Garnffrwd Fishery

13 March 2013

Having managed a few good sessions on the river lately, I decided a change of scenery was in order. My initial thoughts were a trip to Llyngwyn, run by Rhayader and Elan Valley Angling Association or to Garnffrwd Fishery. As I had a visit to Llyngwyn in the calendar for early April I got in touch with good mate Dan Graham to see if he fancied a trip down south. He did. We arranged some leave and the day was booked for 13/03/13.

Albeit rather cold, the weather report said the day was going to be dry and sunny. Wanting to make the most of the day, we set off early. We would have arrived at the lake sooner, heavy snow and dodgy roads over the Sugar Loaf meant we didn’t get there until about 9. The conditions on the way were not what was predicted and it did make us doubt our decision somewhat. However, on arrival it was a clear and crisp day with an occasional spot of rain.

Before heading down to the lake, we stopped to have a chat with the owner, Jamie Miller. We chatted about how the lake was fishing and if any methods were working well.  We took time to talk about the 6 nations and how Wales would beat England in Cardiff and secure the championship (how right we were – apologies on any English readers for bringing that up again). With a chill I the air, Dan commented that all will be fine once we get a fry up at Christine’s Cafe to which Jamie replied ‘Christine doesn’t open Monday-Wednesday’. It was Wednesday and as you could imagine we were devastated!!!

With no food on board we could well have been staring a bonfire by the lake to cook our trout or possibly tucking into raw fish like Gollum off Lord of the Rings…..My Precious!

Down at the lodge, we tackled up in the marquee out of the rain; I set up 2 rods for the day. My first rod set up to strip the lures. An 8ft 6" 7wt Flextec Streamtec rod with a fast glass line to which I attached around 9ft G3 fluorocarbon to a home made Blank Zonker – this was my first ever attempt at a Zonker and wasn’t too pretty but it thought id give it a try. My second rod was my 8ft 5wt Airflo Sreamtec rod. On this I had a floating line where I set up a strike indicator, below that about 9ft to a bloodworm pattern on the point. I set a small black emerger to my dropper to fish about a foot or so blow the surface as there had been some fish near the top when we took an early inspection of the water. The water was holding a lot of colour, much below 1ft or so and the visibility dropped to about zero.

We started fishing to the left of the lodge a spot called ‘the meadow’. Dan quickly hooked into a lovely Rainbow but that was the only fish to the net in the first hour. I had had quite a few knocks on my Zonker but nothing to the net (was the tail too long?). That first hour did give us an indication that pulling lures was the way to go for the day.



When a Ninja goes fishing, he catches fish!

A move from ‘the meadow’ round to ‘the finger’ saw a change of fortunes and a few fish to the net. By this time it was getting on for late morning when we started to land fish and it appeared we were the only ones doing so.  

Lovely little brown for Dan

The method was one of Dan's black and yellow dancers with a Hanak silver bead (although any black lure with a silver bead was getting some interest). This fly, fished on a fast glass line near the bottom with short sharp pulls was the go to method for the day; a few casts with the strike indicator/buzzer had no action. A few people had asked Dan about hit pattern, which he was happy to share. One chap started to flap his gums and saying the fishery was poor. The comments returned to him was ‘there is nothing wrong with the fishery mate, take a look at your method and how you’re fishing it – were doing just fine!!!’

About midday, we had a break for ‘lunch’ and what a hearty meal it was - A Snickers a Wispa and a drop of pop!

Not to worry! Our spirits were lifted when was started the afternoon session as the sun came out and started to feel rather warm. We both decided we would start the afternoon fishing just past the bridge to the right of the lodge. I fished the out towards the dam whilst Dan fished towards the water inlet. Having had a couple of solid pulls, Dan was convinced there was a decent fish lurking…he wasn’t wrong. After a short while, I had a shout. From the tone in his voice I could tell Dan was into a good fish.  



