With five days of the new season now behind us so far there have been no reports of any springers landed though a fish was lost on the lower river apparently, which was possibly a new fish.
In truth conditions are now becoming much improved with the opening days of the season dogged by high coloured water chilled by a little snowmelt from the upper river. There should be a fish recorded in the next day or so surely though yet another period of heavy rain or snow seems likely for tomorrow so we may have to wait a little longer yet.
As mentioned before there should be fish in the system right up to Builth Wells by now though it could be that many of the very early running fish are no more or perhaps just running later. There has been a small increase in Wye springers of late though bear in mind this component of the run was a major contributor to the Wye,s total in the past a position now occupied by the 2sw fish for the last few decades. The days of 1000 fish before the end of March are now but a memory and is one of the reasons the middle river now performs pretty poorly. It obviously takes a huge amount of fish to stock the river from top to bottom to any meaningful degree and the springers were the main component of middle river beats up to May or early June..
Expectations are high amongst some this year as it usually is but we need to at least maintain the current rod catch at the very least to remain optimistic that catches will improve further. The river has always been subject to big fluctuations in catches, not always weather dependent either. A wet year often gives a higher return as all available fish can access the river and populate all beats and gives the rods the maximum chance of a fish. It’s not always so however and sometimes the fish are just not there. Catches are better monitored now than they have ever been and are a better reflection of fish numbers in the river. It’s true to say that in the past a considerable percentage of fish were never recorded in official catch returns for one reason or another.
There has been considerable gravel movement and erosion in some areas and we have no idea whatsoever as to how many fish spawned in the main stem or the major tributaries. Very few dead fish have been found washed up as always used to be the case and no doubt the majority of kelts have already made it back to sea.
Gosanders are visible in many areas and often seek places where they feel safe and I am told up to forty birds were seen in one flock in the Hereford City area in recent weeks. Cormorants are somewhat less in many areas but still appear from time to time. As usual restrictions on any real reduction in numbers are draconian and fail to address what is a real problem.
Trout fishing has been very slow off the mark and things need to warm up considerably. Fish should be in good condition and hopefully respond when fly hatches get going though having mentioned Gosanders and Cormorants the trout population also takes a heavy toll of salmon fry and parr as of course as do some other coarse fish such as perch and pike. Spare us we hope from the threat of the zander or catfish!
The salmon beat at Letton, opposite the Red Lion fishing, is under new management with as far as I can ascertain no news as to how or if the beat will be available this season to day or season rods. Plenty of day rods are available through WUF though not usually on the better beats who took the bulk of last season’s catch both on the lower and upper river. However most beats are capable of a fish if they are about in numbers. Right time, right place has always what’s been required.
Still keep a lookout for fin clipped fish please as there are sure to be some if you take the trouble to look before you return the fish. Do you take a photograph.? Why not, though without a scrap of evidence the P.C brigade now suggest a returned fish out of the water for 10 seconds or so will not be as good a spawner. Does anyone really believe that. The way its handled is far more important in most cases and some damaged fish are almost inevitable.
The first fish will come sooner or later no doubt but from where is the leading question at the moment.
LATEST.
River has again gone into spate as I write this and is very heavily coloured so anglers frustrations continue for a few days yet..
