Slack lines
Blog, news and reviews from Snowdonia Fly Fishing Guides
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Pretty little river Dee winter grayling. Several were caught on an icy cold January morning on small beaded nymphs. 
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Another lump of a grayling caught by a satisfied client last week. This one rose to take an elk hair caddis.  Even when there is no hatch grayling are very willing to rise to a tasty morsel. This one took a size 16 Klinkhammer. My client's fin perfect and hard fighting first grayling brought a huge smile to his face.  Had a few hours on the river Dee yesterday, for most of the time it was lashing down with rain and a biting cold wind was blowing but the colder weather encouraged the fish to feed. Most were smaller grayling and 'spotties' but all were lively and good sport Grayling are a surprisingly delicate fish, they fight hard but it takes a lot out of them. Please handle them with care, respect and minimise their time out of water, give them time to recover whilst supporting them and allow them to swim away under their own steam. Do not pull them backwards as this forces water through their gills the wrong way and can lead to foreign bodies entering their gill covers. I now use a chest mounted GoPro that allows me to take pictures or videos without having to mess about with a hand held camera. Well the weather up here is changing and getting a little cooler. On Sunday I was fishing around Bangor on Dee with a mate, the sky was overcast and there was a definite nip in the air when we started fishing. We were quickly off to a good start with grayling and 'spotties' keen to take a fly. I was fishing a team of spiders and Craig fishing a single dry. By lunchtime we'd both caught into double figures and after a well deserved break we were off for round two. Unfortunately during lunch the cloud burnt off, the sun came out, temperature soared and the fish quickly lost their appetite.  There are many arguments within the angling community about otters. Love them or hate them they are here to stay and we need to live with them. Cards on table, I really like the little critters. and feel privileged when I see one and feel they have a greater right than I to catch fish, I do it for sport they do it to live. On Saturday I had the pleasure to watch one feeding for several minutes unbothered by my presence. A few minutes later I entered the river and was rewarded with a large grayling. The Welsh Dee is a very productive river and there's room for anglers and the resident otters. Please contact me if you want the whole video. Well the 2018 - 19 season got off to a great start. Whilst it was a wet day it was most definitely not a damp squib. The river levels are still low but the water temperature has dropped bringing the fish out of their stupor. In amongst the profusion of salmon parr and small brownies were some large 'ladies of the stream' with a hunger that needed to be satisfied.   The weather here is amazing. After a long, very cold winter and cool wet spring we've had weeks of unbroken hot, sunny weather. The rivers and lakes are low but surprisingly productive with brown trout, sea trout, grayling regularly being caught along with the occasional smolt.
I love summer fishing, there's not a lot better than standing waist deep in a river, fishing a dry fly, with the sun beating down. The last few weeks have seen spectacular hatches of aquatic and terrestrial flies and the sport has been excellent. Long may it continue. Whilst I love fishing the rivers in the region I equally enjoy taking a walk up into the mountains in search of truly wild spotties (brown trout). This stunning large upland lake is full of wild brown trout that only get to see an artificial fly on my rare visits. This isn't a long thin lake but the reflected hills give that impression.  Well the new rod is nearly ready, just a couple of finishing touches before it gets an outing. I usually tie spiders on #12 or #14 hooks but occasionally tie up a few on size 18's. these are tied in a range of colours and all have a starling hackle. Dead easy to tie, perfect for tempting wild brownies and very effective on heavily fished waters.  Looking back to this time last year the weather was very different. Not the dank, dreary, mild, wet stuff we've had recently, but dry, bright and cold, with low, gin clear rivers.  As we approach the winter solstice I'm beginning to look forward to early March, with longer days and the start of the trout season. I always enjoy getting back onto the upland lakes to chase a few wild brownies.  Kieran contacted me as he was keen to try his hand at fly fishing. We met on a bright but cold morning and spent a few hours on the river Dee. Quickly picking up the principles of fly casting and fishing Kieran was delighted to catch his first grayling. Well done Kieran, a great result and an excellent morning, thanks for your company.  |
guided fly fishing
Guided fly fishing trips on rivers, streams and upland lakes in Snowdonia. and surrounding areas of North Wales.
Fishing for summer & winter grayling and wild brown trout.in the spectacular, tranquil countryside that is Snowdonia National Park. |
Fly fishing and casting lessons
Fly fishing and casting lessons for beginners. Casting fault analysis, single handed spey, slack line and presentation casting tuition for more experienced fly fishers.
Develop your watercraft skills on freestone rivers and upland lakes. |
