An interesting editorial in this weeks Trout and Salmon.

At a recent NASF meeting Orri Vigfusson said, when highlighting the success of the Tyne and Ranga rivers;

“These rivers rely on massive stocking. In their different ways, they demonstrate its high time UK organisations re-examine their tradition reliance on scientific advice. It is a fact that most data used to denigrate the potential of stocking is based on old and useless hatchery practices carried out in ignorance of vital environmental practices in a river that determines whether a young salmon, of wild or hatchery origin, lives and dies.”  He says scientists must clear their minds of ancient history, examine the management elements that support the success of the Tyne and the Ranga and question beliefs on which their advice is based.

He also accused the private sector of a lack of support for practical efforts that are necessary (hatcheries and net buyouts) and compared the minimalist state management in Iceland with the heavy handed officialdom of the UK.

Makes you wonder where we have heard all that before.  Facts that have already been put to EA/NRW on several occasions now but as we know they, and others have their own agenda.

I hope many of you who do not salmon fish at the moment will do so next season.  With todays ever advancing tackles fashions and changing tactics it can be bewildering for some just setting up in the sport.  WUFs last two grayling reports are a case in point.  Whilst a decent in depth look at 'look how difficult I can make it" it must put many beginners off ever having a go. Why complicate a fairly simple exercise

Likewise in an era of £1000 salmon rods, £150 plus fly lines and £600 reels plus the Switch and Skagit/Scandi scams not to mention £600 waders and fly tying vest festooned with gismos its enough to put many off. In the grayling world we now have it seems 40' feet french leads not to mention the method we all gave up as kids Tenkara.

Ok so I'm a dinosaur but whatever happened to the days when a rod.  net a pair of waders and a box of flies was all you needed.  Its not rocket science to catch a salmon being as they are one of the most stupid fish that swims.  Grayling can be pretty accommodating fish too and a simple set up is really all you need. As for trotting with maggots or sweetcorn its a bit like shelling peas though with this method you will be catching the resident trout first before the grayling -not that anyone bothers about that these days either.

If your reasonably competent remember you are only as good as the water you are fishing and the fish in it.  You have no means of being selective over the size of the fish you catch and on the Wye its luck whether is 10/20/30pounds.  Find a taking fish, put something reasonable across it and its bingo.

Finding a taking fish is of course the difficult bit but usually there are more of these on a good holding beat than a poor one. Pretty obvious really. Right place-right time was always crucial.

Makes you wonder how we ever managed to catch anything in past decadesdoesn't it.

Off for my op tomorrow -hope to check in again sometime laster.   Happy Christmas/