The dot in the water off the second promontory is me, photographed by my father during a recent fishing trip. My first holiday in 4 or 5 years: a couple of days fishing in Snowdonia, hosted by the wonderful ‘Tynycornel Hotel’ on Tal Y Llyn lake.

Having been lucky enough to travel the world and being yet luckier to live somewhere that hard-working people with precious little time off want to spend their holidays, travelling for me these days is a very low priority. But drifting a boat among the small olives and sedges, on a lovely lake, in stunning scenery can almost make the fishing a secondary thing. Almost.

This lake is one of those rarities these days that seem to exist only in the most remote parts of the UK where indigenous brown trout don’t have to make way for the rainbows that so many fishermen demand. Some might suggest that rainbows are easier and less interesting to catch; I couldn’t possibly comment!

We have a similar venue in Pembrokeshire at Rosebush; carefully stewarded by the syndicate that holds the fishing rights, but available to a very limited number of rods with advanced booking through Llys Y Fran.

The fishing at Tal Y Llyn was both challenging and rewarding in equal measures. Several beautifully marked ‘brownies’ came to the net, but many more escaped with their lightening fast takes and wily ways saving them from our bags! Some of our fellow anglers apparently did come away empty-handed, but we speculated that this may have had more to do with their approach than the quality of the venue, or the extremely helpful advice and encouragement from Phil the bailiff, or maybe they were just too laid back by the sheer relaxation of the delighful surroundings and accommodation. You do rather run that risk there. The views can easily make you take your eyes off your fly line!

My passport is due up for renewal next year, but provided Snowdonia fails to declare independence in the meantime I may well not bother...

Bookmark/Search this post with:

 |   |   |   |   |   |   |