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Wye & Usk Foundation News Update
Tuesday 2 March, 2010
With tomorrow's start to the salmon and trout season comes a welcome break in the wintry conditions that have lasted throughout most of February. In recent years the first salmon has usually come from the section downstream of Hereford but with the Llanstephan gauge running at 1 ft 6 today, this year's first fish bottle of champagne could well be won higher up the river. At current heights, anywhere from Hay downstream is in with a chance. It could be anywhere on the Usk too.
Trout anglers will also be encouraged by the mild spell forecast for the next week or so. The warmest hours of the day are usually the most productive early season, when the fly hatches are at their most prolific. Large dark olives are often a good food source for trout at this time of year, and these have been reported, especially from the Monnow system. We are, however, looking for volunteers to help determine the distribution of March browns in the Usk catchment. Please report any you see to WUF (contact details below). March browns are quite often confused with olives and Brook duns. If you need help with identification…. www.wyeuskfoundation.org/news/noticeboard If you are planning to be out on the Usk in March we can give you a collecting vial so that correct identification can be made. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Coarse and grayling anglers should also enjoy the last 2 weeks of their season, following the tough conditions of February. Barbel and chub anglers might want to try a new Booking Office beat - Foy Bridge, a few miles upstream of Ross. It’s not in the Passport yet but will be on the website shortly.
A new fly fishing instructor/guide is now offering his services to those wanting to learn how to fish the Wye and Usk catchments. Oliver Burch has a wealth of experience of the two rivers, having fished most of the Passport waters and plenty of others. Please see www.wyevalleyflyfishing.com for more details.
A few season rods are still available – Llanover on the Usk, Gromain/The Rectory and Cefnllysgwynne on the Wye. Please see our website for details.
Finally, good luck to anyone venturing out for an early season salmon. Please do let us know of any you catch, lose or see wherever you are fishing. If you do land one, it could win you a bottle of champagne! Please remember that both rivers are mandatory catch & release for salmon until June 16th.
All the best from the Wye and Usk Foundation.
01982 551520
admin@wyeuskfoundation.org
PS If you haven't received your 2010 Passport, please let us know.
2010-02-19
Monday 22 February, 2010
The 2010 Passport will be through your letter box within seven days and if yours hasn't arrived or you have a friend who would like one, please email the office. Bigger, earlier and crammed with fishing detail, it’s a personal triumph for Seth.
This year we have added a symbol to show those fisheries that have accommodation linked to them. Pride of place is Glanwye whose lodge overlooks the fishing. This year their letting includes this serviced accommodation which can be booked for whole or part weeks.
We are a bit cautious about recommendations for the coming week as the weather is still oscillating between snow, freezing and an attempt at spring. The daffodils are lying low which suggests cold is never far away. This changeability has been reflected in the catches. A few blanks but also some very respectable grayling from Glanwye (including one of 2½ lbs) and the Lugg. One day there will be a hatch of fly and the next, nothing. To help you check the latest news from a particular beat or river, the Anglers Feedback section on our website now has a search facility. This will save you the time of scrolling through all the reports until you come to one that's relevant.
Not too far away is the start of the salmon season and we still have some season rods available on the Usk (Llanover and Ashford House) and on the Wye at Gromain/Rectory plus our "Salmon Visa" ( any beat any day) which is excellent value at £ 750 per season.
All the best from those shivering in Builth.
Wye and Usk Foundation
01982 551520
Wye & Usk Foundation News Update
Friday 22 January, 2010
The first snow drops are showing at Erwood and despite all the bad weather that's gone before us, we were surprised to find the air temperature at 10 degrees celsius this morning: that's enough to encourage fish to enter the river and should bring the coarse fish back on the take. It's probably just a bit high in the main river for grayling but when the remains of this spate has passed, there could be some good fishing if the weather men have got it right.
We are in the throws of producing the 2010 Passport and Seth feels confident we will have it with you by St David's day. There are a number of season salmon rods available and details are with the Office.
The Agency are conducting a consultation on the advisability or otherwise of a scheme for identifying canoes. Details may be found at: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/library/consultations/114670.aspx where you can respond online.
