Wow, what a couple of hectic weeks . We are into a new season ….. yesssssssssssss !!! All those long winter nights are now a distant memory. I’ve enjoyed some superb streamer fishing up in the wilds of the Cwm Elan. The tribs of the Wye and Usk catchment are slow to crank up and normally fish aren’t actively feeding and situated in their feed lanes till about Mid to end of April. I’ve learnt from thirty eight years of fishing small streams, you can’t rush them ……….
I read the reports on the Fishing Passport, and it’s as if the fish are most uncooperative, just because the river season for brownies is open, don’t expect them to play ball !!! I’ve seen sentences like , “hardly any fish activity”, “managed to winkle out a couple on nymphs”, “not a touch all day” !!!! Well, guess what , Tis only March, and secondly why should the trout be feeding , when night time temperatures have been as low as minus four here in mid Wales ……
Back to my streamer fishing, more dynamic than anything else. I’ve done it on a good few early seasons now, on a couple of the rivers locally. Fun too, and also very on the go, if that makes sense. Sculpin patters on rivers where stone loach and bullheads are present are dam effect !!! Slam hits too, nice confident aggressive takes ….. Just lovely !!! Must admit we’ve been blighted by some cold winds though …. Biting easterlies that seem to go right through you !!!! Jeeeeeeez, I’m sounding like my gran, god bless her, she used to use that phrase, never understood it, and here I am using it in 2025 …. Sometimes memories are there to be ignited hey !!!!
So, yesterday was the opening of the big wild reservoirs and the mountain llyns . A day when it means my tool box is opened up, and with clients, and, more importantly our weird weather, I have vast numbers of feasible options to choose from, should the weather be not particularly favourable on either stream, or wild Stillwater !!!! Tis a great position to be in, and, if I’m honest, I’ve thankfully pulled out of the bag, a good days wild brownie fishing, on a private river beat, when the big reservoirs are like glass, which is a curse when you’re searching for the resident wild brownies ……
Yesterday was actually the first spring like day for quite some time . A brisk south easterly wind later on in the day, and bright sun. I think by one ish, the temperature got up to a “balmy” fifteen degrees in the Elan Valley !!!! Positively lush …. The fishing was good to be honest, a lovely trouty ripple and working the shore at the top end of the reservoir, had me half a dozen fish to my net in a very enjoyable five hours. Probably my last session on this particular water, as DWR CYMRU are sluicing out water to the next reservoir to continue dam wall maintenance. I gather it’s not a long drawn out thing like last years escapade, and, hopefully it’ll be full again before early summer, we shall see. Britain seems to move in slo-mo these days, even pot hole filling in on a road seems to involve a million cones, traffic lights, lots of important folks in hi viz jackets, with not a lot of work actually getting done !!!! Tis like pulling teeth !!!! Britains certainly lost its mojo …. A long time ago to be honest , but let’s not go down that road, we’re all aware who’s to blame, say no more !!!!! Fishing here, not politics !!!!!!
Looks like we’re in for some rain this coming weekend. That’s a good thing I’d say. A lot of the rivers are seriously low and clear at the moment. Whilst I was carrying our stream maintenance last week, the two I cleared and tidied up were very low. Tis great for getting that work done, and, fun doing kick samples too. I make an empty little Tupperware tub in my day sack, just nice to see the health of these rivers. Invertebrates and small bullheads indicate a nice healthy river bed. Thankfully, the two I’ve just done recently I saw huge numbers of bullheads, and lots of nymphs, fantastic stuff, and great to see ….
I’m debating which water to fish tommorrow. I think it’ll all depend on tonight’s rainfall….. I’m swaying to one of the reservoirs. Not too long, and clients are starting to come through the proverbial door, love it !!!! Days out on one of the streams, or a wild mountain Llyn are just the best….. fun, fun, fun !!!! Well folks, that’s me, a varied fun week, with lots of leg work done over the last few days. With mountain Llyn recces carried out, and lots of tabbing up moorland rivers , casting into likely streamer water, and awaiting that violent take, from an early season brownie !!!! The waits over guys ‘n’ gals, enjoy your fishing, be safe out there, and revel in what this season has in store for you ….. I’m going to say it, it’s just a must ….. cheerio for now ……. TIGHT LINES !!!!!!! 😉😉😉🎣🎣🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🏴🏴
