closed season some beats may become no go to salmon anglers when owners realise that you can pack more barbel anglers into a mile of river than salmon anglers.

We might well say goodbye to access of some classic beats in the Wye should the consultation go the "wrong way". The same logic could well apply to other rivers such as the Hampshire Avon.

We may ultimately be forced into paying much more for our fishing in order to buy off the coarse anglers, now there's a bit of irony!

Very True. Some of what you say is already the case. At the end of the day however they will do as they wish, consultation or not. If the close season is removed many Wye owners will FOLLOW THE MONEY. Some already do with encouragement from WUF. Its all about FOLLOWING THE MONEY as I said..

 

Seems the first fish off the Severn came this morning to John Love on a Devon minnow at Diglis. 17lb beauty.
Pity we can't try and do the same!!!!!!

Seems a well known eating hole in Cardiff is advertising Severn and Wye smoked salmon on it's menu How can this be you ask.

Could be because the remaining Severn estuary fishery which is being allowed to remain open in 2019 it seems, because it's a mixed stock fishery could, and information exists that it does,take a mixed stock from the three rivers with the main number of fish caught probably coming from the Wye and Usk. So perhaps his WYE salmon taken from the Severn fishery is indeed a Wye fish. Would take genetics to prove it though. I see another barrister being employed. Couldn't make it up really could you.

 

Seems a well known eating hole in Cardiff is advertising Severn and Wye smoked salmon on it's menu How can this be you ask.

Could be because the remaining Severn estuary fishery which is being allowed to remain open in 2019 it seems, because it's a mixed stock fishery could, and information exists that it does,take a mixed stock from the three rivers with the main number of fish caught probably coming from the Wye and Usk. So perhaps his WYE salmon taken from the Severn fishery is indeed a Wye fish. Would take genetics to prove it though. I see another barrister being employed. Couldn't make it up really could you.

Calm down dear!

Before you rush to invoke the law, I think a rather simpler explanation is simply that the salmon is supplied by a firm called the Severn and Wye Smokery Severn & Wye Smokery. And I've seen smoked salmon described as such on other menus over the years - here are some examples I found:

https://www.colbertchelsea.com/downloads/menu/a-la-carte

https://www.browns-restaurants.co.u...aurants.co.uk/content/dam/browns/pdf/2017/christmas/Christmas Booklet Brand.pdf

https://www.thewolseley.com//app/uploads/2017/10/Wolseley-A-La-Carte-85-Web.pdf

While I agree that it may give the impression that the salmon is wild fish sourced from those rivers (and indeed you might think that they were deliberately trying to imply that), I guess that in this context 'Severn and Wye' is just a legitimate brand name, and restaurants are quite within their rights to use it in describing their offerings. Although, according to their website, the Severn and Wye Smokery do still seem to process and sell wild fish, they also source farmed salmon from Glenarm in Northern Ireland, and a company called VAR in the Faroes.

 

I’m the mole I sent Geoff the menu description I have since emailed Miller and Carter they are looking at the wording and will email me back

 

Dr Wren

I am delighted to see Colbert's vegetarian 'suggestion' to ask …..

Having considered the glum defence by some of those who've chosen to be part of Veganuary !

I have come up with a happy , even joyous alternative in which no salmon has a place
( certainly not the chemical stuff of the farms)

It's a diet based entirely on tobacco, alcohol and meet and given that it is going to the pub, drinking with pipe in hand outside while meeting my friends it is a vegetable affair , nay some Cuban rub is organic...and my friends , well...


Perhaps it could be titled Fatallyfunuary