The Llyfni this year has fished better than at any time over the past decade at least, the river has been absolutely packed with sea trout, fishing has been especially productive from Pont y Cim down to the sea, with fish up to 6lbs been regularly caught, the latest one at this weight reported to me was during the last week of August by Gwilym Hughes of Caernarfon, he also hooked a large fish at Llyn Engan on the Seiont this unfortunately was lost after leading Gwilym around the pool for some ten minutes.

Thomas John Thomas, Nantlle has to date had about 20 sewin around the two pound mark, he’s also lost three large fish from the Pont y Cim Pool, I recently heard that Mr Thomas has a new dog called Spits, perhaps he’ll be able to tell him how to land big fish, time will tell. Gordon Hampson, Benllech is continuing to catch, but they tell me it’s nothing to do with skill, he’s just lucky.

The boats on llyn Nantlle are proving popular, in fact from Mid August to the end of September was sold out. So next year early booking is essential. There is a tremendous number of both sewin and salmon in the lake, so there should be some interesting catches to report next month.

After a very good brown trout season, sewin and salmon fishing on the Seiont has been patchy, with the first grilse showing towards the end of June, however they only ran as far as the smolt release stream, these we believe to have originated from our first trial release scheme. There has defiantly been another improvement in the Sewin runs, Cledwyn Jones; Ysbyty took five to 3lbs from Llyn Engan. On the evening of Tuesday 22^nd. August, I saw a tremendous run of sewin moving through the Crawia Pools on dusk, I took one of 4lbs within ten minutes of starting to fish, then a river mist materialised and as fish someone had pulled a switch the whole river went dead.

On 1^st. September we had some rain which saw 12ins on the gauge and a good run of salmon took the Seiont, these didn’t hang around and three were caught in two days by Steven Carr, Bontnewydd from the Pontrhythallt area, just two miles from Llyn Padarn, these weighed 8,7 & 6 lbs. R. Japheth, Caernarfon also on 2^nd. Sept took a nice on at 5lbs on fly from Llyn Harry Parry, he tells me that he donated the fish to an acquaintance who hasn’t seen a salmon for some time. Just my luck the only one I hooked came off as I was about to tail him out, this one again was hooked at Glanrafon.

During late afternoon of the 2nd. I saw a seven nice salmon move into and through the Rhaeadr Pool, they weren’t interested in anything except moving on. If we get some of the rain that’s promised in the next few days we should see more fish moving in and hopefully settle in the river, as once they make their minds to head for Padarn then they are out of the game.

Charr fishing has still not picked up, with very few having been caught, I’m told that this is phenomenon that happens once in a while; we sincerely hope that this is the case. I’ll be in a better position to comment on this next month.

With the Dywarchen stocking policy now back on track, the last six weeks had provided fantastic fishing, bag limits are common, with R. Rowlands, Waenfawr doing especially well, I saw him after taking his limit one day take out two other members on a boat, these were Dr Robin Parry and Gwynfor Jones and Dick told me that that was the fist time his charges to take their limit. I don’t know if this is so!

 Planning permission has been applied for the construction of car parking and harbour facilities on Llyn Cwellyn, if this project gets the go ahead, it will certainly prove popular with both local and visiting anglers.

Environment Agency assistance has been received to upgrade the Penllyn boat facilities, greenheart timber has already been purchased for the job, what an expensive commodity this wood is.

Prospects for the remainder of the season on both Seiont and Llyfni are excellent, Llyn Nantlle is certainly worth a throw, remember that there’s a trial extension on the Seiont for salmon until 31^st October, fishing is by fly only and all fish must be released.

                                                                        H.P. Hughes