Written By: Dr Stephen Marsh Smith
On Date: 6/12/2017
Fishing News 2018 will herald a few changes in the way we will be managing the Passport and all matters relating to fishing. The first ever Passport was produced in 2003 as part of our pHish project. That year we sold just £1845 worth of fishing and all bookings were done, in the first instance over the phone. There were just two main river beats and the majority of visits were made to wild streams using pre-purchased vouchers. Its popularity grew steadily over the next 15 years with the addition of online booking, a wider range of beats, reservoirs, lakes and fisheries outside the Wye and Usk. Today the Passport takes about £350,000 each year which after costs is handed back to owners and then in many cases back to us to fund projects that improve the rivers.
In 2014, the format of the Passport booklet had to be changed: it had become almost too large to post economically and was published just contained articles and a summary of all the beats and fisheries. Today, online bookings have become much more popular and so we plan to keep all the information on beats online and send out an ePassport with new articles and up to date information on or about the beginning of March: St David's day, at the start of the trout and salmon season.
The regular enews will continue as will the monthly reports when in season and at this point we extend our thanks to Oliver Burch whose excellent trout and grayling column span all twelve months: he misses nothing.
Fishing update
A big spate last week gave the river a much needed wash through and brought all fishing to a temporary close. The coarse fishing has slowed with only the very occasional barbel landed and chub seemingly being careful of anglers' baits. Grayling fishing has been good in places, especially the Irfon which tends to come into good order first. Interestingly, there appear to be quite a good head of salmon still waiting to spawn on the Wye.
Fishery News
On the Wye below Ross, Thomas Wood and the Home beats will be available for coarse fishing and now have vehicle access to the riverbank, rather than a very long walk which will widen their appeal. We are adding four new beats on the Tawe and Twch thanks to Tawe & Tributaries Angling Association.
With Backney now open, all coarse fishing beats are open for 2018 bookings. Other fisheries are mainly open including all our recent additions.
For those wishing to guarantee availability next year there are season salmon rods are available here. A recent addition to the list is Ty Newydd on the upper Wye.
2003 Passport
The Wye in spate
The ideal Christmas present
With just 20 or so days to Christmas, there will be someone who would appreciate a fishing Gift Voucher, redeemable on any of our beats (value £10, £20 or £50). Wild stream permits are now available for 2018. Add to that our extremely attractive Christmas cards and you need not leave the house to get Christmas gifts for the fishers in your family.
Finally, the Auction extends until the end of the week and there are still plenty of bargains going. All the proceeds go back into our river restoration projects, so thank you to all our generous donors and those who have already bid for lots.
Details of our Projects can be found here.
Click here for anglers' reports and here for monthly fishing reports.
For details of WUF's Consultations, Click here.
EA Emergency Hotline: 0800 80 70 60 NRW Emergency Hotline: 0300 65 3000
Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water Emergency Sewage Line: 0800 085 3968
Rainfall at Llanstephan 2017 to date: 7.5" ('16: 35" '15: 28", '14: 54", '13: 39", '12: 47", '11: 29")
Bookings and availability Tel: 01874 712 074
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