[ray b]

Water looking good for tomorrow so will be out in the morning with big hopes for my 2nd of 2020.any one had any luck today because should have been OK for the spinner today and weather has been good.

 

[Timxyz49]

I was out this morning with my mate up at Llangollen and didn’t touch or see a fish,met another angler fishing who hadn’t caught either.
The level was perfect for the spinner too,I’m going back out tomorrow a bit lower down river so hopefully once it’s dropped a bit more should find a fish but their wasn’t anything wrong with the level today,just lack of fish! Oh and 25+ canoeists probably didn’t help either!
Good luck tomorrow
Tight lines

 

[Timxyz49]

Should be no excuses today-except canoeists!
The rivers 740 Manley and 680 at corwen which is ideal for the spinner
Good luck
I’ll let you know later once I’ve landed that fish!
Tight lines

 

[ray b]

Went down newbridge for couple of hours this morning.river at a good level and nice clarity.did have a fish have a go at my spinner but that was the only encounter I had but nice to get out.will be back again next week because fish should start showing up at this time of year just got to keep trying.good luck.

 

[Timxyz49]

I was down newbridge area then I went up to Ddol isa on the Llangollen waters.
Didn’t see or touch a fish. Had a chat with a few anglers who said the same. Apparently was a couple of fish caught Friday and seen running but nothing since.
I did hear second hand about a 5lb seatrout from the top beat this morning but that’s all I know.
Has anyone had any luck? The waters perfect I’ll try again tomorrow anyway
Tight lines

 

[Timxyz49]

Well me and my mate have just spent the best part of 10 hours fishing the whole top beat,right from the top pool to the falls. The water was perfect but apart from seeing 1 grilse jump right out the water we didn’t see or catch anything. We both caught several lovely wild brownies up to just over 1lb but no salmon or seatrout all day!
Had a chat to another angler who told us about a couple of fish that have been caught over 20lb in the last week and also a couple of similar size have been lost.
Been a strange weekend really as the fish that were about Friday seemed to have vanished and nothing else looks to have been coming through.
Anyone had any luck at all?
Tight lines
Tim

 

[SimonD]

Just an anecdote. Having been caught out the week before with high water levels without checking before setting off, I aborted my Monday morning trip to the Boat as levels were over 740 and rising. As I was removing my waders from the car a workman next door asked where I went fishing and from there a lengthy conversation about the Dee ensued. It transpired that his grandfather was a netsman on the river and still held the record for the most salmon caught in one sweep. 52 !!! A photo of this catch still resides apparently in the Ship Inn in Handbridge, Chester. Those were the days.

 

[DrPatrickT]

Just an anecdote. Having been caught out the week before with high water levels without checking before setting off, I aborted my Monday morning trip to the Boat as levels were over 740 and rising. As I was removing my waders from the car a workman next door asked where I went fishing and from there a lengthy conversation about the Dee ensued. It transpired that his grandfather was a netsman on the river and still held the record for the most salmon caught in one sweep. 52 !!! A photo of this catch still resides apparently in the Ship Inn in Handbridge, Chester. Those were the days.

ive got a nice book - slightly dated -'The Complete FlyFisher' by Peter Lapsley - the salmon section is written by Neil Graesser - cut his salmon fishing teeth on the Welsh Dee - being born in Froncysllte - caught his first salmon on the Dee when he was 6! So must have been plenty around those days.

 

[Guest]

Fished two beats this morning in perfect water and didn’t see anything other than a couple of tiny trout. I did hook something a little bit bigger but suspect it was a larger trout or possibly a sea trout

 

[Timxyz49]

It certainly looks like whatever fish were about have gone through,let’s hope we get a decent run back end of the season. It was October last year they started coming through in numbers and even then it was thin on the ground.

 

[Timxyz49]

Has anyone been fishing this week and seen/caught anything.
I’m going to have a go on BODSA waters tomorrow,I’ve not fished down their this late in the year before but their seems to be a lack of fish higher up at the moment so maybe I’ll find one down their,one can hope anyway!

 

[tony rentokil]

Was talking to 2 guys fishing near llangollen, yesterday,,they said they had not seen ,or had any takes all day.

 

[DrPatrickT]

I managed to get down today Tim, Llangollen (Dee Farm down to the Glide)- the weather said it wouldn't be windy - but there were some terrible gusts - luckily downstream. There's a tinge of colour in the water. Lost a sea trout on a Willie Gunn at the top end of Dee Farm as I didn't bring a net and tried to grab the leader. Fecked off, I then swapped to a trout rod and got this sea trout just further down, not massive - but my first migratory fish this year!! - on a dry fly - right under the trees and right next to the far bank.

