Well, what a weekend.
It started off on Saturday when I drove up to the Wye just below Builth Wells to fish the Nyth beat. Philip Parkinson, my perfect host, had pepared a barbecue which I demolished leaving just enough time to fish.
The water was very low, 0 on the river guage at the pool so I decided it wouldn’t be worth fishing for salmon and got out my float tackle and in the last hour or so of light managed to catch a grayling, small chub and three parr. However, Philip is a more committed salmon angler and decided he would try anyway and caught a 13lb fish, the only one on the whole river that day and a total surprise this far up the river in low water.
The next day, after breakfast, I fished the three pools that could have held fish where there was still a good flow without success. We decided to pack a picnic and work our way up to the hut at Ter Celyn fishing likely pools as we walked along.
The day was another clear one with blue sky and hot sun so we didn’t expect to catch much. The first pool proved fishless, but the next glide produced a grayling and trout to the float tackle, trotting.
At the next pool just below the hut, I managed another grayling and Philip talked bout his wish to catch a big wild trout, but thought that minnows would be the best bait, but we hadn’t got a trap. I did however have a size 22 Hook to Nylon in my kit and we fished into a shoal of large minnows off a rock, Philip catching a dozen or so with his hook added to his light fly line. Schoolboy fishing, but great fun.
After a pack lunch, we tried a few pools higher up without success so headed back to the main lodge. As Philip prepared our meal, I made a cuppa and as I stood outside I noticed a fish rising just above the Cafn pool. I had taken a little 7’ #3wt fly rod with me which is for sale in the shop. I really wanted to try this rod out as it is of the highest quality and I though it would be fun catching this tiddler which turned out to be a grayling of around 12oz, a handful on this rod in the fast current, but my most memorable fish of the weekend although far from the largest.
After our meal, we had a couple of hours to fish again. I tried for salmon again before switching to float fishing, trotting using a head torch as light rapidly fell and was rewarded with a lovely grayling of nearly 2lb.
We had to leave the next morning, and I have really grown attached to this stretch of water after only a few days and it was a wrench to go, but I was also looking forward to the day meeting a famous older angler.
Some 40 years ago (I know I don’t look that old!!) I used to fish Bittell Reservoir just south of Birmingham for pike. During my experiences there, I did hook a 9lb fish in the tail which swam around in demented fashion on my light tackle, through the swims of the Cofton Hackett fishing club practising. Ken Gies and Clive Smith, iconic match anglers were there fishing, and Ken came over to me, (I thought I was going to get told off) and said well done son. I was delighted and a little taken aback.
I was to meet him and record his thoughts for Angling Heritage in the clubhouse at Bittell, the same venue I met him and fished all those years ago, and I was delighted to see little has changed in that period. I was so grateful for Dr. J Tate, a passionate pike angler and fellow enthusiast for organising the day. John was able to join us which added to the camaraderie.
As I had suspected, Ken is a gentleman and we talked solidly for several hours about how he started, became a match angler, fished for England in the World Championships, and now he flyfishes. He told us a few anecdotes about the competitive nature of matches. It was all fascinating stuff and a great day. Coming on top of the previous days, it just made the weekend better and better.
The next day, Sandy was out with her brother so I had arranged to fish at a friend’s lakes for pike. Michael and I met on the Wye several years ago and I am privileged to be able to fish his pools once or twice a year. I had hope to plug for pike but the day was another scorcher, and I arrived just after lunch. After a while spinning and watching the fry swimming around, I realised there was little if any chance of a pike; nothing was moving.
So I walked around the lake which also holds carp and spotted a couple of shapes milling around. I threw in a few pieces of floating crust, knelt behind the shrubbery and watched as they patrolled in a circuit, taking an odd piece as they passed under an overhanging tree. Hat had to be my ambush point, and although I only had 6lb line on my rod, I quickly hooked a large carp, pulled it towards the bank under the tree, and was amazed as my plan worked and it trudged out to the middle of the pool where I could play it at my leisure, well about 20 minutes before I drew it over the net – 24lb 6oz, my personal best carp.
I thought that a great way to conclude a fantastic weekend, so lay on th grass enjoying the sunshine, drinking a bottle of water before picking Sandy up.
I just can’t remember having such an enjoyable weekend, great places to visit, good fishing and superb company; surely what life is about.