Wye Usk Foundation

Tee-Cee · Oct 29, 2008

Whilst I like to think I will,at some stage in my life,fish the above rivers(and many others in the vicinity)unfortunately at the moment it is not in my plans!

However,I joined the above Body some years ago(wyeuskfoundation.org) to keep up with catches of Salmon,Trout,Grayling etc.but more for Course fish catches.I receive an email approx once a week which outlines the weather,river condition(spates etc)and of course,catches(along with where I can purchase a permit to fish many miles of river).

As a matter of interest-and for those who are struggling to catch-this weeks email reported a verified catch of 150+ Dace to 12ozs on the middle Wye which,by any standard is some catch!!

Its free to join and even if you dont fish that part of the world now,you may persuade the wife to have a weeks hols between Ross and Hay-on-wye-really beautiful countryside and a fantastic river.Some great pubs and food to boot!(Iv'e walked miles and miles of the Wye without seeing an angler BUT lots of very good barbel!!)

For my money I'm sure a consentrated effort by a group of dedicated anglers could(possibly)break the Chub and Roach record without any trouble at all.Lets face it-the Wye is hardly fished at all(comparatively speaking)as most anglers seem to go for the Game fish and the Grayling.........

Anyway its a bloody good website,the booklet of mapsis excellent,and nice to read on those dark winter nights............................

(And NO,I'm NOT an agent!!!)

Jeff Spiller · Oct 29, 2008

Link ?

Good post, the only thing is there price's seem to be a bit steep ( £20.00 a day )

They must think that we are as wealthy as those salmon anglers /forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif.

Graham Whatmore · Oct 30, 2008

Yes, I agree Jeff and knowing the Wye places to fish myself I think there are equally as good, and a lot of the times better, places to fish. They took over a stretch between the bottom end of the Ross A.C. water and Kearne bridge and charge £20 a day yet you can fish the Ross waters for a fiver and they are better.

Mind you, as in all things you pay for what you want and if that means fishing the Wye Usk foundation waters then that is precisely what you do.

al-samak · Oct 30, 2008

I paid £15 to go fishing on one of their stretches last Thursday.

I followed the map to the correct place and found a couple of groups of other anglers fishing there.

None of them had ever heard of the wye/usk foundation, and thought the waters were controlled by someone else. One of them even said, "don't worry about mate, no one ever come to check round here"!!

brendan the dictionary man999 · Oct 30, 2008

Is there not a day ticket stretch in ross itself at ?6.00 a day ?

Graham Whatmore · Oct 30, 2008

There is a day ticket stretch above Wilton bridge on the left bank but not sure how much now, the Ross A.C. waters are on the oppositite bank and on the left bank and right bank below Wilton bridge.

Matt Brown · Oct 31, 2008

I've fished a few stretches that the foundation run and if you want to get away from it all it's amazing scenery and massively underfished. Bob Roberts and I had around a mile of river to ourselves.

They've done a great job of opening up stretches of river that were previously unavailable to coarse angling.

As was said above, there'areal chance of unknown fish that may push the record books, especially the chub record.

Mark Hewitt · Oct 31, 2008

I think the W&U foundation is in general a very good thing.

I can see that to some the ticket prices seem high (for which I have to agree). I've found it much the same with the southern game rivers that have started to allow coarse fishing access.

Its hasn't stoppedme enjoying the occasional visit though, a couple of times a season.

Fred Bonney · Oct 31, 2008

Dave Burr has done another goodarticle on the river and the Foundation, in this month's CAT.

At £15 a day though, I would expect the exclusivity they offer.

Tee-Cee · Nov 2, 2008

Matt Brown-roughly,what sort of coarse fish catches are made from the Wye ?

It seems such beautiful river(and no boats?)but very,very prone to rising after very little rain-I can only imagine this must affect fishing and catches-consequently its an absolutemust to live close by-or is this not the case?

To my mind it would be a fantastic opportunity for someone to really make a proper plan of attack(over several seasons)to try for the big roach,but more so for the big chub!

I seem to remember a John Bailey book giving some good details-I think he said it may offer the best chance of a huge chub.........can't remember the name of it though...........

I expect to see your name in the record books at a future date....although its likely to cost £000's for bait etc!!!

Graham Whatmore · Nov 2, 2008

The Wye is very underfished apart from places like the Belmont at Hereford and The Red Lion stretch and I can say hand on heart I rarely see any other anglers so exclusivity isn't a reason to fish the Foundation waters. Neither are the big fish only to be found on their stretches, in fact I would venture to say you have more chance of a specimen fish on the rest of the Wye if big fish are what floats your boat.

