Feedback & Reports

What a day! Got off to a bad start by parking in the wrong place (obviously brain-dead since the parking instructions are quite clear!) and confirming that the gale that was forecast was in fact going to be blowing downstream, which it duly did all day. However, once warmly welcomed to the beat by the owner and given a few steers on the lie of the land, it was off to pastures new. I do love exploring new beats and this one appears to be a gem. Access is very well maintained and it offers a great variety of water, only a little of which there was time to sample. On a day which was so incredibly windy, and certainly not one on which one would choose, of all things, to go fly-fishing, it was amazing that there were so many clearly suicidal olives hatching for so long! However, they didn't elicit much response from the fish until mid-afternoon when a few grayling decided to head for the surface for a while. Prior to this, having found some gravels with a bit of depth and pace to the water, I caught four grayling and two trout (fishing duo), three to the dropper (E H Caddis) and three to nymphs. Once the fish took to the surface, I had a further five grayling, four coming to a Mmall Dark Olive Duck's Dun pattern and the other to a Grayling Steel Blue. Most of the grayling were 12-13" fish and one a 14" 1.25 pounder. Given the conditions, for me, all of this was "a result", and I look forward to returning, and hoping to sample the bigger fish that are reputed to live here - I hope, under kinder conditions than 12-13 degrees plus some serious wind chill - at least it didn't rain (much!).

Marvellous stretch, very accessible. Some cracking pools very grayling looking water. Not much fly life very few rises. 2 small grayling. Lost fly in a heavy fish in 1 of the Craig Llyn pools, a Hairy Red Tag if anyone catches it!

One Cock Salmon (Coloured) 33" inches in length approx. 12-13lb, caught with an Ally Shrimp. The fish was returned.

Caught a 10lb coloured hen fish on a deeply fished fly fishing the far bank of the Abercymryn Pool in the evening.

First time to this beat, easy to find and good parking close to river. Warm and sunny with low water so no salmon however 1 large brown trout around the 3lb mark and several smaller before lunch and then a salmon sized (well almost) grayling around 3pm. Again around the 3lb mark maybe larger. Smaller trout and grayling came to drys all afternoon. All released in good condition.
Lovely well looked after beat will be back for trout, salmon and monster grayling. Many thanks to beat owner and WUF.

My first trip to Craig Llyn was aimed at trout and grayling. On arrival the generous owner suggested, even challenged me to catch a salmon instead. Well always up for an angling challenge, my willing change of tactics to a heavy unnamed copper wire fly eventually landed a cracking 16 pounder from the fast but deep Abercymryn pool. I found this naturally rocky and multi pooled beat well maintained and benefitting from some really exciting opposite bank fishing. The three parking areas are fairly close to the river. With the Elan dams now overflowing and upland bogs fully saturated, given a little more rain the autumn prospects for this way up river beat look very good indeed.
The beat looks ideal for all types of fly fishing. But be prepared as the season fades for the unexpected. Big trout on salmon flies as well as the contrary. Low water salmon on tiny trout flies. All in all a very exciting up river beat that kept me occupied all day long. I intend several more visits. Thank you.

Blank, surprisingly coloured water. Lovely place though.

River very high on arrival and very coloured. Spent the morning walking the beat and praying for some clear water later in the day. The colour was all from the Wye, the Elan was running clear. Soon after lunch (pie and chips at New Inn Newbridge, v. good - better than the building would lead expectations) the river was down about 5-6" and clearer. The trout were in full swing but did not touch or move a salmon. By 4 it was colouring and rising again. Shame as the runs and pools were just coming in to their own.
A lovely piece of fly water - 13' rod more than enough in post places in fact even too big on some bits - wading not too bad. Very many thanks to Dai in the booking office for all help.