Playing the fish in some open water



Dan trying to keep his fish away from the bridge



I quickly made my way to him eager to see the fish, after some very strong runs towards every structure in the lake we finally took sight of the fish, bigger than we both expected. After I helped to net the ‘slab’, which took a bit of lifting I might add, we took her up onto the grass for a quick pic before putting her back into the lake to grace other anglers net. A gorgeous 8lb Brownie. 

 

8lb Garnffrwd Brownie

After Big Brown, we moved around the fishery a bit and I even fished the dries a bit. Having seen a few fish on the top I searched my box for a dry fly. The only one I had was a Daddy Long Legs (why it was in with my lures I don’t know!). I stripped the setup down on my Airflo Streamtec rod and tied on the fly. A couple of fish rose but turned away last second. One solid take was followed by the fly catapulting back at me as the fish popped the hook – that was the end of the dry fly action for one day!

I next set up in front of the lodge again and fished the lures. I fished from peg 2 over towards peg 3 tight to the margins. I had a lot of interest and a couple of hook ups but I couldn't get any to the net. I did hook one rainbow right under the rod tip after watching him follow the fly in. Instead of turning and disappearing into the depths for me to pull him back, he shot straight towards me, before I could get the line straight and manoeuvre him he went right under the platform, around the water pipe and left me in a right old tangle!!!

A fish or two more came to the net over the course of the afternoon but as is often the case the fish were not taking as actively as they were. We finished about 5, packed up and decided to make our way for some food before home. Ravenous, cold, tired but having had a great day. We both remarked that it was probably the first time we had been there and taken more Brownies than Rainbows. I had 4 Browns and 2 Rainbows, Dan had 7 Brown and 2 Rainbows.

If you haven’t fished here before, I recommend you do – http://www.garnffrwdflyfishing.co.uk/the-trout-fishery

A few more of my fish from the day.

Look closely and you can see the killer fly - Black and Yellow Dancer

A well spirited Rainbow

Another Brownie - this one had gorgeous orange spots

Until next time…

Back on the River and Catching the Ladies

The weather had finally been kind (albeit cold).  It was dry and the river levels were down to a good level and in parts were crystal clear (as you can see in the pic of Irfon Bridge below - river bed highly visible).  If truth be told, the river was too clear for the section of water I decided to fish last Saturday (24/02/13).

Having been awake since 5! I decided to go out early and have a few hours before lunch.  I stayed in town and went to one of my favorite summer time dry fly stretches of the river.  A place where there are usually a good head of Grayling.

The stretch of river I fished was from Irfon bridge up towards 'Black Pool'.  Making your way from the bridge up river, the water level changes from rapids to a long slow moving run of shallow (knee deep) water up to a very deep pool that forms off the back of a gorgeous water fall. 


Irfon Bridge

Black Pool in the distance

Having been sent some flies again by Dan Popp (Small Stream Addicts), I was eager to give them a go.  I decided to fish one of my favorite methods, the Duo (Klink and Dink or whatever you like to call it).  I set up my cast with an olive klinkhammer with a silver bead hot spot nymph about 3ft below.  If anything this set up was a little long for the main stretch of river but was ideal for the main pool at the top of the run.

Dan's Nymph

Dan's Klinkhammers

It was cold, very cold! After being stood fishing against the far bank where the river does run a little deeper, I had had no luck and to top it all off it started snowing!  Not only that but the wind was blowing straight up the river and I had no shelter what so ever.  Despite the rather unsuccessful start to the day i made my way up to the pool.

After fishing for half hour or so I had still caught nothing.  Then, the clouds broke and the sun shone for the first time all morning and boy was I grateful for the warmth.  However, it wasn't just me that seemed buoyed by the sun as within 10 mins of the sun coming out I had my first fish of the day, a Grayling of about 1/2lb taken on the nymph.  On the very next cast and as the nymph drifted through a channel formed by the big rocks, another small Grayling.