Wishing you all the best for 2010
Wye and Usk Foundation
Tel : 01982 551520
Wye & Usk Foundation News Update
Tuesday 22 December, 2009
First the rain and now even the freezing cold won't put them off - Messrs Burch and Peat were out again showing that it's a matter of getting the fly or bait into the water that really counts. Oliver took grayling up to 19" and Nick several more pike.... including the one he caught at a previous visit. It's worth a peek at: http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/fishing/feedback.php to see what can be done in the depth of winter
The office will be closed from 5pm on Wed 23rd Dec and reopen on Mon 4th Jan 2010. The online booking system continues, we hope, online for anyone who needs to get outdoors and it only remains for us to wish you all a very happy Christmas and all the best for 2010
The Wye and Usk Foundation
Wye & Usk Foundation News Update
Wednesday 9 December, 2009
You were probably expecting us to say its been yet another week of rain with nothing to report on the fishing front. Well, yes and no. The surprise was receiving a report from Nick Peat of Dorset last Friday, who braved the conditions to take a 23.5lbs pike from a beat near Hay! Nick, will you be trying our next survival course in January? For the first time in quite a few weeks however, the forecast is for drier, colder weather... good news for frustrated grayling & coarse anglers.
That apart, its a useful opportunity to let you know what the Foundation has been doing throughout the year with its project work, new and old:
The latest project to start is the EU Fisheries Fund. The EFF supports work to enhance the river stages of migratory fish (salmon in our case) and so supports continuation of our acid waters correction, fish passage improvement and habitat restoration across eastern Wales. The project started on 1st September and work is already under way with habitat restoration on the Tarrell and Cilieni (Usk) while on the Wye, Louis and Meyrick are getting the consents to continue work on the Camddwr. Jeremy is collecting information on the upper Severn where we are assisting the Severn Trust who shares this bid. We have 0.5million pounds over 3 years.
More recently, we have had success with another EU fund, Life +, for work on the Irfon. The 4 year ISAC project (Irfon Special Area of Conservation) will redress the problem we have had in trying to restore the pH of the upper section. By restoring natural flows with a targeted removal of sections of the forest and blocking of the drainage system our liming programme should render the water less susceptible to dips in pH levels. Downstream the tributaries will be restored for benefit of the SAC species: salmon; crayfish; otter and pearl mussel.
The Water Framework Directive has delivered some important funding for fish passage in England. These funds, awarded to WUF and EAW, will allow completion of work on all the major barriers on the Monnow, Lugg, Arrow and Garren. There will be additional funding for habitat restoration in the Monnow (managed by Monnow Fisheries Association) and to correct diffuse pollution in the Lugg and Arrow. This is a one year project.
Further funding from Defra /Natural England will allow the invasive weeds project to continue, particularly the Giant hogweed on the main stem of the Wye.
Current projects include LARA, a Sita landfill tax scheme for the lower Arrow and Lugg around Leominster in which fish passage, habitat restoration and diffuse pollution are the main actions. The Pinsley brook is the first site to have been coppiced and fenced under this project. Giving up the Weed goes quiet after October, but we got 42km of both banks of the Wye sprayed and 247 stands of Japanese Knotweed in the Usk, Lugg, Arrow and Wye. Balsam was pulled.... with what result, we will not know until 2010.
Our investigation into river aggregate removal continues (RASP). What we thought were odd instances seem to be all too common.
We completed two projects in the year The National Grid Enhancement Fund and the Water Framework Directive Fund. We shall be posting full details of these projects on http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/projects/index.php in the next day or two.
Last plug of the year: for anyone still wondering what to buy for angling friends or family members, 2010 Vouchers are now on sale and can be used on any of the Passport beats. Also available is our range of clothing. Items can be bought from the Office on 01982 551520.
All the best from the Foundation
Wye & Usk Foundation News Update
Tuesday 1 December, 2009
I think we can safely report that no fishing whatsoever took place last week. Even our greatest stalwarts were defeated by the weather. It was against this background that we prepared for last Sundays River Walk. Saturday dawned with a rising river Wye and a very red and angry looking Usk. Visibility, crucial to the day, was near zero in both. We spent the rest of the day honing our excuses, finding extra umbrellas and expecting most of the 90 expected guests to duck out!
There were surprises on Sunday. Nearly everyone turned up and we were joined by Roger Williams MP (Brecon and Radnor). Roger has taken a keen interest in the Foundation, the Severn Barrage and the current canoeing issue.
