Llyn Brenig

SUMMER did feel like it had finally arrived at Llyn Brenig last week with some glorious sunny days, warm temperatures and a gentle breeze, writes seasonal ranger JIM JENKINS.

The lake is certainly seen at its best when the sun is out and with the coming together of the weather and with the natural world in full bloom it makes for a perfect day out.

It does seem as if nature is in its full glory at the moment with wild flowers in full bloom, young birds fledging, young leverets bounding across the fields and lines of young goslings waddling down to the water’s edge.

It is indeed a glorious time.

The bright sunshine does, however, tend to have a detrimental effect on the fishing, with Tom Baines probably expressing the dilemma between enjoying the natural world, but having a good day's fishing perfectly when he wrote: "Lovely weather, regrettably

too sunny for the rainbows to surface feed. However it was a worthwhile visit to see the large quantity of geese and other wildlife."

I suppose, as the saying goes, ‘you can’t have your cake and eat it!’

With the rod average over the last few weeks being well above five fish per angler, the week’s rod average of 3.3 fish per angler did show a drop off in the fishing.

Needless to say that we can control the number of fish in the lake and the quality of the fish, but we can’t control the weather, which has a massive impact on the way that the lake fishes.

The fish are obviously in the lake in large numbers as there is a

fantastic head of fish in the lake, but it is just a question of enticing them to the fly when the weather is against you.

Peter Morris had just that problem, commenting: "Six fish caught, fished all over the lake, found it quite difficult to find the fish. Caught on a sink tip line with a coral wet, damsel and hares ear nymph. Lovely warm and sunny day."

David Gartside was a little bit more explicit when he wrote: "Great

fishing despite the weather!"

Once again, the quality of the fish isn’t in question, with Mr Howatson writing: "Lovely quality fish."

There have also been some nice big fish caught, with Paul Evans

landing a 5lb 2oz rainbow, while Bob Gibbon recorded a rainbow at 5lbs 6ozs.

However, the biggest fish of the week was caught by Jim Walker, from Widnes, and it weighed in at a very healthy 6lbs 12ozs.

Now, that is a big fish!

The top bag was a very spectacular 22lbs 6ozs and it was recorded by Adrian Carless.

That is averaging well over 3lbs a fish and it was therefore hardly surprising that Mr Carless wrote ‘good fishing’ at the bottom of his catch return.

On the Saturday and Sunday, the senior Welsh trials took place at Llyn Brenig.

The weather was generally bright and the fishing did prove to be a little on the difficult side, but with the wealth of experience on display, the fishermen rose to the occasion and most of them had a positive day.

The results will hopefully be published in next week’s report.

North Wales Police also held a competition here on the Thursday.

The previous week’s 2019 PSUK regional qualifier for Region 1 -included the Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside regions - was held at Llyn Brenig on Thursday, June 20.

The match was won by Cheshire Police with a total team bag weight of 75lbs 4ozs.

The two top individuals were Y Dar, with a total bag weight of 31lbs 9ozs and R Hood, with a total bag weight of 31lbs 8ozs.

Last month’s catch return prize draw winner was Ian Sprigings, from Wallasey, who wins a free boat for the day.

Although the fishing was a little more difficult during week, bank fishermen had success along Hafod Lom and the ring of stones down to the coves.

Boat fishermen also had success along Hafod Lom, behind barrow island in the north end and around the cages.

The top flies have been sedges, nymphs, cat's whiskers, daddy long legs, heather fly and various blobs and boobies.

Tight Lines.