Wow, what a fabulous week on some of the wildest most secretive streams in mid Wales, just an absolute joy to be out …… every time I headed out just that energy of excitement …… will the fish be on the go ? Will that kingfisher be up at the top end? Will the mayfly be dancing by two, or a shade later today ? That Little Dipper, will they be bobbing on that fallen tree across the river? All harmless pleasant thoughts in your head ……. It’s pure escapism folks …. It’s my art !!!!! Ohhh and the weather, well, a bit of a double edged sword to be honest, warm a lot of the week, creeping up to eighteen or nineteen by one in the afternoon on the lovely places such as the Cammarch, the Edw and the Rhiwnant stream ……..
So in general some sublime, exciting and totally absorbing sport …… from the bubbling Edw to the mountainous upper reaches of the River Cammarch, it’s been tiring but just the best of the best …… armed with my six foot, two weight,and a tiny parachute dry. The key to smaller streams is one’s actions in the river……….. A steely approach is needed, very stealthy wading will get you in position of the rising fish ….. these are no fools, clump around like a bull elephant in musk and the game is well and truly over …… big time !!!!! Softly softly, get in position, check casting obstructions behind you ….. quite often as is the case on wild streams, there’s overhanging alder, willow, or hazel just waiting to ambush your fly !!!!! Think tactically a tight keyhole cast may be needed, you’ll know as soon as it lands a lot of the time, that’ll be taken …. The world stops, you focus, your like a coiled spring, and bang, there it is !!!!!! What it’s all about, that take ……. A splashy confident one, you strike, he’s on !!!!! And you play to hand a beautiful spotty wild stream fish !!!! The hook falls out in the net once the pressure on the line is released …. A marvel of nature …… he looks a bit sulky, a quick admiration of this living Faberge egg, then he’s off……… fantastic !!!!!
The moorland Tarennig last Saturday was an adventure, more of a mystery really, one that was solved, it does contain fish, albeit small…… a lovely secretive babbling mountain stream though ….. everything in its infancy …… new life just beginning ….. and for the trout, a perilous one too ….. but Salmo Trutta is just the top survivor….. here in this mountain stream, with ph levels in the water probably not at their best due to the mount of surrounding Sitka spruce, they are fighting, surviving and making this place their home ….. as can be said of the secretive Edw, Rhiwnant and Cammarch ……. Living on the edge …. small fish as acute as nature intended …. From a young age watching out for danger all the time … the kingfisher, otter, mink and now more predators to worry about, Goosander and the gregarious Cormorant …. Which, in a lot of areas of the Wye and her catchment streams, have made this their home …..and don’t feel bad at all about wolfing back wild trout be the dozen, quite literally !!!!! I digress, back on track …… as I’ve said our native brownie is a true survivor of mountain Llyn and gin clear stream!!!
So, a busy one next week for me, clients out all week, tricky weather to be honest, but fortunately here, in the Lakeland’s of Wales we are surrounded by water, be it a few hours on the River Marteg, a leisurely mooch up the Afon Elan, or an energetic tab out to Llyn Gynon or Carw for some super fast, gorgeously marked mountain trout ….. choices choices, it’s sometimes quite a dilemma ………. But at the end of the day, yeah yeah yeah I hear you say, it gets dark!!!!! sure it does, but it’s also all about enjoying this fantastic sport of chasing wild trout ….. they take us on a Journey …. Into the wildest places, secretive and almost virginal …… we interrupt, as fly anglers, but leave with absolutely nothing …… oh bar maybe a footprint in the silt !!!! So there we have it folks a beautiful week on the most spectacular of streams ….. blissful and somewhat dreamy at times !! Yesterday a change , a good burn on the mountain bike around the Claerwen and Elan valleys, but again, even being a bit hot, totally magical…. Think I toted up about twenty four miles ….. a well earned pint of Holy Water was just what was needed…… and, as I sat outside The Crown on a bustling Saturday afternoon, supping a cool pint of Rev. James, I thought how lucky am I …… Britain May be a bit in turmoil, food prices high , utility bills through the roof, blah blah blah …… but right here, right now is exactly where I’d want to be !!!!!! Cheers folks enjoy the sunny weekend ……..😉😉😉🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🎣🎣🎣🎣🎣