Matt Brown · Nov 3, 2008

Tee Cee, I've been three times to the upper river, from Builth Wells to 10 miles downstream (I can't remember the name of each stretch). Each time was for2 days.

The first time it snowed heavily and the water dropped from 3.2 to 2.4 degrees celcius (if I remember rightly). We caught hundreds of grayling (to 1lb 7oz), out of season trout and a smattering of chub to well over 4lb. It was a bite a chuck. Amazing fishing, especially given the conditions.

The second time was an autumn trip where the river was a bit low and sluggish. That was harder work but we still managed good bags of chub and dace. We saw some huge dace on some shallows but never fished for them. I'd love to go back for those. I also saw a barbel off the bridge in builth wells

The last time we went for the shad and failed to find any on the first day. The second day we found a single shoal and I had to have a quick lesson in fly fishing to get a take as they'd been ignoring my spinners. Again, great fun.

On these trips I saw some fantastic wildlife including red kites, a red squirrel and an otter.

Graham Whatmore · Nov 3, 2008

/members/images/12272/Gallery/River_Wye_above_Ross_0.jpg

This is a picture I took of a stretch I occasionally fish not more than 2 miles above Ross on Wye. The bits sticking out are the salmon cribs because up until 4 or 5 years ago it was an exclusive salmon fishery. The Wye is without doubt the most beautiful of our English rivers running through breathtaking scenery and holding the fish of everyones dreams. I absolutely love the river and when I'm gone my ashes are going in there so I can get a close up look at all the big ones I never managed to catch but had the time of my life trying to.

Eeluslf Uslf · Nov 4, 2008

I have fished the R.Wye for many years since 1979. Lots of different stretches from top of Builth Wells down to the muds at Brockweir. Most charged £5:00 per day even now some are still that price.

The Wye & Usk team may have opened up some of the stretches but what used to cost me a bottle of whiskey for the season now cost between £15 to £20 per day. What with bait, petrol etc. it has become verycostly to fish. There are still waters which are quite resonably to join. Forest of Dean has a stretch for £21 per season.

Been fishing another dayticket stretch where I have had chub to 5lb and my wife 4lb 8ozs. Great fun on a Saturday afternoon. Like Graham Whatmore, my ashes will be given to the chub when I go. Just love the wye valley. I would recommend that you fish this wonderful river. The best is yet to come. When other rivers are flooded you can still get a bait in if you know where to fish.

The CSG had a fishin on this river with the river 6ft up. Chub over 6lb was caught with many 5lb back up fish. One member used 5ozs of lead and still caught.

Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC) · Nov 4, 2008

What is it with us and our ashes! Mine are being sprinkled in at Teston Locks on the Medway and left to float down passed where I learned the noble art.

Jeff Spiller · Nov 4, 2008

Graham what a nice photo and so typical of the Wye.

Let's not big it up to much or it will not be such a pleasure to fish, the thought of bite alarms and rubbish on the bank, makes you cringe.

What a good plan for your ashes, I plan the same thing, not chose the river yet.

Oh and someone said no boats, ha just wait and see then /forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif.

Tee-Cee · Nov 5, 2008

Thanks Matt,Graham et al-my main reason for opening this thread was to get the sort of response you have provided-loads of good information and plenty of cheaper alternatives to the Wye & Usk waters!!

Yes I agree,abeautiful photograph Graham-anymore to help us through the dark winter nights???Something of the Sheringham in your response..............

As for my ashes-probably the Hants Avon at Ibsley,but do I care....................

The Wye Valley-lets hope that some who don't know it will give it a go(not toooooo many).I would gladly spend the rest of my days walking its banks.......

Boats,boats,boats...........!*^%$!!?# and more!!

Matt Brown · Nov 5, 2008

Here's my favourite photo from the Wye. If you look closely you can see me, stood in the water, bottom right.

Tee-Cee · Nov 8, 2008

Just to die for.......are you sinking though......?

Must make a big,big effort next year to have a week in the area.........

Wye Usk Foundation

Tee-Cee

Senior Member

Jeff Spiller

Active member

Graham Whatmore

Senior Member

al-samak

Guest

brendan the dictionary man999

New member

Graham Whatmore

Senior Member

Matt Brown

Member

Mark Hewitt

Senior Member

Fred Bonney

Guest

Tee-Cee

Senior Member

Graham Whatmore

Senior Member

Matt Brown

Member

Graham Whatmore

Senior Member

Eeluslf Uslf

Guest

Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)

Moderator

Jeff Spiller

Active member

Tee-Cee

Senior Member

Matt Brown

Member

Tee-Cee

Senior Member