Beautiful Afternoon at Boringwheel Trout Fishery

Having dropped my son off at Heathrow Airport for his 12 days holiday in the USA, I drove to the LondonTemple, near Lingfield and gave another one of my friends there a casting lesson on grass.  Then as the fog had lifted and the sun was shining I drove south to Nutley to fish Boringwheel Trout Fishery.  The location is just south of Nutley and you turn left onto Cackle Street and then follow this narrow winding road down hill for around half a mile.  The entrance to the fishery, which is on the left is not easy to spot as the name is on the gate and the gate is open.  The first time I went there I overshot and only spotted it after I had turned round.  You then drive up a paved road and park in the tennis court!

 

I was there to check out the water clarity (before I bring any more friends there) and I wanted to try the "gold headed daddy long legs" that had been so successful at Coltsfold Mill earlier in the week (see last post).  Well the water clarity was improved now that we had gone for some time without rain so I decided to fish and bought myself a 2-fish ticket. 

 

I tried the modified daddy down in the corner where the outflow is.  Third cast and I had a firm pull but did not hook up.  When I checked the fly, surprise, surprise, one of the rubber legs was missing! A few casts later and I was in, and I landed a perfect rainbow specimen.

 

I then walked round the lake and fished next to an elderly gentleman called Peter, he went on to catch on drowned sedges and a gold ribbed hare's ear.

Peter into a fish

 

I had a few pulls on a cat's whisker, then I tried several other lure patterns to no avail.  There was no breeze and the water was flat calm.  Occasionally a fish would show but usually just out of range.

 

When the time crept round to 5pm I decided to take the plunge (not literally) and take a boat out.  Now the boats are old but they are very stable and with a couple of pulls on the oars and you glide out into the middle of the lake.  You then need 360 degree vision because activity can occur anywhere.  I targetted fish that showed and eventually a blue flash damsel did the trick and I boated a cracking specimen who managed to pull the boat along before he surrendered.

 

The second fish like the first, was a cracker!

 

Simple Fly Fishing Magic in South Wales

My youngest daughter’s father-in-law, Mark, invited us to stay in the house he was refurbishing in South Wales.  How could I refuse?   I started planning a bit of serious fishing by contacting my friend Andrew, an ace sewin (sea trout) fisher.  Andrew thought we could get out one night during my stay. Serious sewin fly fishers only fish during the hours of darkness, the darker the better.  That is quite challenging!  Imagine casting a fly in complete darkness whilst standing on the bank or wading.  You jump out of your waders when a large sea trout jumps in the dark.  It sounds as if a cow has fallen off a bridge!

Sadly my pal Andrew was not able to get away so we did not have a sewin session, however, I visited some amazing places (see previous post) and was able to take a trip down a fishing memory lane that turned out to be very pleasant when I visited:-

 

This fishery is quite hard to find as it is on the north side of the B4287 between Neath and Pontrhydyfen.  However, it is well worth visiting as it is picturesque, with a wonderful view of Swansea Bay in the distance.  It generally has very clear water and is well stocked with hard fighting rainbow and blue trout.  When I ran my former company's fly fishing club I used to hold very successful events here.

 

The fishery manager is Dave Price and the cost of fishing is very reasonable. 

I was pleased to see that since my last visit, a couple of years ago, the windy, undulating track up to the fishery had been tarmacked and could now be regarded as a road. 

Also the privy (loo, or bathroom as my friends in the States call it) had been rebuilt (I bet the old one blew away, hopefully whilst vacant!).

 

When I arrived around 2pm it was overcast with a light breeze and I could see fish rising and one or two being caught.  I bought a 2 fish ticket from Dave in the caravan (used as a rest area and office) as I didn’t plan to be there long.

 

I thought I would definitely force myself only to use dry flies and catch off the top.  It didn’t work out like that.  By the time I had set up the sun was out and my dry sedge was ignored as the fish went down.  Occasionally, as a small cloud drifted across the sun a fish would rise and I would try to cover it but all to no avail.  I moved around a bit as most of the other anglers had “bagged up” and left but still no action.  Reluctantly I decided to fish sub surface and switched to a small grhe (gold ribbed hairs ear) fly.  I did a long cast to a fresh location and started a very slow figure of eight retrieve.  I then experienced that state of mind when you become completely at one with the environment.  You are so in tune that you know something is going to happen and when the line went tight, and I hooked up, I knew, that I knew it would happen!   Am I a fish mind reader?  I wish I was.  The fish was a strong one hooked at a distance so I had plenty of time to enjoy the tussle as I watched the bar of silver flashing back and forth.  Several jumps later and all 3lb of it was safely in the net.

When I had to leave I came away with my 2 fish, Dave generously giving me a large blue that another angler had left behind (I hope he does not want it back)!  The fishery rules are simple and clear.  Dave wants everyone to have good sport.

 



 

 

So my trip to Wales may not have been a fishing bonanza but an afternoon spent at Abernant was magic!