Wye and Usk Foundation Update 5th October 2005

With the trout season now over the rivers have finally come right for the last of the seasons salmon fishing. Just when it looked like we were not going to get quite enough water….(for the umpteenth time this year!) heavy rain in the headwaters on Friday night pushed both rivers over the 3ft mark. On the Usk in the coloured water on Saturday a few salmon were caught but Sunday and Monday have been the days as autumn salmon runs forged up the rivers.

On the Usk a moderate run of coloured springers and summer grilse pushed up river towards the end of last week and then, after a brief lull, reports have filtered in of some nice fresh grilse starting to show in the middle river late on Sunday and into Monday. One lucky recipient was Dean Bessell with a brace from Glanusk on Sunday. The ghille Stuart Jarvis also had a fish from the same beat on Sunday. Notable catches on the Wye include a 20lber from Llanstephan for Louis McDonald-Ames followed by a 15lber on Monday for Simon Evans. These pale into insignificance when compared to the monster 35lb+ fish from Spreadeagle on Tuesday. We think this is the largest recorded fish of the year. On the Wye these are almost all coloured fish and they will be needed on the redds soon so please fish barbless hooks and handle all fish carefully before returning them.

As we write today the upper Wye is running at 1’1” whilst the Usk is about a 8” above summer level. Salmon fishing will slow as the water drops but the grayling fishing is at its best at this time of year so you can take your choice, world class Wye grayling when the waters down or join in the end of season salmon sport if we get the forecasted rain at the weekend.

Final calls for the WUF Annual Meeting at the Three Counties Hotel in Hereford next Friday the 14th October at 7pm, and the Autumn River Walk on the 27th November. We have some great raffle prizes pledged by Sportfish, Crystal River, Rods’n’Reels, Pol Roger and Kim Tribe at the annual meeting and although the river walk is now almost full, if you come to the meeting, in addition to hearing about the foundation, its plans, and meeting like minded people, you will also have a great chance of winning a prize!

Please contact the foundation on [email protected] or by phone on 01982 551520 for further details.