Feedback & Reports

Walked the beat with the owner, very helpful but no fish.

5 x grayling 13 - 18 inches, on leaded wet flies fished in a team: Red Tag, Yellow Bumble, Grayling Steel Blue. The upper Wye looked to be in good condition (0.61 at Ddol), although I can't say anything very complimentary about the weather which was around 2 degrees all day with alternate showers of rain and sleet. And I found Craig Llyn a most attractive and interesting beat, with different types of water where you could practice almost any style of fishing you could wish: pocket water, runs, gutters, gravel flats, and some sumptuous deep salmon pools, all neatly labelled. Only the wading (with the exception of the bottom end) is not exactly dangerous, but hard work for us folks in our sixties - lumpy boulders rather than gravel for the most part.
This was in fact my first experience on Craig Llyn, which made such a good reputation for itself throughout 2012. I would have liked to try for its grayling during the cream of the season, September and October, when fish are rising, but other commitments and the floods kept me away until now. So I was starting from a position of ignorance and it's more or less a given that fishing a strange water for grayling in January is going to involve a lot of searching. So it proved, because I probably wasted time on unproductive water and I never came across a large shoal. However, I did eventually find a couple of small pods of grayling after lunch which included some lovely fish.
Some large fish have been reported from Craig Llyn and on this day mine were, in order, 18, 16, 17, 14 and 13 inches. Which is very nice of course, and I don't wish to seem to be looking a gift-horse in the mouth, but I would have been happier to have caught a few smaller ones as well. Where are they, those grayling we need for future years? They were certainly hiding on this day and 3 of those 5 nice grayling had the dreaded cormorant scars, which makes me a bit suspicious - like so many areas of the upper river, there isn't much cover at Craig Llyn. Anyway, a very nice day despite the weather.
One dead salmon kelt on the bank at the top of the beat - foxes or otters had most of it already.

Glorious winter day, river at normal level, fished mostly the bottom half of the beat and finding safe pegs to fish was tricky. One four pound Chub on maggots late in the afternoon saved the blank. Stunning sunset rounded off a fantastic day out.

First ever trip on the Wye targeting pike but my mate went for chub/dace etc. He blanked and I managed a jack. River was flowing faster than I'd of liked but enjoyed it. Many thanks.

A rather chilly but great day at Cefnllysgwynne. Levels were low and we spent most of the day searching out just two and three fish per angler. The day then ended with a fantastic grayling weighed at bang on 2.5lbs just as the snow started to thicken. The place is always beautiful, but more so in the snow!
Final catch, 6 grayling between the two of us, largest being 2.5lb, with the rest around the 3/4lb mark.

Cold day, many baits tried and one six pound Barbel. Lovely day and nice to be out after Xmas.

All blanked, very cold day made worse by this stretch being in the shade from forest during winter months. Interesting piece of water with the islands. There's not really parking where it shows on map, theres a field you can pull off the road but its steep and muddy. There's a car park bit a bit further up the road. We didn't try going down the other way past cottage. The climb up the hill back to car is not as bad as made out just travel light it's not very far.

WUF note - Arrangements are in place to improve the parking just off the road and the hill leading down to the river will become 4x4 parking only.

Catch 0. River coulored and rising on arrival.

3 rods pike fished all likely looking pike swims all morning till 1pm. Tried a selection of static deadbaits and sink and draw with only a 14lb fish to show which took float ledgered trout. Will try another stretch looking for Wye croc!

Foggy when I arrived and chilly, another angler already fishing, think I would have chosen his swim (first spot over bridge) as it was the only area that looked to have a nice bit of flow against a steady piece of water where you would think fish would be? Not the case today however he told me he had one decent bite and this resulted in a hook pull.
After a natter I moved down to the 2 large trees on the same side. Although the river looked fine it was in fact tearing through. Mashed some bread and started with flake on the straight lead but the flow was to strong and with no slack water flake was gone in 40seconds. Set up float rod, sure enough it was ripping through, flake again was my choice on a size 4 with the 6no BB baulked 10" from the hook, float buried 3rd trot down, resulting in a 1lbs 8oz chub. 3hrs with not another touch packed in and left due to it turning very cold. Did not really expect much but must say was surprised how poor it was today, last nights frost gets the blame, will try again before season ends.