Hawker-Overend Fishing

Grayling fishing report: A great 2022 end on the Welsh Dee

Grayling fishing report 22 feature image

In North Wales, wet weather turned in October after a very dry summer and by the beginning of November, the Welsh Dee was virtually unfishable. Fortunately, a break in the rain allowed the river level to drop back from its peak of 1.3m (Manley Hall gauge) to a fishable level.

So, what’s in my grayling fishing report for the end of 2022…

Welsh Dee grayling fishing report

Grayling fishing at Llangollen

After returning from an unsuccessful salmon fishing trip on the River Tweed at the beginning of November, the Welsh Dee had dropped back to a fishable level (0.75m @ Manley Hall). So, with more rain in the forecast, headed out to fish the Welsh Dee above Llangollen.

I decided to spend most of my time fishing at Dee Farm because I’d not fished there for a while. It was a mild start to the day but I hadn’t seen any flies hatching on my walk up to Dee Farm from the car park.

Dee Farm welsh dee grayling fishing
Grayling fishing report – Dee Farm in Autumn colours

I was expecting to see a fly hatch later in the day. So, I started fishing the pool using a Klink & Dink setup using a Reddington 9ft 5wt rod because this would cover both surface and subsurface feeding activity.

On the end of the floating line, I added a 7x 9ft tapered leader and attached a 4ft length of 3lbs copolymer to from the dropper for the Iron Blue para-post dry fly and tied the #16 hare’s nymph with a 2mm tungsten bead on the point.

Klink and Dink fly set up
Grayling Klink & DInk fly set-up

Starting above the fence near the tail of the pool, I methodically worked my way upriver fishing the margins out to mid-river. As I worked towards the first bankside bush the dry fly indicator disappeared as it drifted into a back-Eddie and my line tightened into…

a grayling that took off into the main flow.

A short struggle ensued but it wasn’t long before I netted the first grayling of the day that had taken the hare’s ear nymph.

Grayling fishing report Welsh Dee - Nov 27
Welsh Dee grayling on a quill nymph fished Klink & Dink

I spotted a grayling rising about halfway up the pool. So I crept carefully up the bank to a suitable casting position. My first cast put the fly above its position and as the iron blue dry fly drifted by, there was a swirl, the fly disappeared and my rod bent into another lively grayling.

Grayling fishing report Welsh Dee
Grayling caught on the Iron Blue

After releasing the grayling, I slowly fished my way up towards the Fridge pool where I caught several grayling in the 20 – 30 cm bracket on both the nymph and dry fly.

Grayling fishing report Welsh Dee - Nov 27-4

Fishing with Graham at Llangollen (30/11/22)

After several days of wet and windy weather, a dry and cold spell rolled in, and the Welsh Dee river level dropped to 0.9m (Manley Hall gauge). So, I arranged to go fishing with a friend, Graham, to show him some good grayling fishing spots at Llangollen when the river is high.

For the morning session, I decided to show Graham how to fish the Cottage Pool. It was a frosty start, and with a Northerly breeze, temperatures stayed in the low single figures.

No fish were rising, so I showed Graham how to set up his rod for tight-line nymphing (point: #12 olive tungsten jig back nymph; middle dropper #16 quill nymph with a 1.5mm TB; top dropped: 16# claret nymph with a 1.5mm TB).

trout flies for june - team of nymphs
Grayling fishing report – nymph selection

After showing him where and how to fish the pool, I set my Vision 11ft 3# Nymphmaniac rod to fish a different team of nymphs 18″ apart on a 4 lbs fluorocarbon leader (point: size 12, orange collar olive nymph 4 mm TB; middle dropper: size 14, black pheasant tail nymph with a 3 mm purple TB; top dropper: size 18 hare’s ear nymph with a 1.5mm copper TB).

Team of nymphs for grayling fishing in november
My euro nymph selection

Fishing up through the pool, we only managed two grayling parr. After a hot drink break, I switched the black PTN on the middle dropper for a pink-squirmy worm and fished the pool again.

Near the head of the pool, I had a solid take, and a grayling took off into the main flow. Taking care not to lose it, I guided the first grayling of the day to the net, which had fallen for the pink squirmy.

Grayling fishing at Llangollen
grayling fishing on the Welsh Dee

After missing a take, I connected with the next one and guided a smaller grayling to the net that had also taken the squirmy. Unfortunately, fishing the remainder of the pool was unproductive.

Grayling fishing report for Llangollen
grayling fishing on the Welsh Dee

We retired to the car for lunch and drove upriver to Duncans Pool, the other pool I wanted to show Graham.

The water was racing through Duncan’s Pool but close to the left bank, there was a section of fishable water. To get Graham off the mark, I changed his middle dropper to a pink squirmy and let him fish the pool first.

He started fishing the pool by the overhanging chestnut tree. It only took a few casts before I heard him shout…

Grayling fishing report 22 Duncans pool in flood
Duncans Pool

FISH ON.

His rod bent around as it took off downriver. After a few dicey moments, Graham guided a beautiful Welsh Dee grayling to the net that had taken the squirmy worm.

Grayling fishing report for Llangollen 2
A beautiful grayling caught on a Hare’s ear

After returning the grayling, Graham managed to catch two parr on the claret nymph while fishing the rest of the pool.

My run through the pool produced an OOS brown trout on the PTN and a grayling on the hare ear.

Duncans pool grayling fishing report
grayling fishing on the Welsh Dee

We called it a day at 3 pm because the temperature began to fall and the takes dried up.