One of the small Grayling

After a couple more casts I hooked another fish, one that turned out to be biggest and last of the day.  I netted a Grayling of just over a pound, lots of damage down the flanks (I assume from the Cormorants or Goosanders), but in the sunshine managed to get a lovely shot and the fish even played its part by raising fin.

Biggest Grayling of the day

Then it was like flicking a switch, nothing, and before long the sun had gone again.  3 fish in 10 minutes and all in the sunshine!  With the sun gone and having just about lost the feeling in my face, hands and legs i decided to call it a day and head home for some dinner and a much needed thawing out!

Until next time...

Lack of Fishing

Lack of fishing = More time tying flies

Firstly I must apologise for lack of posting recently.  However. until the previous weekend where i managed to get on the river (new post to follow) I haven't been able to fish much of late.  With family commitments, the weather being as it was (rain, snow, more rain), I have been turning my attentions to fly tying.  Ever since I got back into my fishing, my goal was to tie my own flies.

When I first looked into tying, I have to say I was a little overwhelmed. Where exactly do you start? Hook size, hook type, tying thread, furs, feathers, beads and so on.  Despite having guidance and help from friends and fellow anglers it took me a while to sit down and start.  Now that I've started, I'm thoroughly enjoying it, even if I do need some more practice!

One of the things I found most difficult was gathering together all the materials I needed to create any one fly.  Not wanting to pay a fortune for a fly tying kit I stated off small.  My friend Lee gave me a vice and I picked up a decent pack of tying tools off eBay.  Having checked out some tying guides and, like most people I have talked too, Dave McPhail's tying videos on YouTube, I set about picking up some materials.  A basic variety of threads, some beads and a pile of pheasant tails from the boss (who is a keen huntsman). Oh and of course some hooks.

Naturally, with the materials I had, my first attempted flies were buzzers and PTNs. All of which were terrible and destined for the bin. Now, people say ‘Practice makes perfect’, I don’t agree! I say ‘Perfect practice makes perfect’, if you teach yourself or others the incorrect technique then they will only continue in the same vain……..incorrectly, not matter how much they practice it!

More visits to YouTube, and more, and more, followed by a snatched lesson here and there and I was finally comfortable enough to sit down and tie a decent selection of flies that I was confident of using on the water.

I tied up some PTNs and Buzzers and took them to the lake in Builth (before the conversion to a coarse fishery).  The result, some lovely little brownies, caught on my very own PTN, fished under a strike indicator.

As my skills developed I tied more flies including Elk Hair Caddis and took these out on the river.  On a day when I fished with 2 Welsh International Anglers, a very quiet day I must say, my Elk Hair Caddis out fished one of them.  I must be doing something right?

I also tried one of my own flies at the Christmas Competition at Garnffrwd and managed to catch – incidentally, that competition back at the end of December was about the last time I fished properly!

One thing that still frustrates me a little is settling down to tie up some flies but when I comes down to the tying there always seems to be one 'ingredient' missing! The result, substituting for something I have – sometimes successful, sometimes not. However, I do feel this is where I can really get some enjoyment from tying. Following a pattern but making subtle changes and creating your own variation. Something I find quite satisfying there, especially if I manage to catch a fish on it.

Having seen my first snowdrop (in my opinion that is the first sign of spring), the weather is warming and the fishing should improve. 

Snow Drops next to the Wye

I'm hopeful of getting down to Garnffrwd soon and have a trip planed to Llyngwyn in April - hopefully these trips will warrant a post or two, fingers crossed. However, before that I intend on spending plenty of time at the tying table and more time in the river (preferably catching fish).  Fingers crossed.

With trout season starting on Sunday (3rd) and summer just around the corner I thought I'd share a couple of pictures from last year - lets hope of more the same, and some bigger!

Tom Mills with a lovely Chub

One of the few Dace I caught on the fly last year

Feisty Brown I caught down the 'Fly Run', Wye, last year

Dan Graham with an awesome Grayling taken above Builth bridge

Until next time…

Guideline Kispiox Jacket Review

Hope everyone has had a very merry Christmas and you've all been spoilt rotten by you loved ones......oh sorry by Santa!

