Feedback & Reports

Many thanks to the local rod who showed me how to do it within 5 mins of arriving! He very kindly advised a few spots and later his advice was invaluable in explaining how I might fly fish a small part of Llangoed pool and a small tube did the trick for a fresh 10lber. Quite simply would not have happened without local expert advice, so huge thanks!
Thanks as ever to WUF.

1 Salmon

Recent catch reports for this beautiful lake suggested I was either in for a feast or a famine: as things turned out it was somewhere in between. It's a long drive from where I live and I wasn't fishing until almost midday. Overcast skies and a cold southeasterly wind meant the first couple of hours were very quiet and I took only one small trout. As the day warmed and the wind dropped a bit there were a couple of flurries of activity, one in the early afternoon and another in the early evening. These helped me to take ten trout it total, the best of which was close to a pound and feeding only a couple of feet from the shore. I fished a team of wet flies with the Zulu and Green Peter taking most fish. When the fish were active I also had plenty of rises, swirls and missed takes which gave the impression the fish were not really feeding heavily. I have often encountered this behaviour fishing Irish loughs after periods of rain - the locals claimed it was because the rain had washed so much food into the lake that the fish were stuffed full. I find that a much more appealing explanation than straight forward incompetence!

10 Trout

Grabbed two hours in the afternoon and was entertained by four hard fighting wbt between 3 and 6 inches. Water high and fining off after previous days rain.

4 Trout

Arrived about 4pm, fished for a couple of hours. Cattle (including a bull) in the first field by the footbridge so be cautious.
Big mayfly hatches visible, caught a nice browny about a pound on a small dry imitation. River appears quite high from the rain and the holes are very deep at the moment. As such it is difficult to wade continuously. Apart from the cattle drink, access to the river is also difficult as the vegetation is thick from edge of field to bank.

1 Trout

We found this beat exceptionally difficult. The river was running very fast and this presented white water almost everywhere. There was virtually no chance of fishing a dry fly. Wading was very hard and walking the bank just as difficult. We saw only 2 mayfly on the river and not a single fish rise. We retired early feeling tired and wishing we had stayed on the lower beat. You need to be fit and agile to tackle this beat while the river is running hard (though clear). Wading stick required.

This is a lovely stretch of river with several great pools. We did not give it enough time. We did see some mayfly and some rising fish. We caught a few, missed some more including several very impressive fish towards the top of the beat. We lost a plastic fly box full of mayflies (many hours at the vice!) along the way and if anyone should find them, I would love to get them back (jfpobrien@blueyonder.co.uk). Would happily revisit this beat and give it more time.

2 Trout

Enjoyed the experience but disappointed with the results. There were several anglers totaling 8 rods around the bank and only 2 fish were caught in total, the other anglers expressed their concerns too.

Friends and I fished for ten hours and caught anything. In fact, on the side of the reservoir I was fishing there was ten of us and only one fish caught. Over the other side of the reservoir a group of seven polish men had camped had been night fishing. As an angler who has fished all around the country and always follow the anglers code of conduct, I get very angry when this is allowed to happen. Having fished at Llwyn On for several years I will think twice before purchasing a permit unless the reservoir is better policed.

WUF note: We ask all anglers who experience situations like this to phone the NRW incident line on 0800 807060.

No fish caught by any one in the area that I was in all day.

Probably my favourite bit of small stream fishing. The river was high and quite coloured but plenty of fly. Fish rose consistently to barbless Mayfly all day, most of which I missed! Barbless hooks are a must if the quality of fishing here is to be preserved. The six caught averaged well over a pound the largest being a deep fish of over 15 inches. This is not easy fishing. Expect a hard walk, barbed wire and lost flies. It is worth remembering to cross to the right bank on the footbridge 100m below the house and ignore the pool below the weir so as to avoid any confrontation which has, in the past, spoilt my day. This is a long beat and missing out this short section is no hardship. The Kingfishers are amazing!

6 Trout