Wow, if it’s not rain, it’s been strong winds the last few weeks !!! Yet another named storm is apparently over us at the moment. We’ve had so many, I’ve lost the thread and name of the recent one that’s upon us now !!!! The last one was a beast, and lots of homes, particularly over Northern Ireland and Northern England are still without power !!! Needless to say, along with plenty of shooting, in between lousy weather, I haven’t been near the rivers at all, Apart from some wild stream maintenance, which is an ongoing thing with the Wye and Usk foundation. A lot of these streams seem very unloved, overgrown and somewhat unkempt and not really fishable at the moment …. So, Tis my job just to give some of these a haircut, now the salmon have done their business !!!! A new lease of life will be given , with some blood, sweat and tears, and a good few hours hard work on each of these beats, to get them semi respectable, again !!!! Tis such a rewarding thing to be do, to be honest ………..
What’s been nice over the last few weeks, is catching up with fishing buddies. My mates Tim and Tony are budding wild brown trout anglers, just like me !!!! We’ve mused over a fine breakfast in Ty Morgan’s, discussing tactics, or sat over some quality pints in The Crown, by the warm, welcoming fire, again, yes you’ve guessed it, matters of the piscatorial kind !!! This is important chat, and essential before the start of yet another busy season. It’s certainly been hectic, booking folks into various places, advising them on where to eat, things to see, places to go, while the angler in the family is being guided by yours truly for a couple of days ….. Exciting times, and choices galore here in mid Wales, from that distant wild mountain Llyn, to the sprawling nine hundred acre Claerwen reservoir, to the more intimate and secretive babbling stream !!!! Just wonderful countryside, and, I’ve said it once, but, I’ll say it again, I’m so blessed to live in this game fishing paradise !!!!
Lots of admin has been carried out the last week or so regarding organising this seasons clients, and preempting weather for the streams and wild stillwaters, which is always difficult …. Some anglers want a day in the Elan Valley, followed by the second day on a wild stream, then, the last day, culminating in a full day out at a mountain Llyn . I tell you something, your legs know about it after that !!!! Gym time isn’t really required, and, bedtime is generally around nine bells !! You kip like you’ve been bitten by a tsetse fly, and an alarm clock is certainly needed to wake you up at half six . Good sleep is an absolute must, especially if a couple of days later, there’s more clients. As I’d expect, on a guided day out, punctuality, good admin, a cheery face, and bags of enthusiasm are a must. Fortunately, they’re my finer points, something which I’ve carried on from my military and policing careers. Communication is key to success, as is excellent admin and the days itinerary …. Gets those all pieced together, then it’s just the tactics on the water to get right !!!………..
The anticipation is always great. They are long dismal days in January and February… I call them dog days !!!! Miserable, cold, damp, yucky days !!! I used to do stacks of grayling fishing ranging from the Corwen stretch of the Dee to more local stretches of the Upper Wye and the lovely River Arrow and Lugg up the A44, heading to Leominster. Only a stones throw away, but these smaller rivers have some surprisingly good grayling in them. I really split my sporting year now, shooting is done winter time, simple as that …. Both rifle and shotgun. The colder months aren’t now spent freezing my clackers off in water of four degrees, searching for the ladies with a demon indicator rig, Tis now my shooting time, and I must admit I love the variety. This season, I’ve had some fun shoot days up near Shrewsbury, on the pheasants , and I’ve also enjoyed the air rifles . In fact I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my air rifles….. I think all of them have had a seriously good session or two, up at Mid Wales RIfle Club . Just total fun, getting the absolute best accuracy out of each rifle …. Fun fun fun !!!!!
Griffin Lloyd Shooting Grounds needs a good few visits, before the start of the brown trout Season too. Getting some folks together, both friends and family is a real social event. I take up three guns, two of my twelves, and the Beretta twenty gauge, which is a sweet shooting little gun ….. With that typical Beretta finesse !!!! I do so love the coaching side of shooting … The joy of someone actually dusting a clay, and being safe with the gun …. A sublime warm feeling ….I Love it !!!! I can recall however, early last season we were blighted by that awful North Easterly wind, which, seemed to go on for weeks. The smaller streams were late to respond, in fact very late. I seem to recall on the Edw, my first fish looking up and taking a dry was on bank holiday Monday in May !!!! Two days later the River Arrow fished well, and I had a good few on the dries there too …. But, late starters, compared to the hectic activity on the upper Wye at Builth ….. How different that was, with good flurries of dry fly sport on this majestic stretch ….
As I’m writing this it’s pouring down here in Rhayader, really lousy weather. The Wye is an absolute torrent, and no doubt it’ll be pretty pokey for a few days to come yet …. More rain due tonight and tommorrow it seems !!!! Arrgggghhhhh, never mind, beats snow I guess, at least we can travel around ….. that’s something I suppose !!!! Won’t be long, and we’ll be into brighter warmer months. Lazy days, casting tiny dries…. Blissful times !!!!
It just leaves me really to say have a great 2025 on and off the water. Be safe, and if you can’t be safe, at least be careful !!! It seems an age away till March, but, it’ll soon be upon us….. Enjoy the anticipation, revel in it !!! tis all part of the fun !!!! Cheerio for now folks …… 🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🎣🎣🐟🐟🏴
