Well as we all know by now, Lockdown has affected all of us in many ways not least our fishing. Yesterday`s government announcement gives us a ray of hope that things jus, just might relax a little in the next 3 to 4 weeks. Fingers crossed.
as if things were not frustrating enough the great man has given us a month of extremely fine Dry fly weather. I could walk to most of our lakes but I just could not handle seeing those Wild trout rising and sipping midges and I just a bystander, Ahggggggg!!
Stay safe all and we see you all on the other side. Remember to support your Angling Accosiation when this is all over, there will be plenty of time to fish.

Cheers for now, Stay safe, Stay at home.

​Brian, Fish Snowdonia/Eryri

Well, a new fishing season is upon us once more and right glad I am to see it. It will be a few weeks yet before our uppermost lakes open, but plenty of water open to us if the weather be kind enough to get us out.
My Winter Grayling fishing was more or less non existent due to constant high river levels and the few times they were right I was unable to go.
Lets hope the trout season fairs better. I have been busy overwinter tying up a new stock of my tried and trusted Dry fly patterns, so box full I`m raring to go.
Any old clients or any new who would like a guided day for fabulous wild Brown Trout in spectacular scenery, I am available throughout the season.
I will keep posting by weekly my Blog on how things are fairing.
Tight Lines to all

​Brian, Fish Snowdonia/Eryri

If July Was difficult August is more so, Insect hatches are few and varied during the day and the trout are targeting certain hatching insects but for short periods of time, an hour or so tops before changing to something else. The main go to fly has been a size 16 Cinnamon Sedge, which they come to but can either take it with a bang or just drown the fly only to take it underwater as long as they have not felt it at all on the initial take.
The Bongoch (Heather Fly) is putting in an appearance and has been attracting some big fish, I was broken once last week and rose two other monsters in the 4 to 5 lb bracket, which are huge fish for our mountain lakes.
My last visit was yesterday (Mon 12th Aug) and what a fab day in more ways than fishing.
Driving along the track to the parking area I noticed a bird swooping into the heather, I stopped and watched as a Merlin was swooping down trying to get a Skylark to take flight, the Skylark popped up after every swoop the Merlin made only to land quickly in a new position. I watched for 5 mins until the wee bird lifted at the wrong time only for the Merlin to hit it and fly away with it. What a start to my day. Then around 2.30pm three peregrine`s making a right racket flew above, the mother flying high in the sky and dropping what looked pigeon sized pray for the young Falcon to catch below her. Time and time again this went on, and when the youngster missed the pray the mother caught it again, absolutely amazing sight. Now the fishing, although I managed 7 nice Brownies to a variation of fly`s fell into insignificance after all this, low and behold on my way back to my vehicle I saw a Dipper pop up from the small outlet stream. I have not spotted a Dipper in this Stream in 55 years. What a day, just shows there is more to fishing than just catching fish. A day to remember.

Tight Lines all

​Brian, Fish Snowdonia/Eryri 

A nice balmy evening took me to the Welsh Dee at Corwen to try my hand at late evening Sea Trout.
There was an amazing fall of BWO`s but only lasted 30 mins and in that time I netted 3 lovely Grayling in the pound and half to two pound margin on the BWO.
I saw 2 Sea Trout rise to the Olives but unfortunately were the far side of the river, where I believe 1/2 way across wading is only allowed at the moment so unfortunately for me they were out of reach.
No pics sorry I tried but camera in one hand, fish, rod and net in other didn't quite work, I got a nice shirt cuff and half a hand and half a Grayling. So much for that.
One thing is for sure, that I am convinced that fish do not feel pain, as we do at least. The largest of the Grayling had a hole in its stomach that my 2 fingers went into when lifting out of the net, I could see its egg roe sack clearly. Cormorant damage by the looks of it, but Hey! it came to the dry fly and fought like a Tiger.
Well, no Sea Trout, Steffan Jones really wet my appetite, but a lovely evening to be on the river.

