After a hard but challenging day on Llandegfedd Saturday, taking all off the 5 fish which were willing enough to be netted, I thought it was about time I had a few cast into running water. JB picked me up from my house after work about 6.30 and we headed off to the upper Taff.. to around Rhyd-y-car, Merthyr.

We met up with fellow blogger Dan Gardiner, to fish the short stretch of the Taff before night descended.

Tackling up my fishing gear, we talked about fly lines, flies and almost anything fishy you could speak of. We all tackled up with the french leader and headed to the river. Upon arrival at the bank, after surly loosing some of my street cred walking through the skate park in Merthyr with my fishing kit on; or maybe, they recognised the Simms logo.. and thought otherwise? We were greeted with a few rising fish. JB swiftly changed to the dry, but unfortunately missing the one and only take to a floating fly.

Dan walked ahead, fishing the 3ft deep pool which supposedly was 8ft deep..(I walked through it and didn’t go over my head 😎 Dan was way out on his estimations) we didn’t take anything, which was a surprise. The water looked perfect, quite peaty, due to the recent hight, and a good flow; maybe 3 inches higher than normal. We worked up the pool, untill the head, where Dan looked as if he should be getting a fish. A nice run on the far bank under a tree… you know the ones. Heaven for trout? Unfortunately, luck wasn’t with him and he failed to pull anything out. I crept up behind, lobbing my team of nymphs, and amended french/czech leader straight into the tree. I didn’t want to disturb the pool so I opted to snap the leader and retie a single jig on, and carry on fishing the run. Next cast,  the indicators stopped, and I was in. A cracking browny on a wee black jig. We didn’t realise Dan had his camera, so I hope this highly accurate representation of the occurrence will have to do..

Hopefully you get the gist?

Anyway, Darkness was closing in, so we headed towards to top of the stretch at the weir. JB took the rod and started to fish along the wall running parallel to the river, taking two good trout on the small jigs.

Standing in the back en of a weir pool, jut as it runs out into the run, we three spotted a few fish rising at twilight. I fished the the french/czech leader over them, loosing 4 fish in 4 casts.. not sure what was wrong? Nothing wrong with the fly, hook or leader. next cast, I landed one, and this continued for the next 6-7 cast! Must have hit it just right. Perfect end to a fun filled hour on the Taff…

It was now dark! And still eating the fly!