Grayling season is well underway on my local. That means lots of deeper wading into faster runs. What I worry about is disturbing trout redds while wading into grayling zone.

Are there any hard and fast rules for where and where not to wade?

ta

It is reasonably easy to spot trout/salmon redds.DO NOT WADE ON/IN THEM.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Stupid me...just found the excellent Paul Gaskell thread here Trout Redds: Don't tread on these when grayling fishing

Problem for me is tea coloured water on our 'freestone' river which makes spotting anything deeper than a foot very difficult.

Simple really.if it's hard to see the bottom.miss that bit out.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Legally it is an offence against the Salmon and Freshwater Fish Act to wilfully disturb spawning fish, fish spawn or areas where there might be spawning fish or fish spawn.

The key word is wilfully, you have to wade in the knowledge that there may be spawning fish or fish spawn where you are wading.

My club committee debated this issue last night as we have excellent grayling fishing on the Welsh Dee but a lot of the water is a potential salmon and sea trout spawning area.

We decided that we would indicate known redd areas with markers on the bank, issue advice to members that wading in these areas would potentially disturb spawning fish or redds between November and January, and that any member reported for wading might open themselves up to prosecution under SAFFA. The placing of the markers and the issuing of the advice makes any subsequent wading in those ares wilfull if it disturbs fish but for a successful prosecution the angler would have to be identified, the presence of spawning fish or fish spawn proven and also there would have to be proof that the act was wilfull. We stopped short of actually banning wading preferring to let the members make an informed decision on the day.

That's the legal position, good practice suggests that anglers should be careful wading in fish spawning areas no matter what the species or advice as the idea is to avoid disturbing fish as much as it is to avoid being caught breaking the law.

Many overlook the fact that SAFFA applies equally to all fish species, not just migratory fish or trout, it is equally illegal to disturb spawning minnows whilst salmon or trout fishing.

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“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary

Thanks for the replies. I took Paul Gaskell's advice on the other thread and contacted my local experts - forum members sedgeking and gary@wyffs. Thanks you two .

I'd advise anyone else reading this who is uncertain to do the same and speak to people who know their river.

Hi', All good, relevant stuff; and for those who may not be interested in the whys and wherefores, there is the old adage, which really does apply in this case, 'if in doubt, don't do it'. Jada.

Interestingly my post has been lifted and posted on the Guidebook Community Canoeing Forum under the premise "it's OK to wade but not to canoe". I hope our canoeing friends read this as well.

My post made it very clear that anglers willfully disturbing any spawning fish opened themselves to prosecution but it is OK to wade if you are not disturbing spawning fish or redds. It's OK to wade because anglers have with very few exceptions (poachers) paid for the privilege of fishing, have permission to be there and are not trespassing in doing so.

Canoeists on most Welsh rivers are not only potentially breaking the provisions of SAFFA whilst doing so at this time of year but in most cases they are trespassing (multiple) in their access to the water, transit down the river and egress from the river. In other words they shouldn't be there at all, they have no legal right to be there and so damage to spawning fish whilst trespassing is doubly reprehensible.

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“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary

Jeez, thank Sauzee I fish where I do. Where a man can canoe down river with his fly rod, stop off at a few otherwise inaccessible spots, have a cast then carry on his merry way. Not myself, but I've seen it done

If I'm honest I think some of these canoeists go out their way to wind up anglers who have been less than hospitable to towards them in the first place.

I've encountered canoeists from serious enthusiasts, to the twice a year spate thrill seeker, to families out for a leisurely paddle, and with manners and mutual respect from both parties, nothing unpleasant is every said and no one's sport is ever ruined.

Do you have any news on the Coventry University case Sewinbasher?