[M a tlock Ewlgc T HE AUT HO R FISHIN G IN WALES a (Bathe to the angler M GALLIC HAN WALTER . ( ‘ GEO FFREY MORTIMER ? LO N D O N . O F E R BINSON CO . 2 0 G R E A T R U S S E L L S T R E E T 1 90 3 PR E F A C E As a contributor o f articles upon Welsh rivers and lakes to an lin rnals fre u n l the g g jou , I q e t y received letters from fishermen who wished to be informed as to the chances o f Sport in various ar s o f the r n al n o f s r n p t P i cip ity, the ki d flie to b i g w o s o f s n and ar s ith them , the c t fi hi g, the ch ge made by the proprieto rs o f hotels and boarding houses. These questio ns have proved useful to us s a l in o f info r me, beca e they how ex ct y the k d n mation which anglers require . Taki g these u s a u e a ar fu lle e as q eries a g id , I h ve c e lly co ct d an s o fr m o wn m y details as pos ible, b th om y angling notes and diaries and from the eXperi ences and recollections o f friends. My aim throughout these pages is to be o f real practical service to anglers who wish to visit Wales. I have refrained from painting highly - co lo ured and imaginative pictures o f the spo rt to be o btained in [ V ] vi Preface i the waters described . My tale s plain and un ’ varnished . Mr . ni r M n re due to . y tha ks a W Se o , the o r o f The Field Mr. n rs n ra a Edit , to A de o G h m , o f ountr e and he r o f Land a d C y s , to t Edito n ater f r rm ss o n r r u r W , o pe i i to ep od ce a ticles which have appeared in their columns. W. M. G . M ar h 0 c , 19 3. C O N T E N T S CHA PTER n o t BY W I . AY 0? INTRODU CTION AND GENERAL HINTS II . THE D EE T HE MAWD D A H III . C RED T IV. FINS A DO LGELLY V. THE WNION E K VI . TH LA ES O F CADER IDR IS SAL ON SEW N AND TRO T AT DDG VII . M , I , U BE ELERT LA O F THE L D R VIII . KES L E RAN GE IX . THE LLY N S O F ARD U D WY i H TR EA o r LLEYN x . T E S MS xu . LLY NS o r THE GLYD ER S m THE nvsvnm x . THE DOVEY xiv. xv. BALA LAKE NWA LED R AND wo wv xvr. THE CO Y, L , L ‘ WYFAWR AND D m rAc u xv n. rnn D xv m. LAKE vvnm msmNG AT LLANBER S xxx. I mo rrr AND o o wan xx . rm: s [ vii ] Co ntents cn am n XX I. THE CER IOG X X LLANRHA AD R -Y N - OCHNANT II . I M T HE AR TRO AND D WVR Y D X X III . LW D X X IV. THE C Y BASS- F SH N X X V. I I G X X T HE U SK VI . T HE TEIFI XX VII . X X LLAN GO RSE LA KE VIII . X X THE WY E AN D SO E TR B TAR ES X I . M I U I BY WAY O F INTRO DU CTIO N AND GENERAL HINTS ALMO ST all the rivers o f North Wales have a un a n so ur and are fed b ra l n mo t i ce, y pid y flowi g f r r n hill brooks . Many o the waters a e b oke for l n s r s b r s and s o f e o g t etche y ock , ome th m are much shaded with trees in parts of their u D fo r r a rs rse . ee a l co The , ex mp e , whe e it w te the district o f Ederynion and the Vale o f Llan llen is fo r l s u n r an . go , wooded mi e po eithe b k A r n o f r r is el mo e ope type ive the Dovey , b ow em a s . In lar r s r a s r f r C m e the ge t e m , the e o e , is necessary to insure sport with the fl - ro d u is no t f n f y , tho gh it o te need ul to wade ee r t an us a the s d pe h j t bove knee . s r n s an d r ul s o f n n a r The p i g iv et the S owdo , C de I r s Rhino r n Lledr and ran ran s d i , g, A e ig, , A ge 1 2 Fishing in Wales are th e heads o f innumerable rivers frequented b sa n sea- r u s n almo Camb icus y lmo , t o t , ewi (S r , o r s sea- r u r n r u nd in the Wel h t o t) , b ow t o t , a , as o f so s r a s s ral n s o f ars c e me t e m , eve ki d co e r r n a n urns fish . T out b eed in little mou t i b f a sea- and in arns at eet bove the level, t n n b h the same altitude . Whe u impeded y igh falls sal n and ra r r u as n , mo mig to y t o t ce d the f In an f smallest runnels in time o spate . m y o the ll n s r are r u o f r un s in y the e t o t ove 5 po d weight , while other pools swarm with fish o f three o r four an l r fo r r u c a his to the pound . The g e t o t an v ry amusement by o ne day tracking an u an . pl d r its s ur and o n an r s n fr b ook to o ce , othe fi hi g om n a r His ursu o f fish a boat upo b oad lake . p it will lead him into some o f the wildest and most K r roman tic scenes in the ingdom . Whethe he ’ wa s s f s al s o f sa r de the wi t h low the c ed Dee , o r r f s f r r in a n on al l n d i t be o e the b eeze di ghy T y ly , he will fin d himself surrounded with rare natural beauty . As I s r ra al nf r a n wi h to impa t p ctic i o m tio , I will begin by reference to the cost o f fishing in r al s . l ar s n rall s a n No th W e Hote ch ge , ge e y pe ki g, In s vary from two to three guineas a week . ome as s rs r f a s on la s and c es thi cove the hi e o bo t ke , Introduction and General Hints 3 includes fishing in preserved lengths of rivers . ar us a art n s a n anc co s F mho e p me t , with tte d e , t f r I 1 5 for s . r are om to £ 1 0 . two mom The e an a rs n an l r b a en m y w te ope to the g e y p ym t , and so me that can be fished by permission o f r ar an wn rs o r an n ne o r ip i o e tenants o f l d . I o two localities it is possible to obtain very fair salmon an d trou t fishing free o f all cost beyond the charge fo r a license under the Controlling s r in r sal n Fi he y Board . Fo r angling the bette mo an d r u a rs on us o f urse t o t w te e m t , co , expect to a ut r the ar s are p y , b compa ed with Scotlan d ch ge no t a ur a a ns s high in Wales . It m y be ged g i t thi that the sporting rivers and lochs o f Sco tland are much superior to the waters o f North Wales .