Feedback & Reports

Thanks for excellent presentations on Severn Barrage Engineering, Environmental & Political issues. All three speakers seemed to be approaching the issue from an angle that we game anglers could empathise with, although I suspect that if politics are allowed to overule logic we will all be taking our holidays in Scotland/Iceland/Norway! I was particularly interested in the first speakers presentation(John Lawson).

I assume that as the subject ran on the subject of water resources and the real meat of an AGM, the foundations annual report, will be the subject of a follow up meeting?

Rod One. 5 Grayling 10oz to 20oz plus one Grayling of 2lb2oz all on trotted maggot size 14 hook with 2 maggot combination of one red plus one yellow.

Rod Two. 12 medium sized Grayling all from one 4ft deep swim trotting with 14 hook and double maggot. Tried nymphing in morning with no result.

Very enjoyable part cloudy day, maybe 4 to 6 inches of excess water but very clear.

Thanks to all at Foundation.

I had two guests with me on the Cammarch Hotel water last Saturday ? R.E. and L.D. of Total Fly-Fishing - who are both sewin fanatics but not really used to grayling and who have never fished the Irfon before. It turned out to be a harder day than I expected with falling temperatures and little sun as a front came over, so that almost nothing was rising. Apart from some nice out of season trout, we had just 10 grayling between us, nearly all taken on the bottom with various bugging methods. That?s a modest bag for this river. But what I would like to report was the remarkable average size and condition of the fish. The smallest was 15 inches, most of the rest around 17 inches and one really superb looking deep fish of 18 inches. I should have some of Lyn?s photos later. There is nowhere quite like the Irfon.

24th Oct 2008 Conditions challenging. Plenty of flow. River rose steadily throughout the day. Only fish caught were one barbel and one chub, in the late afternoon.

25th Oct 2008 Worse than the (one fish each) day before - neither of us even troubled the scorer!

Although fishing the Wye can be challenging because of the fluctuating water levels, it is never anything less than a pleasure to be able to fish such beautiful and secluded stretches of river, in lovely countryside. We had very reasonable weather for the time of year, and although the 2 days we fished were a struggle (and bites hard to come by) we might have landed a couple more fish if we hadn?t missed the few bites that we did get! So, we?ll definitely be back next year in another vain attempt to convince ourselves that fishing the Wye successfully is not beyond us. Thanks again to the Foundation, you do a great job.

River in flood & over the bank in places,dropped 2ft between 10am & 3pm,weather bright and sunny nearly all day ......bunches of red maggots fished with feeder in eddy under near bank ......Barbel 6lb,7lb 6oz,8lb 4oz ....back to Saracen's Head at Symonds Yat, excellent beer & food ...brilliant day all round...unfortunate that I don't live closer but plan to try some of the other W&UF stretches -this was a very good intro.

River in flood 26th, dropped 3/4 feet by 10am on 28th. Decided to try middle section, water very dirty, lots of debris and leaves and still very fast. Tried to find slacker water without sucess, abandoned fishing after 2 hrs.
Pity, but heavy rain at this time of the year is bound to be a risk. Will try again on another beat next year.
Service from the Foundation great, will pass on your web site and scheme to others.

River very high but weather was kind. A great afternoon, 4 barbel to 9lb and as always, a bigger one that got away!! All barbel caught with hair rigged pellet. Will be back (again) very soon...

Rod 1. 11 Grayling, 3 Brown Trout, all on dry, Klinckhammer:
Greased lightening and black cul de cunard.

Rod 2. 9 Grayling, Goldhead Nymph.

Rod 3. 4 Grayling, 2 Brown Trout. Klinkhammer, and nymph

Rod 4. 11 Grayling. all on dry fly.

All fish returned.

1 rod took an 8lb barbel and two small chub approx 2lb each. All fish taken on pellet.

The other rod spent most of the day day Pike fishing without any success, but fished a prebaited swim for the last hour and landed a 18lb Common Carp on pellet.

Another great day on the wye. 4 Barbel caught to 7.5lb, 3 chub to 4lb. All caught on pellet.