Fishing for reliable grayling on the wonderful Welsh Dee

In the absence of salmon on the Welsh Dee, I decided to spend a few days fly fishing for reliable grayling and trout. How did I get on…

Welsh Dee fly fishing report – 13^th September

On Friday, I’d arranged a fly-fishing session with Simon and Nevil, to show them how to fish the Top Pool on the Welsh Dee at Llangollen. 

After the recent spate, the river level had fallen to 0.69m (Manley Hall gauge) and more importantly river was now running clear.

Fly fishing the Top Pool for reliable grayling

We met at the top car park and made our way to the Top Pool, avoiding the temptation to fish the other pools on the way.  

After giving Simon and Nevil some advice on how and where to start fishing, I set up my 9ft 6wt rod to fish a team of wet flies (point: size 12 grouse & blue bling spider; middle dropper: size 14, black hopper; top dropper: size 14 pearl-butt Bloa) spaced 3ft apart on 3lb copolymer.

At 0.69m, it was just possible for me wade out opposite the large tree on the far bank and fish the top section of the pool with the wet flies.

It was too high for Simon and Nevil, so they started in the shallower section near the head of the pool. 

Before fishing my way upriver, I covered the deep water below me by casting the flies towards the far bank and fishing them swing round to the dangle. 

Initially, this produced a couple of salmon parr, before I caught a nice grayling that had taken the black hopper.

Afterwards, I fished the wet flies upriver but just caught a few small grayling and salmon parr. 

In the fast water at the head of the pool, Simon had caught a nice grayling (ca. 1.5lbs) on an Orange Partridge spider and a few salmon parr. Nevil had also caught a few grayling Czech nymphing.

At the head of the pool, I switched to fishing a team of Czech nymphs (point: size 12, pink collared pheasant tail 3.5mm TB, middle dropper: size 16, olive nymph 2mm TB; top dropper size 16 brown nymph 1.5mm copper TB) spaced 18” apart on 4lb fluorocarbon. 

On fishing my way back downriver, I caught a couple of nice grayling on the brown nymph.

I had to leave them fishing at 3 pm but before doing so, I gave them some advice on where to fish for sea trout after dinner.

They both had a few more grayling before dinner, with Nevil catching one in Dee Farm on a Griffith Gnat dry fly.

After dinner, they fished the glide above Horseshoe Falls. Simon managed to land two sea trout, his first of the year, and Nevil caught a beautiful brown trout.

I was glad my advice paid off for them.

Welsh Dee fly fishing report – 19^th September 606

The fine weather continued, which helped the river level fall to 0.6m (Manley Hall gauge). High pressure was in charge, but the beautiful sunshine was not ideal for fly fishing on a crystal-clear river.

I decided to fish the river below Pont Cysyllte Aqueduct because in September the tree-lined bank shades the river from mid-day onwards. 

Fly fishing Llyn-y-Boat Pool

A large fish swirled on the surface as I climbed down the bank under the trees near the head of the pool. Therefore, I decided to fish the pool with the salmon fly, a Stoat’s Tail (size 10D) on floating line tipped with a medium sinking polyleader. 

Near the end of the run, I had one pull on the line that turned out to be a brown trout.

Fly fishing the Long Meadow

With the salmon fly rod already set up, I quickly fished the pool for salmon.  However, my only reward was a greedy grayling, which had devoured the Stoat’s Tail.

I refocused on fishing for grayling with a team of wet flies (point: size 12, March Brown spider; middle dropper: size 14, black hopper; top dropper: size 16 Red spider).

I caught two grayling on the March Brown spider. In addition, lost two more grayling in the fast water, which took the red spider before throwing the hook.

I returned to the head of the pool and fished through it again with a team of Czech nymphs (point: size 12, black jig nymph with 4mm TB; middle: size 16, olive nymph with 1.5mm TB; top dropper: size 18, red nymph with 1.5mm gold TB).

Fishing through the pool with the Czech nymphs produced several grayling, all of which fell for the small red nymph on the top dropper.

Next, I headed off to Llangollen for food and then drove upriver to finish the day fishing the upper beat.

Fly fishing Dee Farm on the upper beat.

At Dee Farm, there was no evidence of fish taking flies at the surface. Therefore, I started fishing at the head of the pool with the wet flies I’d been using earlier.

I missed the first couple of takes before landing a beautiful grayling near the top of the pool, which had taken the black hopper.

Fishing towards the tail of the pool produced a few salmon parr. Then just above the large submerged rock opposite the fence, a fish swirled on the surface and my line tightened.

and made a dash for the main flow.

After a short struggle, I eased a lovely brown trout into the net that had fallen for the black hopper.

Fishing on to tail of the pool didn’t produces anything else. The light had almost gone, so I called time and went home. 

Fishing round-up:

Overall, I had two great days grayling fishing on the Welsh Dee. It should continue to improve as we enter into Autumn.

There are still a few sea trout being caught but they have lost the silver lustre.

Hopefully, the salmon fishing on the Welsh Dee will improve before the end of the season on the 17th October. 

Anyway, tight line until next time, Andrew

If you are interested in fly fishing on the Welsh Dee there is some excellent Day Ticket water at Llangollen and Bangor-On-Dee.