Swapped again to the Salmon rod - but didn't touch anything - except a greedy trout - next to 'Andrew's rock'. That fallen tree might cause problems if you hook anything - but may also help funnel the fish.... (?)

There was nothing rising - i've had a disappointing Trout and Grayling season so far - I'll always fish Dry Fly first, any time of year - even if nothing rising - because they will come if they are there- and it's what I was brought up with - but - just tiddlies on dry or wet - now is the time for the big Grayling to start showing - but as i say, nothing much has been doing. Dee Farm is normally a banker for a decent fish. The riffly bit between Dee Farm and the Glide I think has been ruined by chopping down the trees opposite - and I always like to go to Llangollen as it's good for the soul and that was one of my favourite bits - again just tiddlies there.

On a lighter note - old beefy the bull appears to be back at Dee Farm - but wasn't a nuisance or being aggressive as he looked like he's on daddy duty - I was amused to see him running along the bank with about 6 calves to come and have a look. I'm not the best with bulls - still had me a bit nervous all the time I was on the stretch....

No sign of salmon - but there must be a few sea trout knocking about.

Hopefully, might get another shot over the weekend. Tight lines, Patrick

 

[Timxyz49]

Sounds like you had a good day Patrick and to get a seatrout on the dry fly-excellent ??
Do you fish all the way to the glide above the falls or the glide below fellow farm where it’s riffled? The top top pool is also worth a go too,it’s just the walk that’s a killer.

I’ve yet to get one off the Dee so far. If it goes below 600 I may have a go when it gets dark just for an hour or so over the weekend,it’s dark at 8.30 now so no need to be out late.

Hopefully I find a salmon down BODSA tomorrow,they must be somewhere ??

 

[DrPatrickT]

Sounds like you had a good day Patrick and to get a seatrout on the dry fly-excellent ??
Do you fish all the way to the glide above the falls or the glide below fellow farm where it's riffled? The top top pool is also worth a go too,it's just the walk that's a killer.

I've yet to get one off the Dee so far. If it goes below 600 I may have a go when it gets dark just for an hour or so over the weekend,it's dark at 8.30 now so no need to be out late.

Hopefully I find a salmon down BODSA tomorrow,they must be somewhere ??

Cheers Tim. I like the Top Pool - It's not necessarily the walk there - it's the Tarzan goat path that you have to climb up and traverse across in wet felt soles, with a 12-14ft salmon rod and trout rod in one hand and the other hand holding onto Indiana Jones shrubbery - to get back to Dee Farm pool that puts me off - especially if nothings doing - it eats time. As I said my trout and grayling fishing has been poor this year- and just can't get the mojo to go there. But I know it can be a belting spot - and it's a decent length of a pool - and because it's a pain in the bum - I think it doesn't see the pressure like the rest of the beat. I'll have to force myself to have a look this year as I haven't fished it this season- and go through it with salmon rod/dry and wet flies to make it worthwhile.

As for the Glide pool - I'll normally only fish this for trout/grayling only (with the hope of a sea trout at this time of year)- partly because for me it's only fishable when lower - and when it rises eg. 750 - you are forced on the bank with all the trees making it impossible to cast - or you can just about get in at the bottom for roll casts. With a spinner I can imagine it might be Ok - but has a funky shelf part way in which might mess things up. Also - 750+ starts getting fast. As you know, part way down the glide, there's rock formation that starts coming up at that point to form that shelf - like polished glass. I once took a friend there fishing - almost opposite that point - he took one step into the water onto a sloping rock ledge and went straight in! If you can get it down toward the 450s - it's worth clambering onto that shelf - but at that point there'll be no salmon! If I do fish the Glide - it's normally only the riffles above and down to the start of the shelf. Might fish the riffles below the falls, don't bother with Dereck's pool - and Channels again only for T &G

Tight lines on BODSA - let us know if you catch or see anything - as you say, they have to be somewhere - and if they are there - then they'll hopefully be coming further up soon! All the best, Patrick

 

[DrPatrickT]

Cheers Tim. I like the Top Pool - It's not necessarily the walk there - it's the Tarzan goat path that you have to climb up and traverse across in wet felt soles, with a 12-14ft salmon rod and trout rod in one hand and the other hand holding onto Indiana Jones shrubbery - to get back to Dee Farm pool that puts me off - especially if nothings doing - it eats time. As I said my trout and grayling fishing has been poor this year- and just can't get the mojo to go there. But I know it can be a belting spot - and it's a decent length of a pool - and because it's a pain in the bum - I think it doesn't see the pressure like the rest of the beat. I'll have to force myself to have a look this year as I haven't fished it this season- and go through it with salmon rod/dry and wet flies to make it worthwhile.

