Small spate falling away on the upper beats but barely yet reached the lower river. Looks like further rain ahead so should keep things topped up/

3 grilse reported yesterday from Upper Bigswier but that may be all from yesterday.

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Apart from the increasing canoe activity and wild swimming enthusiasts there now seems to be an increase in 'wild camping' with groups of canoeists seemingly under the belief that they can virtually pull out anywhere and camp, bypassing approved campsites.  There have been several instances in the Whitney area recently and no doubt others that go undetected elsewhere. Some of these people are equiped with fishing tackle under the belief that if they hold an NRW rod licence they can virtually fish anywhere.  There are  company's apparently promoting thier own business of wild canoeing, swimming and camping.    An ever increasing downgrading of the Wye as a salmon fishery and intrusion of riparian rights with seemingly no action being taken as usual.

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Those of us who are longtime Wye salmon angler often get asked why we are not too upbeat at the present day rod catches and not entirely convinced as to the claimed 'improvements' on our river.

I was recently sent some figures from a middle Wye beat which might just get those of you who think all is right with the Wye to take a step back and ponder the reality.
Perhaps just take a look at the fish returns from this particular beat, and it's by no means the only one,
and reflect on the state of catches especially of spring fish for which middle river beats mainly relied.
If you were the owner of this  and other similar beats would you be happy???   I doesn't make pretty reading does it.

10-year average of rod caught salmon since 1962 

1962 – 71             1174

1972-81                958    A fall of 18% over the previous 10 years

1982-91                461     A fall of 51.8%  “    “         “           “      “

1992-2001            152     A fall of 67%     “     “         “          “      “

2002-011             51     A fall of 66.4%  “     “         “           “      “

Since 2012          25, a five-year average of just 5.

The 10-year average from 2011 back to 1971 shows a fall in salmon numbers of 95.7%.

They say you can get several different outcomes from a collection of figures.  Go on someone - enlighten us with an upbeat suggestion.!