The little Sgithwen brook was our saviour. It had previously experienced some spawning activity which had petered out a week or so ago but was suddenly, overnight, visited by another run of fish. Guests were able to see several large spawning fish (18 to 20lbs) at one of the sites and at the other, possibly one of the smallest hens (3lbs) with a large suitor of about 15lbs! The rest of the trip visited tributaries of the Irfon, the site of our next EU project.
Well done to all those who braved more than just "light rain"!
Turning the calendar today, 1st of December brings the realisation that there will be no escape from the impending festivities. For anyone still wondering what to buy for angling friends or family members, 2010 Vouchers are now on sale and can be used on any of the Passport beats also is our range of WUF caps and clothing. They can be bought from the Office on 01982 551520.
Only three months to go!
All the best from the Foundation
Wye & Usk Foundation News Update
Monday 23 November, 2009
Are we finally experiencing the very wet winters that the climate change scientists predicted? Several people have contacted us to ask how spawning fish fare in these conditions. From what we have seen so far, it seems they have progressed well up the tributary system. Interestingly, the travelling phase was largely carried out in advance of the very high levels we are experiencing today.
In the Wye catchment, we have found salmon as far up the Arrow as Hunton weir, so we know they will have passed over four of WUF's fish passes. Despite difficult viewing conditions, the Clettwr, Duhonw and Edw were all found to be tenanted in their upper reaches but the Sgithwen has allowed the greatest ease of inspection. Here we found quite a number of relatively fresh grilse, that arrived after the season closed, cutting in one area and a few days later, a second wave of larger, older fish arrived and cut lower down.
We think the worst scenario is to have very low water during the redd cutting phase followed by a flood. In these circumstances, fish may have been encouraged to cut redds in the lower reaches of tributaries and the main stem, only to have them washed out. That won't happen this year, thankfully. However, prolonged shrinking of flows through freezing would not be good.
2010 Roving Vouchers are now on sale. With the festive season inevitably approaching, these make excellent Christmas presents. We can also take advance reservations for any of our Booking Office beats if you wanted to buy someone a day's salmon, trout, grayling or coarse fishing on any of the 50+ participating fisheries. Once you have booked, we will send a card and voucher to you or the lucky recipient, so that they have something tangible on the day. Finally, we have a great range of Wye & Usk Foundation clothing that also make ideal gifts - please see page 128 of the 2009 Passport for details. Why trudge around shops in the rain when all you have to do is call us on 01982 551 520?!
Fishing? We had heard that a few brave souls had managed to catch more than the odd barbel between floods. Even that may not be possible for a week or so.
River Walk
We still have a few places left on our Autumn River Walk, next Sunday 29th November 2009. Don't worry about the water heights - it should get the fish out of the main rivers, which are doing a passable impression of the Zambezi as we write.
If you are interested, please call us on 01982 551520.
All the best from the Foundation.
Wye & Usk Foundation News Update
Thursday 12 November, 2009
After a couple of weeks of high water, grayling and coarse anglers might be starting to think about venturing out again. More heavy rain, however, is forecast for tonight and tomorrow, which in all probability will push the levels back up until at least the middle part of next week.
Before the floods, very good catches of grayling continued to be reported from the Lugg and Irfon, and from the new river Arrow beat at The Leen. The Cammarch Hotel stretch of the Irfon produced a 3lb+ grayling on 30th October, caught and weighed by Adam Fisher, before being safely returned. There have also been some good reports throughout the year of improved catches from the top end of the Wye around Llangurig, a part of the system that is well worth a visit when the water's up a bit (but not too much - please see the new Pant Mawr gauge www.wyeuskfoundation.org/conditions/gauge4.php) and it's not too windy. The Lyepole and Mortimers Cross beats of the Lugg continue to produce good catches. Keep an eye on the Lugg webcam if you're thinking about trying either of these - they fish best when the level is 1ft 6 inches and below. www.wyeuskfoundation.org/conditions/gauge6.php
For coarse anglers, mild conditions have meant that water temperatures have remained relatively high. Barbel and chub should still be on the feed once (if!) levels drop back but be prepared to fish with heavy weights in the margins.
We are busy preparing next year's Passport and will be highlighting opportunities for fishing that come with accommodation included. Also, details of 2010 season rods will start to be posted on the website shortly.
River Walk
We still have a few places left on our Autumn River Walk, on Sunday 29th November 2009. If you are interested in coming along, please call us to pre-book on 01982 551 520.
All the best from the Foundation.
