Ceiriog River

[dbl]

I finally managed a morning on the Ceiriog, on the Brynkinalt beat. I had an abortive evening further downstream the other day, but realised that the spot I had chosen was too overgrown for my clumsy efforts and that twilight, nymph fishing and poor eyesight do not go together well...
It is a lovely little river, but the water is right at the bottom of the normal range at the moment so the pools are very small and seem to exist mainly under trailing branches!
I think I owe thanks to several people on this forum as I fished a furled green leader from Esoteric tackle (retrieved safely from several trees and, yes, I am sending for a hi-vis yellow) and tied on a debarbed Partridge and Orange which Simon likes to use on the similar Alyn, I believe. It was supposed to have a reverse hackle but it ended up in the middle. Amazingly, it stayed on right though the session, though I had to rescue it from several snags. I had several Killer Bugs ready but I am sure they would have snagged more.
I hooked my first fish about a 100 yards into the woods in a narrow deep channel hard under the opposite bank. It was lurking below the undercut rock. I suspected this but it took an age to get the nymph down just the right current. It shed the hook quickly, but at least I now had confidence in the fly. I tried several more spots as I stumbled back up to the trunk road viaduct. Then, on the proverbial last cast in another narrow channel near my exit point, the line appeared to snag and then suddenly came loose but now pulling hard against me. The rod did its job well and a half minute later a half pound trout (about 11 inches long) was on the bank. It is over 30 years since I tasted a fresh brown trout so tonight it will be in a pan.
The picture shows the undercut rock mentioned earlier.

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[dbl]

Yes, its Welsh! The trout was English, but he was persuaded over the border.

[orangeotter]

I know the Ceiriog well and it's very suitable in most parts for Tenkara. You'll have a lot of fun ( as long as there's sufficient water). Do you know that the Secretary fishes with T.( Steve Murgatroyd).

[dbl]

That's a relief! I had carefully avoided mentioning the word in my club application...

[orangeotter]

Using Tenkara doesn't make you a bad person !!

Check new members - you'll be interested.....

[dbl]

Ah yes, that's a surprise!

[dbl]

At the start of this thread I mentioned it taking " an age to get the nymph down just the right current" to the trout lurking under the rock in the photo. I have just enjoyed reading the article by Paul Gaskell and John Pearson in July's Total Flyfisher (iPhone app) and I now realise that I was looking for a "downwelling" current. It was pretty much where they suggested you'd find it and pulled the very light fly right the bottom (3 or 4 feet) because I saw the take inches from the undercut base. The effect was dramatic as hitting the water a few inches off the line resulted in the fly sweeping by high in the water. I could see what was happening but had no idea why! Thanks!

[Paul G]

You are very welcome!

It can be quite a remarkable effect - sometimes, when the downwelling is particularly strong - it even looks/feels like you've had a "take" from a fish!

[dbl]

A frustrating, though enjoyable, day on the lowest Ceiriog beat, trying for grayling. Much of the section was unfishable as the rapidly rising water level decided me against wading into the main current and the banks are generally steep with heavy cover. (The rain has finally had an effect and the level has gone up considerably. A lot of debris is consequently coming down.)
However, there were still plenty of places with riffles, glides and pools to pick from. This did me no good as no matter what I tried (dry, weighted nymph, wet flies, kebari) not one pull or visible fish did I feel or see.
I saw no one else fishing and it is the only part of the river you are allowed to fish after September so there was no one to compare notes! Anyway, any advice on how to fare better will be gratefully received!

[fishingcane]

I am hoping to visit once the water levels drop - I will let you know how I fare.

[dbl]

I had a few hours on the Ceriog today, fishing just above the confluence with the Dee. The north (Welsh) bank is clear of trees for the last 200 yards or so and there is a nice level field alongside the river. The day was bright with a light breeze and the river is dropping and clearing rapidly. I put on my "kind of" tying of the JP Easy Bug (own because I used whatever I had in the box for dubbing...)with a braid indicator about 4 foot above it.
 
I fished each section up and down without result and finally reached the very bottom. Here I decided to wade as the river is quite shallow. Casting across I thought I had hit another snag, but I tightened anyway and a steady thrumming suggested a fish. I then saw it just where my line entered the water, facing directly upstream and hugging the bottom in about 2 foot of water. I applied a steady side strain and after about 30 seconds the fish came loose.

Thanks to all the tenkara videos others have posted I didn't panic when I snagged the line with my net(***!) but held net and rod together and handlined in the fish, which turned out to be a nice grayling, about 14 inches long and looking in good condition. Released, it swam off, hopefully to carry on up the Ceiriog.

If the good weather continues the Ceiriog will be in perfect condition this week. By the end of the day it was very clear.

[Dyfan]

Nice one dbl! A good example of how useful this forum is as well!

[fishingcane]

Managed a couple of hours on the Ceiriog this morning - conditions perfect, nice and frosty, sunshine, but no Grayling, three brownies however!

[dbl]

Ah yes, those our senior brethren on this forum cryptically refer to as " OOS WBT"! Congrats! Were you at the bottom or up by Forge Bridge? I found the cover near both bridges a little intimidating with my rather too long rod.

The river level seems to be quite constant hovering between .45 and .50 metres, which is rather nice, though still a little fierce for me as I still haven't sorted out a wading staff. I've cut a nice length of hazel and some old bits of roofing lead have at last proved useful. It's still a bit green however, but I may use it anyway.

As you say, the weather is perfect at the moment. And the river looks and sounds glorious.

[fishingcane]

I fished from Forge Bridge down to the confluence and my three fish were fairly evenly spread along the length. I fished an 11' Iwana and did struggle in some spots.