Prospects & General Comments:
New WUF Project to Deliver Even More Effective Farm Advice
Friday 18th May, 2018
We are pleased to announce that the Foundation has secured funding for a new project that will help our farm advisors' work to improve rivers.
In order for the measures our advisors recommend to be taken up by farmers, it is vital that they boost farm income as well improve the aquatic environment. However, up until now, knowing how much a farm's bottom line will benefit has been difficult for us to quantify.
With generous support from the John Oldacre Foundation, we will now be able to put an accurate figure of the £s earned by a landowner adopting a measure such as fencing off a section of river.
This will add an important tool to the farm advisory service of the Foundation and other rivers trusts across the country. More details of the project will be given on the Foundation's website in the coming weeks.
Big salmon and mayflies
Anglers might have already heard about an impressive 37lb salmon landed on the Upper Bigsweir beat of the lower Wye. Caught by John Stanard on a single hooked lure, the fish is what the Wye is famous for. Several other monster fish have been reported lost by anglers this year - they are out there for those giving it a try!
Trout fishing on all the rivers has remained challenging in the past few weeks. There have been some good fish caught on the Usk but also quite a few blank days. While the water remains colder than usual for the time of year, the warmer air temperatures could mean the trout become more active on the surface now. Olive uprights, yellow mays and black gnats are all expected to dominate the hatches in the next week or two.
Tributary fishing across both catchments has also been patchy but small stream enthusiasts should make the most of what is now prime time. The first of the mayflies are starting to appear too!
Usk angling open day
Gwent Angling Society will be holding their open day on Saturday 26th May. Held on the banks of the Usk near Abergavenny, experts from within the club and elsewhere will be running a series of master classes to help improve fly fishing skills and casting.
We will now be able to inform farmers the financial worth to them of taking measures that improve rivers, such as fencing sections off to livestock

John Stanard releasing the 37lb salmon he caught from the Upper Bigsweir beat of the lower Wye this week

The first of the mayfly have started - now should be prime time for trout fishers!
Members, non-members, guests and families are all very welcome. For more details, please see here.
All the best from WUF.


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