Had enough of small stillwaters, muddy scrapes in the ground and fishing surrounded by other anglers amongst dog ends, has it all got a bit routine, looking for a challenge ?
How does tranquillity, drifting high up surrounded by moorland in crystal clear waters, with free rising fish, that will pull your arm off sound, if the answer is �that�s for me� then Llyn Brenig may be just the place you are looking for.
Your day out begins with a drive through lovely Welsh Countryside, if you approach from the West you will pass through the old market towns of Denbigh or Ruthin, depending on the route you take, with splendid views of the Clwyds and off into the distance Snowdonia, in early season, still snowcapped.
The reservoir is located 1200 ft up on the Denbigh moors at Cerrigydruiddion on the A???. There is a small tackle shop, caf�, that does a �set you up all day breakfast� and Visitors Centre, there are 50 day boats for hire, booking is advisable at weekends.
The reservoir was constructed in the early seventies, by damming the river Brenig and is used to provide compensation water for the river Dee. It is 900 acres with a dam and fish rearing cages at the Southern end, depths reach 140 ft and the water is crystal clear. The Northern end of the lake is a bird sanctuary and if the fishing slows down it is an excellent spot for �twitchers� amongst you.
There are miles of bank fishing, so peaceful isolation can be guaranteed, or a sociable chat with the �Brenig Regulars� whatever you wish, wading is possible. Hot spots for bank fishing, are to the right of the lodge, the water shelves steeply and fish move close in here. Tower Bay, Nant Glyn and the Brenig Arm, the sunken road in Sailing Club bay are all excellent spots. All of these areas can be reached by car. You can then indulge in the �Welsh two step� half a dozen casts, and move 10 yards, until you locate fish.
The best of Brenig is to hire a boat out and take it all in from there. The reservoir is very exposed and high up, so expect wind and this combined with lower temperatures can make Brenig forbidding at times, it is then that the shelter provided by Sailing Club and Yacht Club bays comes into it�s own.
Best drifts are , downwind from the cages, Tower Bay, Hafod Lom Woods, the Quarry and Nant Glyn. The Brenig Arm can provide excellent dry fly fishing as can the Island at the northern end of the reservoir. In early season drifting close in provides best results, later on as temperatures rise fish move further out and deeper.
In early season lures provide best results, J C Viva , Cat�s Whisker, Orange Fritz and Boobies all score well, Sparkler patterns will also take stock fish, there is a bag limit of 6 fish. As the season progresses Brenig comes into it�s own and top fishing takes over, pulling mini lures on floating and intermediate lines will, produce results as will wet fly patterns, try some of the traditional Welsh patterns Haulagwynt, Concotion; Harry Tom the more traditional patterns, Kate Mc Laren, Bibio,Dunkeld, Spider Patterns and Mallard and Claret, Dabblers and Bumble patterns.
The dry fly fishing at Brenig can be exceptional, particularly when the Heather fly are hatching. Terrestrials form a large part of the Brenig trouts diet, so Hoppers and Deer hair patterns score well, when dry fly fishing at Brenig best results are usually achieved by floating dry fly on the water rather than in the water. Do not wait to see rising fish, takes come from nowhere and are heart stopping !!!!!!
Brown trout of massive proportions reside in Brenig, this year two Browns in excess of 9lbs were caught and Rainbows to 12lb can be expected, this is not however a �bloated stockies� water Brenig fish fight second to none and you can certainly have a reasonable expectation of taking fish to 3lb+ and believe me you will know they are hooked, 6lb line is the minimum and 8lb is advised, these fish really do go !!!!! Tiger and Blue Trout are also stocked so you never do know what to expect, a brace of Tigers in excess of 10 lbs was recently taken by one angler.
At the start of the season, mid March a substantial stocking , around 30,000 fish is made with subsequent stocking throughout the season, early season fishing can produce specimen over wintered fish. The boating season is from mid march to mid October and bank fishing continues into November, check with the fishery for start and close dates.
This is just a flavour of what Brenig has to offer and you will not master it one, two or three visits, it is just not like that, but it will keep calling you back, it is like that.
Tightlines