As for the Glide pool - I'll normally only fish this for trout/grayling only (with the hope of a sea trout at this time of year)- partly because for me it's only fishable when lower - and when it rises eg. 750 - you are forced on the bank with all the trees making it impossible to cast - or you can just about get in at the bottom for roll casts. With a spinner I can imagine it might be Ok - but has a funky shelf part way in which might mess things up. Also - 750+ starts getting fast. As you know, part way down the glide, there's rock formation that starts coming up at that point to form that shelf - like polished glass. I once took a friend there fishing - almost opposite that point - he took one step into the water onto a sloping rock ledge and went straight in! If you can get it down toward the 450s - it's worth clambering onto that shelf - but at that point there'll be no salmon! If I do fish the Glide - it's normally only the riffles above and down to the start of the shelf. Might fish the riffles below the falls, don't bother with Dereck's pool - and Channels again only for T &G

Tight lines on BODSA - let us know if you catch or see anything - as you say, they have to be somewhere - and if they are there - then they'll hopefully be coming further up soon! All the best, Patrick

PS. I think I've got my pools mixed up - I thought Fridge pool was that impossible rock to fish to as you come out of the Woods from Top Pool - so that means what I think of the top of Dee Farm is actually Fridge pool!

 

[Timxyz49]

The walk definitely test you! When we went fishing Monday with that mindset of “no one fishes the top pool” we met a lad in the car park who’d fished it and also he said two others had been fishing before him! I’ve heard stories of some right fish coming out of their over the years though and funnily enough out of the fridge pool too,your right that’s the one by the fence on the walk up to the top.

I’ve just had a look and I thought the glide you were referring too was a bit higher up than it is where the brook comes in just down from the tail of Dee farm-all along their is good when it’s 700-800 with the salmon fly-so I’m told! The bit you fish is good with the spinner when it’s high.

Do you not fish Duncan’s pool and above the falls,that’s probably the best chance of a grayling,trout and seatrout-i got a grayling on a flying C a few weeks ago about 2lb when it low in the faster water just down from Duncan’s before the big clearing. It does get hammered down their but theirs also some decent brownies along that bit too,I’ve had a few on the spinner and my mates had a few on the fly too.

My mates been fishing today and he’s had 2 salmon straight after each other off the golf course. So they are still coming through-slowly at least!

 

[DrPatrickT]

The walk definitely test you! When we went fishing Monday with that mindset of "no one fishes the top pool" we met a lad in the car park who'd fished it and also he said two others had been fishing before him! I've heard stories of some right fish coming out of their over the years though and funnily enough out of the fridge pool too,your right that's the one by the fence on the walk up to the top.

I've just had a look and I thought the glide you were referring too was a bit higher up than it is where the brook comes in just down from the tail of Dee farm-all along their is good when it's 700-800 with the salmon fly-so I'm told! The bit you fish is good with the spinner when it's high.

Do you not fish Duncan's pool and above the falls,that's probably the best chance of a grayling,trout and seatrout-i got a grayling on a flying C a few weeks ago about 2lb when it low in the faster water just down from Duncan's before the big clearing. It does get hammered down their but theirs also some decent brownies along that bit too,I've had a few on the spinner and my mates had a few on the fly too.

My mates been fishing today and he's had 2 salmon straight after each other off the golf course. So they are still coming through-slowly at least!

I like fishing Duncan's - but most time when arrive someone's fishing it already so I'd rather have a crack at something no ones fished - although you'd have to say Duncan's is the most likely place for Salmon to sit - especially after going up and over the falls - and that's why everyone fishes it! I also like giving pipe pool a shot as I've seen a few fish over the years splashing there on the opposite side just above the tree.

2 fish - sounds positive!

Tight lines

 

[Timxyz49]

That’s fair enough-I think we get lucky because it’s very rare we see anyone else fishing but Duncan’s all the way to the falls does get hammered as it’s easy access and not much walking too.

Don’t know if you’ve seen it but that tree in the pipe pool has fallen over now so you can’t cast under it which was where you get the takes-a friend of ours has hooked 4 or 5 their in the last 12 months,spinning.

I’ve just been down Sutton green and fished the cottage and the bend above it and the run below it,didn’t even see a fish. Their was a lot of anglers fishing down their,usually I never see a soul,a couple on the Warrington bank and a couple on ours. By the sounds of it theirs been a few fish caught down their in the past 10 days or so,I’ll have another go down their later in the week.

I’ll try higher up for a few hours tomorrow,anyone had any luck today?

Tight lines

 

[ray b]

Gave it a good go down the boat and newbridge today for a few hours.water was crystal clear and a nice flow.again great to be out on the dee on a sunny day but no fish caught or seen today.must be fish showing up soon.got to keep on trying.good luck.