Welsh Country March-April 2017

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FISHING Changes made to Rod Licensing Anthony Rees discusses the new Rod Licence Structure and the devastating news of pollution in the River Teifi As I write this the New Year is upon us and anglers are already inquiring about memberships of clubs around Wales for 2017. The New Rod Licence Structure has now been accepted and approved by the Welsh Assembly Government. There are changes in Rod Licence duty for the coming season 1 st April 2017. A yearly licence will now last 365 days from when it was purchased. This is a very helpful change, particularly when a person takes up fishing mid-season. Young fishers (17 and under) will not have to pay, but must apply for a free one. This is to encourage more youngsters into the art of angling. Some of the costs of this free licence will be borne by increases in prices for adult licences, so a full Trout and Coarse licence costs £30, (£20 concessionary, £12 week, £6 day) and a Migratory fish licence costs £82 (£54 concessionary, £27 week, £12 day). I would suggest unless you are fishing very occasionally that you buy a full rod licence. Also be careful as the new structure does not start until 1 st April 2017, before this you will have to buy at 2016 prices. The River Wye has recorded the best salmon catch for many years with a final total in excess of 1,670 fish. The Usk has also had a good year with a predicted catch of 800 fish. We need consistent steady flows to allow salmon to run our rivers and the Wye Usk Foundation has done much working with Welsh Water to achieve these consistent flows that allow the salmon to run up river. But as important is the right flow to help the smolts when they run back to sea in April/May. My report in Nov/Dec mentioned the lack of young salmon being found in electro fishing surveys in some streams in Wales. At this time there is still no clear indication of what may have caused the problem. We do know however that many problems face the salmon and once again new rounds of restrictions on methods, baits and seasons are being looked at. Anglers are again the target of these restrictions even though it has been agreed they are not the cause of the decline. There is much opposition to the proposals around Wales. Early season Trout fishing on many rivers will follow the pattern we see on the Rivers Taff and Usk. It can be very unpredictable and is highly dependent on river and weather conditions. Inexperienced or novice anglers are often of the opinion that warmer weather is required to encourage fly hatches, but this is not the case. The large Dark Olive is the only fly the angler is likely to encounter in any numbers on most rivers and this species is a cold weather fly. Settled sunny and unseasonably warm weather will usually curtail activity. Cold dismal and blustery conditions on the other hand will usually see far better hatches. Indeed, some of the best hatches can occur on the coldest of days. It is the angler who is prepared to brave the elements who will enjoy the best of the early season fishing on offer. From mid-March to mid-April anglers fishing the Usk may encounter the March Brown, numbers of which have increased considerably in recent years following significant losses since the late 1990’s. Once again, the cold and unsettled weather will see better hatches of these as well. When either species is hatching fish will often ignore a dun floating on the surface and prefer to select the emerging nymph in the process of hatching. An emerger pattern with some of the dressing sub surface will usually be more effective than a “dry’’ one. Some of the modern C.D.C patterns achieve this very well as do more traditional parachute style flies, tied on either straight or curved shank hooks. On some days fish will readily take a wet fly and some of the traditional wet patterns such as Blue Upright, Greenwell’s Glory, Water Hen Bloa, and Gold Ribbed Hare Ear, have not been improved on over the years when using this tactic. If the March Brown is present then a wet style pattern will suffice or a deadly alternative the Partridge and Orange can be added to the list. At the time of writing the river Teifi has been subjected to a devastating pollution reported as being from a major discharge of farm slurry. This and the runoff from fields, due to the planting of some crops on or near the river that contribute to soil erosion, is one of the major problems facing a healthy river eco system. It needs central Government, in our case the Welsh Assembly to act firmly and in a positive manner with legislation if necessary to control this problem. U Words: Anthony Rees Picture: Daniel Gardiner Brown Trout Caught River Taff Sept 2016 www.welshcountry.co.uk 9
Welsh Country Your Countryside Magazine For Wales Photography Competition Starting on 1 st March Welsh Country Mar-Apr 2017 • Issue 75 • £2.95 Your Countryside Magazine for Wales Welsh Country Jan-Feb 2017 • Issue 74 • £2.95 Your Countryside Magazine for Wales 01559 371608 / 07766 757162 ONLY £14.00 (U.K price) Take out a subscription to the magazine today from just £14.00 (RRP £17.70) Gardening Gardening PLUS: WELSH CONNECTIONS • PUZZLES • BOOKSHELF • FISHING • ARTS & CRAFTS • PAMPER • MUSIC • WALKING welshcountry.co.uk Pictorial Wales Nothing To Wear? Food & Drink Directory PLUS: WELSH CONNECTIONS • PUZZLES • BOOKSHELF • FISHING • ARTS & CRAFTS • PAMPER • MUSIC • WALKING welshcountry.co.uk All weekly winners will be automatically entered into our bi-monthly competition, meaning they will be in for the chance of getting published in our next issue, plus winning a set of 25 greetings cards featuring your winning photograph! Pictorial Wales Nothing To Wear? Food & Drink Directory Weekly winners get a copy of Welsh Country Magazine! SUBSCRIBE NOW! Call: 01559 372010 or visit: welshcountry.co.uk To find out the weekly theme, more information, how to enter and to read Terms & Conditions please visit: www.welshcountry.co.uk/photocompetition 10 Mar-Apr 17
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Mar-Apr 2017 • Issue 75 • £2.9
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ADDYSG BELLACH A ADDYSG UWCH CYRSIA
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Welsh Country March-April 2017

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