[Durham Ranger]

Happy New Year to one and all and everything crossed for a tight line this year!

DR

 

[Durham Ranger]

Hmmm - looks ominous for any grayling fishing in the lower river - is that a solid cold snap I see hovering in next week?🤞

 

[Sawyer]

I am about to join CADAC as have slightly more time on my hands now & my "home river" (Dwyfor) has become very hard work, even for someone who has fished it for 45 years!
Just a general question about the Upper Dee, when do the first Salmon & Sea Trout usually arrive? I want to get out a bit more in between trips up North & the Dee is the closest proper river to me (actually live in Criccieth but business is still, for the moment in Stockport) so can either fish Thu night for ST or pop over for the day over the weekend. I am going to spend the next few months walking the various beats to get my bearings, if the water drops might even take a rod for Grayling! As a migratory fish fisherman I am very used to fishing rivers devoid of fish & not catching or seeing fish but as the Dee is a new entity it would be helpful to have an idea when to start. TBH in line with most rivers now I am not expecting anything but do just enjoy being out on the river, have been fortunate to fish when times were good so have had my fair share, my Wife is quite happy to sit & watch with a picnic (which is something you really cant do on the Dwyfor as you need to be very mobile).

 

[DrPatrickT]

I am about to join CADAC as have slightly more time on my hands now & my "home river" (Dwyfor) has become very hard work, even for someone who has fished it for 45 years!
Just a general question about the Upper Dee, when do the first Salmon & Sea Trout usually arrive? I want to get out a bit more in between trips up North & the Dee is the closest proper river to me (actually live in Criccieth but business is still, for the moment in Stockport) so can either fish Thu night for ST or pop over for the day over the weekend. I am going to spend the next few months walking the various beats to get my bearings, if the water drops might even take a rod for Grayling! As a migratory fish fisherman I am very used to fishing rivers devoid of fish & not catching or seeing fish but as the Dee is a new entity it would be helpful to have an idea when to start. TBH in line with most rivers now I am not expecting anything but do just enjoy being out on the river, have been fortunate to fish when times were good so have had my fair share, my Wife is quite happy to sit & watch with a picnic (which is something you really cant do on the Dwyfor as you need to be very mobile).

I replied to a similar question on the 2022 thread - this relates to Llangollen but I think still holds for rest of dee- albeit I always get the impression CADAC has more of a chance ( but is just a bit too far for me).

Welsh Dee 2022

Good to hear this so fingers crossed for rain. Decided to have a nostalgic road trip myself along the upper Dee yesterday, renewing friendships and visiting some of my old haunts. The forecast suggested rain all morning but by the time I crossed the border the roads were dry with the skies...

www.salmonfishingforum.com

I always bring a trout rod with me. If nothing is happening or I’ve been through a pool with the salmon rod - I’ll often switch to grayling and trout as I like my dry fly👍

 

[Sawyer]

Thanks for the reply, I have fished the Dwyfor pretty much all my life & I have a very strong affinity with it, knowing it so well has stood me (and my Sons in) good stead over the years but due to the problems prevalent with all rivers the fish on the Dwyfor run the river to the very upper reaches on the first bit of water & there is not much that comes after.
I have fished the Dee for Grayling on several occasions but would just like to get out with the bigger rod in between trips.
Thanks again

 

[gbanjo]

Thanks for the reply, I have fished the Dwyfor pretty much all my life & I have a very strong affinity with it, knowing it so well has stood me (and my Sons in) good stead over the years but due to the problems prevalent with all rivers the fish on the Dwyfor run the river to the very upper reaches on the first bit of water & there is not much that comes after.
I have fished the Dee for Grayling on several occasions but would just like to get out with the bigger rod in between trips.
Thanks again

Hello
Have a look at their website. Click on beats. It gives all their beats from the lower beat to the
Last upspstream beat.
All show access, how to get there and include photos and videos. Plus detailed maps.
If you are a fly tyer and attend BFFI at Stafford in Feb 2023. They usually have a stand, Maybe you could join there and obtain all the info you need.
Gbanjo

 

[DrPatrickT]

Happy Opening Day I’m assuming not many people will do much as river is on its bones. I’ll probably venture out at some point to see if ‘anything much has changed’ and play with a new line to work out what it’s doing. All the best, Patrick

 

[Durham Ranger]

Happy Opening Day I’m assuming not many people will do much as river is on its bones. I’ll probably venture out at some point to see if ‘anything much has changed’ and play with a new line to work out what it’s doing. All the best, Patrick

I'm supposed out on the lower river with my Friday rod but a chest infection from early February is hanging on grimly and after putting in a couple of hours on the Eden Tuesday I'm not going in the water till this thing has gone on its way - it's the fist bug in 3 years so really hacked off with the timing.

Best of luck to all wetting a line.

DR

 

[DrPatrickT]

I'm supposed out on the lower river with my Friday rod but a chest infection from early February is hanging on grimly and after putting in a couple of hours on the Eden Tuesday I'm not going in the water till this thing has gone on its way - it's the fist bug in 3 years so really hacked off with the timing.

