GENERAL ADVICE ON SALMON FISHING ON ROSS AC WATERS.
Many will know that the salmon fishing on the Wye is a shadow of its former self, but salmon fishing is cyclic, and catches do go up and down in succeeding years, at the moment we are on a low, but our waters still produce good fish in the right year, but the angler needs to be single minded in seeking those fish in the right location at the right time and using the right methods. Ross AC waters will be amongst the first waters to produce fish at the start of the season, very often fish in excess of 20lb.
In putting this advice together I’ve sought the help of expert salmon angler Richard Woodhouse who now serves to represent the views of salmon members on the Ross AC Committee. Richard has fished for salmon all his life and so knows considerably more than I do about the subject. You will see beat names mentioned in the text which if you are a new member will become familiar to you and details of these romantically named locations are on maps in the Clubs Salmon Hut.
The salmon angling on Ross AC’s water is described by dividing into three main sections. Upper Benhall the most upstream part of Ross AC’s waters, Lower Benhall and the Town Water are the middle section waters and Weirend which is the official salmon fishery and the bottom stretch of water. However salmon members are allowed to fish for salmon anywhere on Club waters during the salmon season 3rd March to 17th October.
Our salmon fishing at Ross is essentially very much a spring fishery and our catch returns bear this out so members and those wishing to join are best advised to fish hard during the period March until early June spending as much of their time on the Wye when the waters are most productive. Some of the hot spots can be fished from the bank and we endeavour to trim bankside vegetation to maximise access early season. Looking back in our records our waters start to produce fish at about 1 metre measured on the Environment Agency’s Ross gauge which is online for those who are interested. Our fishing is best when the Ross gauge drops below 0.6 metre and the best level for fish is 0.5 down to 0.4 metres as indicated by our records. Anglers can wade our waters in appropriate stretches from 0.5 metres and lower as indicated on the Ross gauge. The bottom is mainly gravel and a few large rocks but everyone must be aware of places where rock sheets suddenly end and the River is instantly deep as is the case at Hom Pil.
In the past members old and new have had the opportunity of getting a guided tour of the Waters in order to gain an intro into the access, carparks, Beats, salmon taking places and details of previous salmon caught and the methods used. These “Tours” were undertaken up until 2019 but Covid put paid to plans for the same in 2020 and 2021. The intention is to do that again in 2022 on dates yet to be decided but likely to be around the start of the salmon season. Water levels drive the date of the Tour as it is pointless if the Wye is in flood because the important features in the River are hidden by the flood water. I also provide a texting service for members keeping them up to date with river conditions, catches on our waters and other pointers to our salmon fishing.
