A visit to Anglesey

Excellent saltwater fly fishing can be found within reach of Cumbria.  A short stay on Anglesey, north Wales confirmed this.  Some planning and the right conditions led to the capture of a wonderful sea bass one morning.  This was a special moment since it was my first on a fly and biggest ever.

Sea fishing is a fascinating branch of the sport partly due to the shifting weather conditions and tides..  It has a physical and dangerous side if you are not watching out! 

Anglesey has a rugged and varied coastline with numerous rocky spots where you might find bass depending on the state of the tide.  Local knowledge is important here.  I asked for some advice at a fishing shop. 

Day one was very windy: there are some dramatic storm beaches on the west coast where the waves roll in.  This day was spent driving around and visiting a few locations. 

On day two, the wind had dropped and the sun appeared.  I went back to fish one particular spot where a river enters the sea during the first hours of the rising tide.  There is a long sandbar here.  I walked to the end and waded out.  The water depth was not too great and there was a current increasing in pace.  A narrow opening between the end of the bar and rocks creates a channel into which the sea water is funnelled.  As the tide was rising, I slowly moved backwards towards the beach. 

The situation felt right.  There were clearly bait fish in the area as some birds were hovering nearby.  This is a sign that fish are likely to present because they also prey on the fish.  I made a cast directly across the current.  As the fly swung round, a bass took strongly.  There was a bright flash of silver near the surface of the water.  As the fish turned, I spotted the black marking on the gill cover - a distinguishing feature of sea bass.  A small sand eel imitation provoked a strike.  After several powerful runs the fish tired and I was able to beach it on the pebbles.   

Next time I look forward to trying for sea trout off the coast of Holy Head as well as exploring some low water spots for the bass in the Menai Strait.