Grayling fishing report from Llandderfel

Another bout of wet weather took the Welsh Dee out of commission for a week. Slowly, the river returned to a fishable height of 0.44m (Bala Gauge). So, I took a trip to fish Bala & District AA (BDAA) beat at Llandderfel.

After a lazy start, I pulled into the bridge car park at 10 am. Two anglers were heading off to fish the lower section of the beat. So, I decided to fish downriver from the upper limit.

The temperature had begun to rise from an overnight low of 4°C, but no fish were showing at the surface. Therefore, I set up my 11ft 3# Vision Nymphomaniac to fish a team of three nymphs spaced 18″ apart on 4lb copolymer (point: size 12, pheasant tail nymph with a 4mm orange tungsten beads, middle dropper: size 14, black pheasant tail nymph with a 3mm silver tungsten bead; top dropper: size 16, hares ear with a 1.5mm copper tungsten bead).

team of nymphs for fishing in november
A team of nymphs for grayling fishing
Grayling fishing report: A great 2022 end on the Welsh Dee My grayling fishing report for the last two months of 2022 on the beautiful Welsh Dee. It covers the places I fished and the methods that produced some great results.
Places fished at Llandderfel

I didn’t fish the Bridge Pool (A) because I’ve never had any luck nymphing there and began at the pool below (B), which often produces grayling.

Grayling fishing report Welsh Dee at Llanddefel
Welsh Dee at Llandderfel

Surprisingly, I did not have any takes methodically fishing from the tail to the head of the pool.

On my walk further downriver, I saw a fish swirl close to the tree-lined far bank. Therefore, I switched to a 9ft 6wt rod loaded with a floating line, 12ft leader a team of wet flies spaced 3ft apart on 4lb fluorocarbon (point: #14 pheasant tail nymph; middle dropper: #14 black hopper; top dropper: size 18, Treacle Parkin).

Grayling fishing report: A great 2022 end on the Welsh Dee My grayling fishing report for the last two months of 2022 on the beautiful Welsh Dee. It covers the places I fished and the methods that produced some great results.
Team of wet flies

Covering the rising fish with the wet flies produced a take, and…

BINGO…

My rod bent into the first grayling of the day that had fallen for the Treacle Parkin.

Grayling catch at Llanddefel 11-12
grayling from the fishing trip to Llandderfel

The commotion of netting the grayling from the high bank spooked everything, so I moved down to the tail of pool (C).

Llandderfell fishing trip
grayling fishing report – area fished

From the pool tail, covering the rising fish produced two small graylings that fell for the black hopper on the middle dropper.

Next, I waded across the river to fish the next pool from the right bank (map point C). Fishing down the pool with the team of wet flies produced a couple that I failed to hook.

This pool holds some good grayling, so I switched back to the team of nymphs and fished my way back upriver. After a few casts, my indicator shot sideways, and my line tightened into a bigger fish.

Carefully, I gained the upper hand and netted a beautiful grayling that had fallen for the black pheasant tail nymph on the middle dropper.

Grayling catch at Llanddefel -2
Llanddefel grayling fishing report

Nymphing the remainder of the pool produced another nice grayling and two smaller fish that fell for the black pheasant tail nymph.

Grayling fishing report from Llandderfel - 2
Grayling fishing report from Llandderfel

For the final hour, I walked downriver to fish the pool at the end of the beat (map point F).

I noticed two fish rise in the slacker water below the bushes close to the far bank. So, I switched to fishing wet flies again and covered the rising fish. Immediately after the flies landed, a fish snatched one and darted for the main flow.

Last pool at Llandderfel
Last pool at Llandderfel

After a short struggle, I guided a nice grayling to the net that had taken the March Brown spider. Fishing the remainder of the pool produced another grayling on the March Brown spider.

Grayling catch at Llanddefel -3
grayling from the fishing trip to Llandderfel

By the time I’d reached the end of the run, it was time to head home. Overall, switching between fishing nymphs and wet flies throughout the day proved to be a successful approach.

Well, that wraps up my Welsh Dee grayling fishing report for 2022 and I hope that 2023 brings some excellent fishing.

On a final note, if you’re interested in learning more about winter grayling fly fishing check out the following article…

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Peter Astbury
1 year ago

Thanks Andrew, you certainly put a lot of effort into your fishing, which is great and always interesting.
I’m looking forward to getting my rods out when I get back to the UK

Andrewoverend1
1 year ago
Reply to  Peter Astbury

Hi Peter,

Having retired I’m trying to make up for all the times I couldn’t go fishing because work got in the way. Still have a lot to catch up on.

Great to hear you enjoyed the post.

Tight lines, Andrew

Martyn Bertram Whiteman
1 year ago

Great photos; and really enjoy, vicariously, fishing with you.

Andrewoverend1
1 year ago

Hi Martyn,

It’s great to hear you are enjoying my fishing exploits.

Tight lines, Andrew

Ron Collier
1 year ago

Thanks Andrew,
I always appreciate the detail you include in your posts.

Andrewoverend1
1 year ago
Reply to  Ron Collier

Hi Ron,

Thank you for the kind feedback.

Cheers, Andrew

Jimmy Welch
1 year ago

Great article Andrew it’s been thst long since I fished the Sunbank section , that suspension bridge was stil fully usable , I think if anything the grayling fishing has improved that section used to be heavily stocked with brownies by the Maelor I mean a stockie a cast sometime 2 a cast ,

Andrewoverend1
1 year ago
Reply to  Jimmy Welch

Hi Jimmy,

That must have been a long time ago, I’ve only seen it in its broken sorry state. The beats are not stocked with brown trout anymore but there are some quality wild brown trout in the river now but they are not easy to catch.

Thanks for your comments, Andrew

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