No change in conditions, no reports of new fish.

However a late report from Ingeston with fish of 30 and 18lbs 18th May to regular rod David Slade and 7lbs to Jim Davidson on the 20th May   All on f/c.



                                                   SUICIDAL SALMON.

This story was sent to me recently by a longtime Wye gillie.  Some tales are unbelievable and this is one of them   Will understand if you don't believe it but I would not have either other than I believe the person who told me plus the fact he was there at the time.

Story goes a guy rang up the gillie one day and said "I know the rivers up 4feet up and coloured but do you think if I came I might catch some eels.  He was told he probably would.  Remember too that this was in the days when the Wye held a massive population of eels of all sizes.
So the guy turns up, they go out in the boat to a slack deep eddy a few yards from the bank and tackle up with a size 10 hook and a running bullet leger rig,  They commence to catch eels.  With worms in short supply the guy is using a short section of worm just enough to cover the hook.   They pause for a break, the rod is wound in and placed over the bow of the boat with the lead out of the water and just a sort section of baited line in the water
Suddenly the butt rears up and is grabbed before it disappears and after a good fight a salmon of 14lbs is landed.   Why on earth would a salmon in 12 feet of dirty water go and take a short section of worm near the surface adjacent to a boat?   You tell me.  Stranger than fiction ehh!

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                                                          FLIES.

Another essential fly for the Wye is an Usk Grub.    Below are three flies

Top is an Usk Grub -at least as far as I am concerned.

Below that is an Usk Grub variant with a badger head hackle -sometimes used.

Below that is a Bann special - the same fly as the one above but with a yellow rear section

The question is do you really think a taking fish is going to be able to differentiate between the three flies and prefer one over the other.   If so you have all three patterns in your box instead of the sensible thing and have just one.  Which one?   Makes no difference whatsover in my opinion.
Bodies can be seals fur or floss.

Wye low?    This is the Irfon above and below the road bridge at Builth Wells