A couple of weeks ago, I liaised with LOUIS from the WYE AND USK FOUNDATION, we discussed wild stream maintenance, and streams that need a good haircut and obviously the dilemma we always have. We chatted all things fly fishing, and in fact all things shooting too !!! A dedicated professional, Louis is the heart of the WUF and the ever so important work that he, and his team do … We covered the maintenance of wild streams and trout and salmon habitat, and also the climate we now experience. The time window for giving streams attention is fairly small . Salmon require the peace and quiet to spawn successfully early in the year, and a sharp eye is needed to spot any redds whilst carrying out stream trimming and sawing !!! Also, the trout need the streams quite at the back end of Autumn, and they too need minimum disturbance for their successful breeding and carrying on a decent head of wild fish in these lovely wild streams, that we are fortunate enough to have here in mid Wales, and the Borderlands …….
I basically got stuck into them running !!!! Hypothetically speaking, time was against me. I wanted to get a few done, that I’d ear marked late last Season, and discussed with Allyson ( WUF ) on the phone prior to starting the maintenance programme. To be fair, a few popular beats have been done to the best of my ability …. It’s funny, cause I ponder and actually think where would I cast, where would I stand, what needs clearing both ahead, and behind !!!! I don’t over do it, it’s a fine machine, nature has the upper hand, and it’s literally just a tidy up, to get that little emerger pattern tight under those alders !!! Sometimes it’s just dragging big old dead branches out of a trouty pool … heaving it above the flood plain, that pools then opened up, job done. It is highly addictive, and very very satisfying, seeing a good pool come alive again !!! It’s my forte, wild streams. All of them, from the River Arrow, through to the diminutive Afon Duhonw are all superb fun. Yes, lots still require masses of agility, but, read old catch returns is my best bit of advice, if it says tricky wading, then generally it will be ……. Don’t expect an easy day on the mountain streams either……. If it’s the Clettwr, some beats of the Edw, the Cilieni and the little Duhonw, expect to build up a sweat if your a tad unfit, and an absolute must is tungsten studded waders. I wear extra strong waders, Snowbee wademaster in fact. They brush off brambles, tough banks manoeuvres, and kneeling in the river. Yet, they allow maximum agility, and movement, perfect for me !!! There’s no place for five hundred quid Simms here, save those, for the Wye and the Usk. A lot of the time you’re clambering down steep banks, precariously avoiding old rusty barbed wire, or rock climbing down a steep gorge, to get to the prize, that trouty babbling pool !!!! Does it ever put me off, never !!!! I’ve been doing this since the ripe old age of fourteen, before fishing small streams became trendy, and way before one weight lines became really popular ….. When they were widely available, life was heaven !!!!!! And now, most of my armoury is either one or two weight rods, for the small streams. I also have a delightful five foot seven inch S-glass 0 weight rod, made for me by the very talented Adam Rawson. A total delight on the mountain feeder streams of the Cambrian Mountains …. Blissful, and totally gossamer in its use ….. A seven inch brownie feels like a whale !!!!! Just total, raw fun, fishing tiny size twenty dries …. Love it !!!
So, this week, more stream work is planned. We have had rain yesterday, not really heavy, but enough to send some of the tribs up for a couple of days. The character of some of these streams does take a few years to get to know. Some drop back quickly, while others, like the Lugg and Arrow do hold their water for some time due to their catchment and geographical locations. My hands were knackered in the gym this morning, just the strength in them gone, from lots of sawing and clipping back most of last week. The weekend just doing gym sessions and house admin has been perfect. A good rest is sometimes all that’s needed….. Back too it early bells tommorrow, on another beat just outside Builth Wells…..
As it’s nearly the start of our season here in Wales, the old excited delirium is definitely setting in !!!! All my gear is ready, reels have been carefully lubricated, new lines are on my reservoir and large mountain Llyn reels, and flies all arranged, lined up in Regimental rows, that even the most OCD of folks would find hard to pick holes in !!!! My fly vest has been stocked up with Hunts original, Gink, and Mucilin. Snips, tippet material, indicators and furled leaders are carefully stored away, in their rightful place ….. I’m ready, no, in fact more than ready…. Army ready !!!! Prior planning, prevents piss poor performance !!!! The seven P’s we used to call it ….. Please excuse my course lingo …. But sometimes there is no equivalent word !!!! lol !!!!!
Well, a relaxing Sunday afternoon is on the cards now, as I complete this little blog, this time tommorrow, I’ll probably be finishing my work on one of the beats that’s about forty minutes away. Wading in the ice cold water does take it out of you, along with the sawing and obviously dragging the cut boughs out of the river. Four or five hours is generally enough !! Safety plays a huge part in doing such an activity as well. When you start to get tired, you make mistakes, mistakes can be costly, in the form of having a nasty fall on bedrock, or slipping whilst cutting a branch with the razor sharp Silky saw. I’ve always sworn by these saws, absolutely fantastic…. And, I’ve used one for years…. Just an excellent tool for fast cutting of boughs, limbs and in fact surprisingly thick woody branches ….
Right folks , that’s me, time for a very large Baileys coffee, whilst my slow cooker does a fine job, of my ever so tasty venison casserole in red wine. The smells from the kitchen are just phenomenal…..Herby, gamey, winey, all rolled into one, delicious !! Must admit, done slowly over six hours these winter casseroles have been sublime. They’re great to come home to, after five odd hours hard slog, clearing a wild unloved stream. As I look ahead, I think time will catch up with me with regards to getting over to the Usk catchment and starting on the streams over there, such as the Cilieni, Llynfi Dulas and the Senni. All need a dam good haircut !!!! When they were last done, lord knows!!!! These streams need the same tlc as the Wye and Usk, because when these go to pot, then the nurseries for the bigger rivers comes to an end….. As I’m writing this I have read about the release of beavers near Shrewsbury ….. Not sure I’d welcome them on “ our “wild streams ….. How would salmon and trout get upstream with a huge dam in the way ???? What about wading and fishing these streams ??? And of course local trees getting hammered !!! The summers we get, it’s a welcome break to start wading under the canopy of a secretive wild stream…. If they’re felled by beavers, surely more light comes in, therefore warming the little streams up to maybe a dangerous temperature, who knows !!! Obviously folks know more than me, hence them being released near Shrewsbury …. A trib of the Severn I’m guessing . Here’s hoping the programme does go well, and they work like little beavers, clearing the area…. Let’s all look on the positive side of this, beaver ponds in the states hold our trouty cousins, so we shall see how the mop flops …. I’m interested and at the same time a little concerned….. Time will tell . On that note folks, here we are, at last. A new Season awaits…Tis nearly upon us, enjoy, revel in it !!!! oh and on opening day, enjoy that first pretty brownie of the season….. Sublime times ahead , Cheerio !!!! Ohhhhhhh, nearly forgot, TIGHT LINES !!!!!😉😉😉😉🎣🎣🎣🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🏴🏴