Wednesday 24th My visit to lake this week, A very warm day but much fresher following overnight rain, really welcome.
Now one could say that the fish behaved better and were more cooperative than previous visits, but alas although I done very well my partner did not find it so rising some 20 fish but only netting 3, his fish coming to a size16 grey Dry Sedge pattern.
I on the other hand rose 16 fish and netted 12 all on the size16 Cinnamon Sedge I had tied the previous week and stuck to it.
I was broken at my ninth fish by a beautiful fish of about 3 pounds who rose to the Sedge viciously and parted company pretty quick only to jump vertically clean out of the water.
Sky, Air and Blue spring to mind but some lovely trout made the day.
​Intend to be on the Sewin for the next few nights so trout will be left in peace Ha! 

Have not blogged in a while, Sorry, been very busy, traveling and fishing.
Anyhow, The day time fishing on the mountain lakes is tuff at the moment. This is nothing new for July here as it is well known locally that the warm days put the fish off and evening to midnight fishing to Sedges begins in earnest.
I do not participate anymore, but do miss it enormously, but due to my knee operation replacement, this lake is dangerous enough in daylight let alone in darkness, even though I know it very well indeed.
But day time dry fly is a challenge, and the missis and short takes of the trout can be overcome when puzzled out.
I was up twice last week, The Tuesday was warm and a very gentle breeze, a mix of insects hatching but nothing in great numbers to really turn the fish on.
But I noticed some sedges rowing about on the water and sat down to watch just how far they would get unmolested, Not very far is the answer to that one:))
But what I noticed was that the Trout missed more often than not their 1st attempt and the Sedge just re surfaced to get nailed the 2nd attempt.
I had been fishing various patterns prior to watching this and had been on the dry sedge for quite a time and rose sum 14 trout only to hook and net 2, that's where I said it was tough but not impossible.
Anyway, my next visit was the Thursday, heavy rain showers in morning and quite a breeze blowing.
I started with my sedge pattern, which was a size 16 Dry Cinnamon Sedge. Now between 10.00 am and 1.30pm I rose 11 trout and landed 2, not good odds by any means, So after dinner, Same fly, I rose 10 trout and netted 8, WOW! what happened you may ask?
I had experimented before with leaving the fly for a second or two after being missed by the trout but nothing, this time when missed I gave the drowned sedge two short gentle pulls, Bingo they took the fly, so great I've cracked that malarkey. But there is one other important point, the fish must miss its 1st attempt completely, if it touches the fly at all, they would not come again. So good tip if you come across this scenario.

2 Days on the Snowdonia Lakes, Fantastic weather, shirt sleeve fishing.
Day 1 Started flat calm and the fish were rising everywhere you would swear it was raining, We had a cup of coffee and waited for a breeze to pickup.
Forecast right and a gentle breeze picked up and the Cog performed. When they landed on the water they did not get 10 ft before they were gobbled up by the trout.
Sounds great and it was to look at but they were pretty difficult to coax and take my well tried and trusted pattern. We had 9 fish by 3.00 pm, so left and had a few casts in its larger, sister lake.
Now these two lakes are literally a stones throw apart at one point but since I`m a boy the small lake wakes up a good 3 weeks before its larger sister, and this follows throughout the insect life cycle of the two lakes.
We had a walking cast on our way home and surprise, surprise we took 6 fish in an hour, then dead, not a fish to be seen. so packed up and went home with anticipation of a good next day.
Tuesday dawned and up we went, fished Big lake only today.
Wind was light and changing direction at will, but a short wait and we could fish again.
The morning was hard, 2 fish on 2 different flies so no clues there. The 1st fish was a cracker nudging 2 pounds and tore line off the reel as I had set it lightly due to an 8x tippet. Had an early lunch and started back about 2.30pm, a little of the same another 2 fish both again on different flies, so the lake was giving nothing away.
then Bingo I changed down to a size 21 Ginger emerging midge pattern and covering what rises I could took 4 fish, the last of which was a beautiful 1 3/4 lber.
Great fun, the best when you have to work out what's going on.
That's my fishing this week, old ffarts appointments and all that.
Tight lines all from