Anyway, Santa was kind enough to bring me a Guideline Kispiox Jacket because I have been a very good boy - however, if I'd have eaten much more Turkey he may have had to come back with a bigger size.

First impressions are excellent.  There are a couple of large pockets as well as having 2 completely waterproof pockets (orange zips in the pic above).  Another feature, which is not present on a lot of the jackets in the same price range (and slightly more expensive) are two retractors for clippers and forceps - little things like this i find quite important.

Tried and Tested

Having had chance to test it at the Christmas Competition down at Garnffrwd on Saturday (29th) I am happy to report that the jacket is excellent in the wind and rain. We had torrential rain in the morning followed by a biting cold wind throughout the day.  However, I remained dry and warm (with only minimal layers on under the jacket.

The only thing I  have to say is that there isn't really enough pockets (fly vests these days have pockets everywhere and I find them all useful).  The large pockets a big enough to house 2 small fly boxes each, which may sound enough but when you factor in all the additional gear that you carry around it isn't nearly enough.  The waterproof pockets are useful yet not big and the absence of pockets at the bottom of the jackets or internally leaves you 'stuffing things where they will go'. 

Overall  I would recommend the jacket and its well worth the price tag of <£150

Until next time...

The Welsh Weather and Animal Rescue

So.....have I intrigued you with that heading?

I met this past weeks freezing temperatures with great anticipation.  The weather was cold, very cold but at the same time dry - something this part of Wales hadn't seen for a while.

Once again, I put plans in place to take Friday off work and try some Czech Nymphing.  Thursday night came and once again so did the rain.  It rained very very heavily and when I woke on Friday morning it was still raining.  A quick walk down the river confirmed my fears, the river was running very high, very faster and had already managed to drag the mud from the upper reaches of the Wye and from the Ithon!  I've certainly had enough of the rain, lets hope 2013 is kinder to us.

Another day spoilt???

When the rivers are out of condition, the next option is generally a stillwater.  Too late to travel to Garnffrwd or Llyngwyn so I thought I go for a drive up to my syndicate lake.  The lake has not seen much fishing over the past six months as we have had a tremendous amount of trouble with Cormorants.  However, having heard from my mate Lee (and Meg the dog) that the week before he had fished it and there were no signs of them pesky birds and even better he had taken a lovely little Wild Brownie on a Cats Whisker.

Wild Brownie - keep an eye on things Meg

Why have the Cormorants gone (not that were complaining)? Could it be that the cold weather has driven them into town? Don't know for sure, but having spoken to the lakes owner, I have been informed that he and his son have been up the regularly shooting the ducks.  Maybe this is what has driven them away - shoot on boys, shoot on!

The rain was still coming down fairly heavy as I made my way to the lake, so parked up on the gravel track and tackled up.   As always, it looked good up there.

Herbie

One thing that caught my eye over in the shallows by the big tree where we've tied up our kayak was a Swan - who I have named Herbie.  He wasn't really doing anything and as I approached he didn't move on, something wasn't right.  As I got closer to the water I could see the problem, he was stuck in ice.

I managed to break some of the ice in the shallow margins and (continuing to break up some of the ice as I went) made my way out to him.  The closer I got, the more he hissed and flapped his wings.  How do you convince a Swan your there to help? Naturally I was weary! I broke up the ice and eventually broke enough for him to free his leg.  On the plus side, wasn't much chance of an attack, especially when you saw him slip sliding across the ice to his mate! Have you ever seen a Swan stuck in the ice? He didnt even say thank you the cheeky frigga!

Checking around the lake I could see the extent of the freeze - the whole lake was frozen solid, a good two and half centimetres thick!
 

The only part that wasn't frozen was above the dam!






 

Once again, a fishing trip without a fish but once again I didn't care.  I did my good deed for the day and managed to get a couple of nice pictures.  Sure beats working!

Herbie there in the background, free to roam

Until next time...