So, last week, with our somewhat varied weather, the wild streams were pretty much out of the equation, with some heavy rain that had come in bouts, both during the night, and some lengthy spells in the day. It was time to chase Welsh Gold on two of my favourites ….. Two total opposites in fairness, but alas both fantastic in their own way ….. holding deep secrets of days gone by, and fisherman’s tales on the bank, as they munch into a hearty lunch in between a frantic fishing foray !!!! I say that with soul, as on both days last week, the Wednesday and the Thursday, sport was sublime on both Nant-y-Moch reservoir, and the secluded lonesome Llyn Bugeilyn ….. and I too hastily ate a ginsters pastie and a banana for an energy boost in between sublime sport …… ‘‘twas just plain simple, fun fly fishing, nothing huge caught, just old fashioned, heavenly days !!!! After all these trout in these cold, dark, mountain lakes aren’t daft either, and they too, like their cousins down in the valley, supping blue winged olives in a secretive bubble line, are just as Wiley, and just as old ….. they know what’s what and a badly presented dry fly won’t even get a sniff !!!!! Likewise with a team of wets too ….. I always fish just two on these wild waters, with squally winds and eddying air currents …. You have to present them right, with the desired retrieve too ….. and of course you need to put in the leg work, as with all wild brownies …you need to go and find them !!!!
It’s always nice to get to both these locations early, firstly to miss the awful morning traffic, and secondly its just nice tackling up with the day ahead of you, morale is at its highest and life’s good ….The early morning ambience…… As I pour a coffee out of my flask, I generally ponder the tactics , should they be tricky customers, and I for one always assume they might be …….. supping on my brew, to get that bankside caffeine hit . Just surveying, taking it all in initially is sometimes very much needed, after all fly fishing for wild brownies is all about ringing the changes to a specific hatch, or a technical piece of water and thus altering one’s tackle, flies, and tactics to present your offerings as best as you can . Presentation is everything, get that right without making yourself known to our Wiley quarry and you’re almost there ……….. Almost !!!!!!
On both waters I managed a couple of dozen beautifully marked wild fish ….. as wild as the mountains, with genetics that take them right back to the ice age ….. swimming legends …… Funnily enough I was lucky to have several double hooks ups, on the huge Nant-y-Moch, and one at the hallowed Bugeilyn …. Great fun , just the best the sport can offer ….. truly memorable days . I will say with these mountain lakes, do your weather homework …. Get it right, with the right wind, the right cloud cover and your in for a good day, obviously you’ll need to play your part and input good angling, but don’t expect fishing to be good on a bright, still calm day …. Work on the principle of a dank, dirty dismal day is good !!!!!
I must admit, both days weather wise were kind to me last week. Dull, dank days, with a pokey Westerly wind, just perfect !!!! As I write this epistle, it’s still raining here in Rhayader,but the sun has been trying to win the battle. Yesterday, and the day before, we had some proper rain as I call it, and it appears another good lashing of it is due tommorrow also ….. These rivers certainly needed it hey !!! Very different from this time last year, and I think a temperature difference the other day of thirteen degrees from last July….. must admit, I love the cooler weather; suits me, my fishing and means I don’t have to water the countless tubs and pots in my garden….. now that’s gotta be a plus !!!