Best of luck to all wetting a line.

DR

Sorry to hear that DR, let’s hope you are fighting fit soon - and you’ll be better for when conditions have improved for the river

 

[DrPatrickT]

Hi All, thought I’d best go and have a look at Llangollen even if there was little chance of proper fishing - just to check what’s changed or not. Water was super low, was playing around with a line/rod to see what it suits/ doesn’t suit on top pool.

But nice to have a cast. It’s maybe my imagination, but I think top of Dee Farm has filled in above the pool and toward the bank and has more of distinct fast water channel at the head - looks great ( with another 6 inches !)

Nothing doing, but had a grayling on the trout rod as a consolation prize. I think I’ll wait until there’s a bit more water before venturing down again - or maybe see if Ddol Issa has changed (i could see from the road that the fallen tree at the top of sludgie pool hadn’t budged).

tight lines for when you get out - but some water would be good. Cheers, Patrick

 

[Bothy Cat]

Just refreshing my knowledge of the Byelaws before my first trip. This info must be staring me in the face but cant see it. All hooks to be barbless, trebles on flies up to 7mm gape. Can't see mention of the max double hook gape although it does say if you use larger singles or double hooks they must be barbless. Single hooks on spinners are max 13mm gape - is this the same for double fly hooks?

 

[Richardgw]

I always thought the 13mm max gape applied to single/double hook flies. But now after re-reading the last updates to the bylaws (shown below) and also NRW internet page I am like you no longer sure as neither mention a gape limit for single/double hooked flies.

So maybe they allowed for the use of traditional singles which used to go as big as 10/0. But to be sure you will need to find copies of the 1995 bylaws being referred to in the update, together with any other updates between 1995 and 2020 in case there is mention of a 13mm limit for fly hooks that remains operative - good luck.

Certainly the 2021 Severn Bylaws, that are meant to be the same as the Welsh Bylaws, apply a 13mm single hook limit, with trebles AND DOUBLES on flies subject to the 7mm limit.

As for me if I want large flies for my fishing on the Wye, Usk or Severn, I use tubes with either a small treble (gape 7mm max) or a larger single (gape 13mm max).

Natural Resources Wales / Fishing with lures and baits

Fid out what lures and baits you can use when fishing in Wales

naturalresources.wales

 

[Bothy Cat]

Thanks for your reply. It seems NRW accept that anglers can use doubles and singles which can have a gape larger than the 7mm allowed on trebles. It seems logical, therefore, that the maximum gape size for single and double fly hooks should be the same as single hook gapes on lures which is 13mm? Think I'll stick with small barbless trebles until things become clearer.

 

[DrPatrickT]

Wow, I hadn’t seen that - I always assumed since I wasn’t spinning, worming, prawn oh and not using trebles - that I was ok for flies and tubes. I can only assume NRW is stuffed full of lefty agitators.

 

[DrPatrickT]

Wow, I hadn’t seen that - I always assumed since I wasn’t spinning, worming, prawn oh and not using trebles - that I was ok for flies and tubes. I can only assume NRW is stuffed full of lefty agitators.

Llangollen Club Secretary has confirmed - all hooks barbless…

Once something is in place, it rarely gets reinstated, if anything, further restrictions get added.

 

[OURTREV]

Oh dear oh dear. One thing for sure is that if the rules take the interpretation skills of a lawyer then they have not been drafted at all well. Trev. 😶

 

[Handel]

Oh dear oh dear. One thing for sure is that if the rules take the interpretation skills of a lawyer then they have not been drafted at all well. Trev. 😶

Spot on.

 

[gbanjo]

Spot on.

To my knowledge, Salmon Doubles Max 7mm gape about size 8
Singles 7mm gape about size 6.( this seems strange when a single hook on a spinner can be 13mm ? ). No trebles allowed.
Seatrout Singles and doubles 7mm. Maximum hook points 4. This to me would indicate. A single hook with a small flying treble Snake. The mind boggles.

I personally don't mind banning trebles, especially now we have mandatory release.
In fact when clubs brought in voluntary catch and release, they banned trebles.
Are the bailiffs in Wales going supplied with micrometers to check the gapes?. Bl&@dy he'll think of the expense. They may need TWO.
Tight lines.
Gbanjo

 

[JamesMeredith]

This doesn't sound like good news for the Dee. Sounds like a plan for more abstractionif you read through.

‘Very sensitive subject’: plan to take Welsh water for London stirs painful memories

‘Drowning’ of village of Capel Celyn to provide water to Liverpool in the 60s remains an emotive issue

www.theguardian.com

 

[OURTREV]

Not good news for any western river especially the Severn or Vyrnwy. We live on an island and desalination would be easily do-able but expensive. However you can bet your sweet life that those grabbing greedy bar stewards in the water utilities will go for the easy option irrespective of its impact on the environment.
Strikes me that everyone in the UK has to dance a jig dictated by London and the south east!

Cornwall: Desalination 'could provide third of county's water' - BBC News