Well, well, as I’m writing this brief blog, its started raining again, here in Rhayader !!!! …. I was fortunate enough to grab three very sporting hours in the valley this morning, namely one of my early season favourites, Craig Goch reservoir. Wow, she was on fire, and no rain either. If Carlsberg could make the perfect wild brownie weather, then that would have been it, this morning on Craig Goch was phenomenal sport !!!! I managed a dozen fish, strong savage hits to my usual armoury, but surprisingly ten of the fish were hitting the top dropper. With the south westerly pokey wind, I just opted for my usual two fly set up ….. seems to work well in the windy Elan Valley, and has stood me in good stead up here over the last twenty five years !!!!
Having had some fantastic sessions on both Claerwen and Craig Goch, with some very varied sport ….. What a difference a day makes, yesterday I was up at Claerwen, and she was tricky, dam tricky , nearly a flat calm, just the slightest puff of wind now and again, and rising finicky fish. I do love a challenge though !!!! Fine tippets, long leaders and a single dry fly . A tiny F-fly or cdc emerger seemed to get a good response , lovely getting them on the dries on this huge sheet of openness !!!!! Makes it so worthwhile bringing a brownie to the net ! Mind you, I worked hard for half a dozen fish to be honest, and quick as grease lightening too. I flumped three good takes to my dry !!!!! Ggggrrrrrrrrrr …… oh well, still great fun !!! And, I had the reservoir to myself, again !!!!
I must admit, I’m ready for a mooch up one of my favourite wild streams, the closeness and stealth I just enjoy, and casting that tiny dry fly, tight and precise, just where you want to present it …… As anglers, especially river dry fly anglers, you sort of know when your dry fly will get hit don’t you !!!! Like a coiled sponge, sorry spring !!!! Such a satisfying sport ….. do your bit and do it well, and you’ll get your brownie, slipping over that net ….. just a lovely feeling ! Ive actually ear marked another feeder stream of the Wye, it’s got all the “ingredients” of a good little trout stream …… I do recall seeing a few fish, pin balling in the pools last summer, when me and Daisy went hiking !!!! So, being only small, I’ll give it a go soon …… Can’t you tell I’m missing my wild streams lol !!!!! Ahhh well, I really can’t complain, the big wild reservoirs of the Elan valley are something else…. Oh and that shrill, eerie sound of the curlew was filling the early spring air this morning, just blissful . New life, and it reminds me of my youth, curlews way up high in the Tanat valley when we went walking with my Gran. I remember those days well, seemed to be a huge family thing, everyone went, fun times ……. And that high pitched, crystal clear sound of the peewit still makes me smile a long smile ….. A sense of familiarity and a well loved family .
My small beautifully made glass rod will be coming out very very soon. The action is heavenly, and the zero weight line almost feather like. Tis such fun to fish with a gossamer like rod….. but a precise tool too, and, even though it’s only casting to trout in the six to ten inch range, don’t be fooled into thinking they’ll be a breeze !!!! If you do, you’ll be disappointed, as these are wild, fully alert, fully aware fish, just as their cousins are down on the bigger streams. You’ll have to do your bit, stealth, wade like a ninja, and present your tiny offering in the correct place. Watercraft and good angling, are still of paramount importance, and it’s fun, and soooooooo satisfying to get a splashy rise to your dry fly and ultimately bring that beautiful jewel to a wet hand ……. Fantastic !!! I’ve mooched up many a feeder stream over the years and over six hours only brought four or five small stunning brownies to hand . But my day is full of adventure, fun, nature, views, solitude, ohhhh and a few splashy takes to my dry….. That makes it the icing on the cake, and very thick icing too !!!! Because, you see, it’s the whole package, the just being there is the essence of our sport . Here, in the Elenydd, you can do that so easily, loose yourself up a feeder stream all day….. just magic …….
So, another blog done and dusted, as I’m supping on a cuppa, it’s still heavy drizzle outside. Ohhhh well, the big reservoirs aren’t going to be low any time soon, but boy oh boy, it would be nice to get out on a stream. One of my friends on Facebook has just informed me that the River Arrow and Lugg are still up and pushing through. These two old favourites always take an age to come down after rain. It isn’t a bad thing, and to be honest, when a lot of rivers are on their bones at the back end of the summer, the ever reliable Arrow is still fishable…… Anyway, my thoughts are getting strongly drawn to a wild secluded stream…… that my friends, is my next adventure, till next time be safe, and enjoy your angling …….. tight lines too !!!!!!
