River Wye, Hereford
Chris Jones visits a remarkable stretch of river where 100lb-plus hauls of roach, chub, barbel and perch are taken every week during the depths of winter
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FISH stocks in rivers are widely spread throughout the summer months, but once winter bites, they often ball up in certain areas.
This big ‘coming together’ makes individuals less vulnerable to attacks from predators, and their sheer numbers also help to create insulation and a layer of protection from the worst of the winter weather.
As a result, on some rivers the fish vacate the rural areas in favour of adjoining urban stretches, some of which can run directly through town and city centres.
Not only are fish-eating animals such as cormorants, goosanders and otters less likely to be present in such areas, but the water temperature will also be slightly higher thanks to the prevalence of buildings, road bridges, house boats and the like.
As anglers struggle for bites at most locations once temperatures plummet, those that visit these urban delights can be treated to truly prolific sport. Roach, perch, dace and chub are all species that will take part in these ‘mass migrations’ and once they’ve settled into their new surroundings, they’re more than willing to get their heads down and feed. Although there are examples of these venues throughout the country, one seems to be head and shoulders above the rest in terms of how many fish it attracts.
The River Wye in the centre of Hereford welcomes a mind boggling quantity of fish every winter, and can produce colossal match weights that outscore what some commercials can produce in the middle of summer.
Hauls of over 200lb are taken every season, 100lb nets are a weekly occurrence and 50lb catches are so common that they aren’t viewed as worthy of being reported!
The exact reasons behind the sheer scale of this urban migration remains a bit of a mystery and, unsurprisingly, nobody feels the need to question it when the fishing is so impressive!
Welsh international Chris Jones is just one of many anglers to have fallen in love with the Wye, and regularly makes the four-hour round trip to sample its delights.
“There are quite a few river stretches dotted across the land that are brilliant in winter, but the Wye in Hereford is a hundred times better than anything else on offer,” said Chris.
