Is it just me? Or does a new stretch of river that you’ve only recently started fishing feel slightly scary in the dark?

Okay, call me a pansy, but I always hate walking back to the car in this situation.

Although I bought a new head lamp a few weeks back for just such occasions (which makes me look like some sort of wannabe-miner…although secretly, I think makes me look rather cool with its 5 LEDs and 3 light-modes!), in the dark every sound, rise, shadow seems to have an air of pure, undiluted evil about it!

A few weeks back I was fishing the Upper Neuadd, and, on realising that I couldn’t actually see my fly, let alone tie it onto my tippet, I thought it best to make my way back to the car.

Every sheep noise may as well have come from the Blair Witch herself! So I must have looked rather ridiculous walking at speed back to the car and looking over my shoulder every few seconds!

Tonight was no exception.

Again, I’d realised I’d left it too late and it was dark (yes ‘dark’…not ‘going dark’), and had to start my 5 minute walk back to the mighty ‘Fishing Wagon’. Is someone following me? Was that a rise I just heard? Or was it some hell spawned mutant accidentally stepping in a puddle, determined to track me back to the car, patiently waiting to devour me!?

Anyway, I digress. Fishing this evening was great…fished further downstream again, exploring a few more hidden treasures and managed 5 small wild brownies which all fought as if they should have been 3 times their size!

I have also added a new link, which for some reason unknown to me; I have neglected to add earlier as I am quite a regular visitor. For anyone fishing, wishing to fish, or for anyone looking for information on the rivers and still waters of South Wales, please check out Fishing in Kite Country. A truly invaluable web site, and has some amazing photos, tips on flies, maps…the list is endless! Check it out!

As I had hoped, the Taff was fishable this evening, but only just. Still holding a little colouration from the previous two weeks continuous rain, the Taff was back in play (and with the type of colouration that gives us anglers a slight advantage!).

I fished with another fishing buddy this evening who was keen to try a new stretch of the river further down stream, and a lovely stretch it is too. After arriving and almost jumping out of the car to view the river, huge grins were instantly slapped across our faces, and with a speedy ‘tackle-up’ by the car, we were excitedly heading for the new and unexplored piece of river.

Wading was necessary to even get to the good beats, and included the type of rambling that requires a machete! So after a little exploring, we emerged onto a stretch of the river that looked more or less un-fished.

Again, my new firm favourite, the CDC & Elk, prevailed by rising around 8/9 beautiful fish, although the overall count for the night was 6 fish.

Quite a lot of pocket water on this new stretch of river, and so a cast here and there to a likely lie or rise, a nymph run gently through a food lane found the evening quite successful.

The biggest fish of the night, by my estimate, was a cracking 1.5lbs…although the adrenaline of the evening could, once again, be making me rather generous!

And so, after a relatively dry day, a beautiful night and a new stretch of river explored, we were accompanied to the car by the beginnings of the pita-patter of rain hitting the leaves and the water of the nearest pool. Mr Weather-Forecast-Man says it’ll be raining for another two weeks…I may die…the past two weeks without the Taff has felt like the off-season!

The weather was clear and warm on Saturday (tremendous); however, the river was still high, coloured, and moving at a rather alarming speed (not tremendous).

Passing it on the way to work today looks like I may be able to have some fun this evening (but it’s still not ideal).

So with the change in weather on Saturday Sam and I decided on a morning at Talybont reservoir. The quality on the fish there is second to none, utterly stunning.

I did make the mistake of taking my 8ft6 5wt rod which made for rather interesting casting due to the wind we get in the Beacons! Sam on the other hand was powering his casts through the wind with his 9ft6 7wt, meanwhile; it looked like my line was made from metal and the reservoir banks held a huge magnet! But still, third cast saw me into a beautiful brownie which couldn’t resist a black gold head nymph.

Roved the bank until 2pm, exploring the various likely lies where brown trout are fond of lounging, only to have lost around 4 fish to a black & peacock spider. Was it a fault in my fly’s hook? Was it bad technique? Who knows?

What I do know however, is that a morning fishing, beautiful brownies returned by both myself and Sam, a spot of scampi, chips, and a pint in a lovely pub on the way home can’t be beaten. Can it?

A few pictures of the day:

My only fish of the day…

Sam’s only fish of the day…

It’s funny; as I look back at my blog entries from this time last year I find that most of the entries have me moaning in some way or another at the lack of rain and amount of hot, humid weather. The current weather situation however, is the complete opposite!

The route I take when driving to work every morning crosses the river Taff, and every morning I utter the same three words – “For f&%k sake!”.

There is a 4ft wall in the middle of the river that I normally use as a marker of the river’s height…usually 3ft of this is viewable…currently it’s fully submerged! The river has been out of play on and off for the last month due to the heavy rain we’ve been receiving, and so, my last session on river was last Tuesday.

So, as I am currently forced off the river, I’ve been exploring a reservoir that I’ve not fished before this current season.

Talybont reservoir is seated in the middle of the Brecon Beacons and is a true wild brown trout water. With beautiful, magical scenery, it has the bonus of holding some beautiful wild fish (although the midges are an absolute nightmare!).

I’m praying however that this bad weather will subside quite soon as I have a few very pleasant fishing trips coming up.

In a couple of weeks I will be travelling over to West Wales for a weekend fishing for sewin (Sea Trout to the non-Welsh). As an absolute novice of sewin fishing the prospect of standing waist high in water, in the dark, has given me a mixed feeling of excitement and nervousness. The flies that have been recommended in tackle shops are surely too large… give me a size 18 parachute any day!

Then, in 5 weeks time, I’m off to Scotland with my regular fishing partner Sam for a long weekend fishing, hopefully, a mixture of Scottish rivers and lochs.

But it doesn’t stop there!

The following weekend after Scotland I will be meeting up with a few like minded anglers at a Llyn/Lake in Mid Wales…again for the weekend.

Come September I’m probably going to be on my last legs…but, with only three full months of the brown trout season left I aim to get as much fishing in as possible! I’ll sleep when I’m dead!