Report, Llyn Brenig

Date - 19/06/08

The RCSL National flyfishing competition finally arrives, and the blustery wind stayed from the previous day, but at least the rain had stopped (until 5pm anyhow!).

The competitors scattered from the lodge at 10am, trying to locate the fish.

Ron & John Lewis steaming off

View back down the lake

Within half an hour of starting fishing - I had boated my 1st fish (a rainbow of around a pound and a half) to a damselfly, and spent quarter of an hour, beached, trying to get my engine to start!!

Finally got her running and moved back up for the same drift, but no other takes, so I moved to the mouth of Brenig Arm, where I immediately hit into fish....infact 2 on the same cast - it was deja-vu with Llys Y fran earlier in the season, but unlike then - I somehow managed to lose both fish - perhaps by being too greedy and trying to net the fish on the point fly, while the one on the top dropper, was on it's side on the surface! But with one flick of it's tail - it was gone.

2 casts later and my 2nd fish was in the boat - this time to a cormorant. I connected with a few more fish, but failed to land them, and it was gone 3pm when my 3rd and 4th fish came to the boat - again both on cormorants.

I finished the day with 4 fish, no-where near the prizes - but a respectable 7th in the 'best boat' competition (considering I was fishing alone). Well done to the Irish lads who both bagged up by 3pm, and who will hopefully be hosting next years event...........Lough Mask perhaps?

Species caught - Rainbow trout

Report, Dragonfly Fishery, Cerrigydrudion

Date - 18/06/08

With the RCSL national flyshishing competition due for the next day, we travelled up North Wales with the full intention of fishing Brenig. However, when we arrived at the venue, strong winds and driving rain meant that it was practically unfishable.

Mark, Nic and myself took the decision of trying out a small stillwater not far from the venue, rather than having an unpleasant day afloat on Brenig.

Soon, Nic was into the first fish, and I followed with the second - a rainbow of about a pound an a half.

I had plenty more takes, but failed to connect with another fish, but Mark landed 2 more fish, to fishish our 2 hour session.

Species caught - Rainbow Trout.

Weever, Greater

Report - Aberystwyth - Celtic Wildcat

Date - 14/06/08.

My second 'Danglers' Aber trip of 2008, and the first on Celtic Wildcat. A glorious day with a flat calm sea greeted us, along with a dolphin and her calf partolling just outside the harbour wall.

A quick 10 minutes feathering for mackerel and we had enough mackerel, to be on our way to the 1st mark.

Once at anchor, the tope baits went over the side, and bream rigs soon followed. Within minutes, the 1st fish came over the side - a dab caught on feathers (genuinely hooked in the mouth!). Next up were the whiting, various gurnard, and loads of lesser weevers. With only one big bull huss and one bream, to the boat, news came through from Dave Taylor on Aldebaran, that there were a few tope on the mark he was anchored over. Nick up anchored us and steamed further West to the same grounds as Dave.

It was not long until the 1st few tope runs came, and after 2 fish released at the side, Mike hooked into a nice fish of around 27lb (from measurements).

Mikes 1st tope.

The fish was measured, tagged and released. Next up was Wayne......

Waynes tope

Tope release shot.

While waiting for the tope, we were kept busy by bream, pout, poor cod, small huss, and hoards of dogfish.

One of the many black bream

While 'breaming' I noticed a bite on my tope rod and landed a nice huss, just under the 10lb mark.

A 9lb 8oz huss

The soon after itt wa smy reels turn to start screaming with a tope run. After a cracking fight, a tope of around 25lb surfaced at the back of the boat, and was duly released. There was hectic action for the next 15 minutes or so, with many runs & fish boated.

Then, on the bream rod, a first for me - a greater weever, estimated at well over 1lb in weight. Surely not far off Waynes Welsh record!

My 1st ever greater weever

We finished the day off with a flurry of tope and a few more species........

A suprise tompot blenny

Mike ended the day with 4 tope under his belt, and a few more dropped fish.

All in all, probably one of the best days afloat in a long while!

Species caught - Tope, Bull Huss, Black Bream, Whiting, Pout, Poor Cod, Lesser Weever, Greater Weever, Red Gurnard, Tompot Blenny, Dogfish, Mackerel.

Other species caught on trip - Ballan Wrasse, Rock Goby, Grey Gurnard, Dab.


Celtic Wildcat Website - here

Report, Gwendraeth Fach

Date - 12/06/08

Had a quick hour on the river, just after dark, for the sewin. Again, not a fish seen, apart from a tiny eel that took a liking to my worm!

Whole river seems to be dead, when there should be plenty of sewin in the system!?

Report - Lady Helen, Barry Dock

Date - 10/06/08.

Fished the CSSC Wales qualifier today, on Lady Helen, out of Barry.

There was a stiff breeze coming up the channel but was not too bad once at anchor. Fishing started well with small eyed ray and conger hitting the surface within minutes of starting. A few more ray came out, including a few half decent thornbacks, but then the dogs turned up!

A steam over towards Aberthaw, saw us targeting the hounds, and with crab baits at the ready, it wasn't long until I was into my 1st common of 2008.

In the next couple of hours, I somehow managed to hook and drop 3 more smoothound, and missed a few more bites!

We finished off fishing a mark close to shore targetting the 'smaller' stuff - with Ian managing to catch a triple shot of codling, dogfish, and pout.

Ian and his triple shot - Codling

Dogfish & Pout

A superb day afloat, plenty of sizeable fish, and decent weather. I finished the day with 14 dogs, a smoothound and a conger, and finished 5th overall.

Species caught - Conger, Common Smoothound, Dogfish.

Other fish caught on the boat - Thormback, Small Eyed, & Spotted Ray, Starry Smoothound, Codling, Pout.

Pictures taken from Lady Helen Website - click here

Report, Pembrokeshore Rock Mark

Date - 08/06/08

With a works competition scheduled for Tuesday (out of Barry), I mheaded West to a rock mark in Pembrokeshire, not far from Marloes, in search of some fresh mackerel, and also the chance of getting amongst the wrasse.

Within 5 casts with feathers, I had managed to get a few mackerel on the rocks, so I changed tactics, and fished old bits of ragworm close in to the kelp, and soon I was photographing the 1st corkwing wrasse of '08.

Male Corkwing

Next couple of drops resulted in a small pollack, and some superbly coloured ballan wrasse.

Ballan

In amongst the ballans and small pollack, I landed the 1st rockcook wrasse of 2008.

Rockcook

The evening finished off with a few large corkwings (mostly female), and 15 minutes of feathering provided enough mackerel for bait ready for Tuesday, a few for tea, and a couple for the freezer. Mackerel were all a very good size.

Female Corkwing

Report, Delosal - Carmarthen Bay

Date - 07/06/08.

My first fishing trip of the year, on my warrior 165 - Delosal. Fishing a short session off Burry Holmes (2hrs), first drop resulted in a micro dab.....

Quickly followed by hoardes of doggies, and plenty of small starry smoothhound, to both mackerel and squid baits....

I finished off the short session with a tiny tub gurnard to mackerel strip.

Report, Gwendraeth Fach

Date - 05/06/08

First trip on the river in 2008, and an hour on the Gwendraeth hoping for teh 1st sewin of the year. With a perfect tide , and excellent conditions, it was strange not to see a fish, and have no bites (apart from tiny brownies!).

Perhaps another fortnight?!