​ Brian of Fish Snowdonia/Eryri

 Yesterday saw me up to the jewel of the Cambrian lakes.
Bright sunshine and a steady breeze, perfect this time of year. The Cog(Claret Dun) was out and fish on it from the moment I arrived. They were not easy by no means and I having left my Gink floatant at home didn`t help, constantly having to change fly`s to keep them afloat. Had 2 in the net before noon but they changed from sipping Cog`s to splashy rises and were on the Green midge for a time only to change back on the Cog again. I ended up with 8 fish to hand but if I`d of had everyone I`d hooked stay on I would have been in the low 20s. Thank heavens they got off or I would have packed and gone home early. The challenge would have gone and its that, that ticks the boxes for me.
So loosing the fish kept me thinking "Why did they not take that properly" No answers I'm afraid, just the way it is sometimes.
Great sport, Tight lines to all my followers

​Brian, Fish Snowdonia/Eryri

This is a follow on from my Tuesday Blog, which if you recall was a very frustrating day`s fishing, flat calms to light airs and fish rising for 6 Hrs, and they were very difficult to catch.
Well taking those lessons learnt home to the tying vice and coming up with a pattern to do some damage, well that's fishing at its best.( For me anyhow)
My fishing buddy and I landed at the same lake at 10.30am, fish rising but flat calm.
The forecast was for a few heavy showers in morning, becoming sunny and the wind to pickup late morning. It all came together nicely, we got our downpour and went in for an early lunch, deciding to stay out all day once rain stopped.
the wind picked up slightly to give us a nice ripple and the Olive Midge emerger I tied the other day did the business, 2 fish and 3 rises to the Midge.
The wind picked up to about a 10mph in the afternoon, I fished on with the wind, my buddy opted to stay on the Lee side in the ripple.
He took 4 fish on my Midge in the ripple but I found that in the wind the fish rises changed from a cool slurp and swirl to a splashy rise.
So changed my midge for and adult midge emerging and when rises were covered slightly in front of fish they took it well. 7 fish on the Adult Midge and 5 misses.
What a cool day when it comes together.
The big difference for any newcomers reading this Blog is always be aware of the rise forms, Calm water is more difficult for small insects to break through to hatch and are calmly picked off by the trout. Rougher water in the wind weakens the surface film and the insects can emerge much quicker, hence the splashy rises where the trout have to be quicker to take the adult insect before it takes off.
A very satisfying day`s fishing.

Well, A couple of the upland lakes are fishing well but one must pick their days, easy I know for the retiree, not so for the working Man/Woman.
Light winds and some sun to encourage the hatch is perfect. The light winds can cause some frustration on these upland lakes due to their being surrounded by mountain cliffs etc causing constant change in wind direction and even a flat calm.
But patients is a virtue as they say and just take a break and wait until the breeze picks up between lulls and the fish respond.
That's the conditions sorted now to the fly, choice not so straight forward a frustrating business to say the least but so rewarding when you crack it.
I was out 2 weeks ago and amazing rise on the lake, 4 Hrs of it, I managed 7 fish eventually, all bar one around the pound mark, all taken on a tiny size18 emerging midge pattern. It was a tiny ginger midge pattern, No midges to be seen in the air so no clues, so I just went through the colours until Bingo, got it.
Cracked it you might think, I was up yesterday the 7th May a super rise on and lasted all of 6 Hrs. I started with my ginger midge pattern, Nothing, saw some Cog`s on the water, some attention but no hook ups, Saw some stone fly skittering on water and laying eggs, Nothing. Went through the colour scheme of midges once more, some sort of Bingo, caught 2 on an olive emerger but had to cast to something like 40 rises before contact, so not quite there. I took both fish for autopsy so to speak and found them stuffed with tiny 3 to 4mm dark olive midge pupa. I probably had come across a couple of trout with their eyes bigger than their bellies and they paid the price. Correct colour pattern but too big. So just shows what can change in a fortnight.