Feedback & Reports

My first Salmon landed on the fly using a Silver Stoat on a 15' rod, shooting head with 10' maxima leader and float, hover, intermediate line. Estimated weight of 19lb based on a length of 36" and 20" girth. Caught from the left bank about 70 metres up stream from the fallen willow on Vanstone at 9.10pm, after fishing for 12 hours covering the whole beat. Gauge at about 6" at Fownhope. Thanks to T, my fellow angler for tips on technique, and to Adam for moving the course anglers who had taken residence at Vanstone by 6am.

1 Salmon

Plenty of water today and not too coloured at all, 1 Salmon spotted splashing about on "The Gabions " but only a brief tug on a black and yellow tube before losing interest. Upper 4 beats difficult to access, had to help a couple of other fishermen get back up onto the steep bank on one and very overgrown. Altogether a lovely stretch of river and only a handful of canoes early on, perhaps as it was a weekday. Would come again but needs a trim!

A couple of pretty average anglers we both failed to score. I had a pull two thirds of the way down the Stones and fished that hard but nothing else. A fish seen on the Gabions.
Pools 1 - 4 were lovely fly water, was hard. However, access was difficult but doable with the aid of gravity and the steep bank. Of course gravity did not offer assistance getting out of the water and it was quite a challenge.
Great water though and a very enjoyable day - if Robert Pashley had contented himself with 9,999 there may have been one for us.

One Shad on spinner,about 4lbs. Water a little coloured with recent rise.
PS. Could the large Willow branch be cut back on Corner Tree pool as it makes Spey casting difficult when fishing the best lie.

1 Other

My first full day of salmon fishing, guided by my father (OB of Gloucestershire). First some casting practice (isn't Spey casting a wonderful thing, at least on the occasions it goes right). Then up to fish right down through the V, Dog Hole, into the Stones, which is a pretty long wade altogether. Saw a salmon move on Island Stream. In the Lines, suddenly we had a fish on and we got the idea it was a big one. Then after 5 minutes, unaccountably it fell off. I didn't mind too much, but what father said is unprintable. Carried right on down through Windmill, Maddox, Corner tree and finished on Vanstone at dusk. A salmon moved there but no joy. A great day, really. I could get to like this.

Nil Catch. First time on the beat. Fished from left bank. Easy access to fish The Maddox, The Corner tree and the Vanstone pools. Not at all happy with access to all the other pools above. Everything is totally overgrown and trying to distinguish the pools is very difficult. Clambering up steep banks on your hands and knees through nettles!
Very lucky with just a few canoes. Such a shame about the bank maintenance because otherwise it is a very attractive beat and I would gladly return.

Some bank work has been done with good access down the bank to the Vanstone with some new steps cut on one of them. Access to Maddox overgrown but reasonable. Due to high grass the direct route from the car park to Windmill is not practical so you have to follow the river making it a long walk to the upper pools - especially in waders on a hot day.
The level water level was fine but the water was very coloured - red/brown with visibility about a foot or a little better out of the stream. Starting very early I tried a Flying C for a while in Maddox through to the Vanstone but gave up after 3 hours.

River getting a bit below optimum (5" at Fownhope and the irrigation pumps running flat out) but holding some turbidity. Just fished the evening and no salmon seen but one offer late on to fly in the run into the Vanstone. Sadly it just took a foot of line and was gone.

10 lbs Salmon from the Vanstone on fly! There are still some ambitions left at 82 and this was one of them, to catch a salmon where Pashley fished. His picture came straight to me out of Tales of a Wye Fisherman which I read many years ago. Great to follow my two fish at Wyesham on Monday.

1 Salmon

A wonderful afternoon on some fabulous fly water. An excellent height for this beat and felt fishy in many places. Alas no contact with Salmon nor any sightings but I am sure they were there. One lovely Chub got the heart racing. Met another angler, thanks for pork pie and that wine is wasted on me, turn out he lives 5 minutes away from me :-). A great day!
Thanks WUF, if you could now just find me a taker. Be back soon.