Wye & Usk Foundation News Update
Friday 30 October, 2009
Thank you to all those who came to our meeting last Friday. Over 110 of you turned up to hear talks on: 2009 salmon run; Issues and problems; Progress with projects; and The Future. Simon's talk on the 2009 salmon run may be found at: http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/download.php?file=Atlantic_salmon_What_Happened_in_2009.pdf&id=484&sf=true The contents of the other talks will be posted on the website either in 'Projects' or 'Problems' in due course.
We heard today from the EU that our Life+ bid had been approved giving us 1.626m Euro to spend on the Irfon catchment. The project 'ISAC' will deliver a more stable flow to this key tributary, a stable pH in its upper section, while restoring the habitat of 30km of its important spawning tributaries. The project will focus on improving the salmon population but also includes actions to improve the lot for the SAC designated lampreys, shad, white-clawed crayfish and freshwater pearl mussel. This will compliment the 523K received from the our EU fisheries fund to be targeted exclusively at salmon
Please see: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article6896064.ece this looks like bad news for civil engineers but good news for fish. If the Barrage is abandoned, there remains a need for new energy generation (wind, marine and nuclear?) coupled with greater urgency to save power and heat. We have always felt that energy conservation was the area that would give the best return on investment and now there may be a chance.
And so to fishing: it may be the dry spell is coming to an end but grayling, barbel and chub have been very cooperative as this http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/fishing/feedback.php shows. The Arrow, Lugg, Irfon and Upper Wye have fished as well as we can remember but one fish above all signify progress. It was a grayling caught in the upper Irfon, the first we can recall from this formerly acid rain affected section. Coarse fishing has also been hit and miss, but may now benefit from some fresh water.
River Walk
An upcoming Foundation event is the Autumn River Walk, on Sunday 29th November 2009. In the past 2 years, we have been lucky enough to see salmon spawning and leaping at falls. It is also a chance to see the improvements to the spawning and nursery habitats in which the Foundation is currently engaged. Again, pre-booking is required as spaces are limited.
All the best from the Foundation.
Booking Office:
www.wyeuskfoundation.org/fishing/obs/bookingoffice.php or 01982 551520
Wye & Usk Foundation News Update
Tuesday 20 October, 2009
FISHING REPORTS - ANNUAL MEETING DETAILS - RIVER WALK
One of the many great pleasures of working for WUF is reading the comments on your returns after fishing. This year has seen the greatest number of "Arnies" we have ever had. I should explain.... The current governor of California and one time star of the Terminator movies, Arnie Schwarzenegger (now known as the "Governator"), may be rather less known for his good works in combating global warming than his final words in the film Judgement Day...... "I'll be back"
(I'm sure you guessed where it was going.........)
It is so great to hear that so many of you are planning to come again, not just those who enjoyed the good days but also those, who through bad weather of sheer bad luck are game to return again to these lovely valleys.
It's all over for salmon fishers and it has been a poor year on both rivers. We understand that the Usk catch is in the region of 400 while the Wye may just get to 600. We will be discussing the reasons for this at the annual meeting.
Grayling fishing has been good, even very good at times, with the main Wye, Lugg, Arrow and Irfon all producing big fish to both dry and nymphs. Barbel and Chub fishing has been productive, though its seems that the average weights are down but are compensated for by greater numbers.
We have two new beats available: the Leen for winter grayling on the Arrow at Pembridge and Middle Ballingham below Hereford for coarse fishing. Please contact the Office for details or see http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/fishing/booking_office
Annual Meeting
Our autumn meeting will be "What happened in 2009" a talk and discussion on the events of 2009 and what WUF plans for future years. Friday 23rd October at Hedley Lodge, Belmont Abbey, Hereford. The evening starts at 6.30pm and as usual, there is a buffet and bar. Anyone is welcome so please call 01982 551 520 or email to admin@wyeuskfoundation.org if you want to come along. We need to know numbers for the caterers.
River Walk
Another upcoming Foundation event is the Autumn River Walk, on Sunday 29th November 2009. In the past 2 years, we have been lucky enough to see salmon spawning and leaping at falls. It is also a chance to see the improvements to the spawning and nursery habitats in which the Foundation is currently engaged. Again, pre-booking is required as spaces are limited.
All the best from the Foundation.
Booking Office:
www.wyeuskfoundation.org/fishing/obs/bookingoffice.php or 01982 551520
