I started my forays to the many upland Welsh llyns (See Cambrian Angling Association and Wye & Usk Fishing Passport) to fish for wild brown trout by using an experienced guide in the first instance. I shudder to think how much difficulty I might have gotten myself into without the basic pointers my guide Brian provided. I strongly recommend that you consider using an experienced guide on the first occasion too. These are wild mountain places where the weather can change unexpectedly and while I am an experienced hill walker happy to navigate my way through difficult/mountainous terrain in low cloud or thick mist there are additional challenges when navigating amidst peat bogs and wading new waters. If you are not an experienced hill walker then you should take even more care, learn what to do and take note of the guidance provided by the local mountain rescue. Here are some tips to fish safely in the uplands for wild brown trout.
Weather – Checking the weather before you go is a key factor in reducing risk. Everyone has their favourite website – I choose to check several and take a consensus view – typically I would use Metcheck, BBC Weather and the Met Office, however, in these mountainous regions the weather at altitude can be very different to that forecast for towns at lower altitude it is wise to check the Met Office Mountain Forecast and Mountain Weather Information Service.
Navigation – Preparation is key so study the OS map of the walk in, the route you plan to fish and the route out. I do this using ViewRanger where for a small monthly subscription <£3 you can access all of the OS 1:25 000 topographic maps and plot routes. For each route the software will indicate the length, total ascent and total descent of the route. You can overlay these on different backdrop maps like satellite images to get additional context. The route can be downloaded as a GPX file which you can upload into your favourite GPS to use for navigation. ViewRanger will run as an app on your smart phone and you can sync the maps and routes to your smart phone.
Buddy – Always let somebody else know where you are going and what time you plan to be back and the circumstances under which they will call out the mountain rescue. Then stick to the plan, even if the fish come onto the feed just as you should be leaving! The first thing that I do is check the mobile signal along the full route. I am not advocating mobile phone use when fishing, after all we are there to switch off and relax, but smart phones offer the opportunity to enhance the experience and our safety. The OFCOM mobile coverage website or app allows you to get an idea of the type of signal available and its strength but be aware it is not definitive but indicative, as the signal strength can be affected by the weather and can’t be relied upon. Plan where you will seek the best possible mobile phone coverage in the event of an emergency at different points along the route. If the location has any mobile data signal (even occasionally) then you can switch on the buddy beacon in ViewRanger. This is very helpful if you are fishing alone and allows your buddy/wife/significant other or anyone with the link and password to watch your progress real time or updated when mobile signal is available on a map wherever they are on their phone/tablet/computer. If you are fishing several llyns in a day this would be useful information for any rescue team. You can also record your track for later analysis which I find quite instructive. NOTE – you should know how to operate your phone and modify settings when out in the wilds. On my first trip my phone would not connect to my mobile phone network and kept indicating no network when I had several bars of signal. For some reason my phone would not automatically select the Virgin network (my provider) searching for EE the network that Virgin use instead. Bizarrely, there was a Virgin network available but not an EE network (go figure) and I had to manually force the phone to use the Virgin network. Make sure you know how to change your phone settings.
Equipment – Aside from the usual fishing equipment you should carry a small (if wading preferably watertight) hill walking rucksack with everything you need to stay on the mountain for a night: emergency blanket, first aid kit, headlamp, food and water. While I will use digital maps in the first instance carrying both my smart phone and a Garmin eTrex GPS, I also carry a paper OS map in a waterproof map case with compass and emergency whistle if I am fishing alone. While my phone is in a waterproof case and my Garmin is waterproof you need the added redundancy of old school paper maps if alone and especially if in unfamiliar surroundings in the event the digital technology lets you down. On my first foray to Llynnau Gamallt I did not take a walking/wading stick and regretted it. This allows you to test the path you are walking before you walk on it to avoid disappearing into a peat bog. When wading in low light conditions in slightly stained water, and especially if wearing polarising sunglasses for eye protection, it can be difficult to see where you will wade next and if unsure of your footing or water depth test it before you venture there and end up submerged in cold mountain lake water. Its at this point that the most important gear you need is apparent if you plan to enter the water at all – a automatic self-inflating life vest. When falling into cold water (<10-15 ºC) as part of the shock we reflexively gasp and if you have fallen face first in the water you will gasp cold water into your lungs. I admit that I fish alone and don’t always use one because all the gear and jackets can make you feel like the Michelin man going hiking but for the cost (~£75) this is cheap life insurance.
Peat Bogs – The upland can be tricky terrain and it pays to have some idea of what you are dealing with before you go. Again, go with a guide on the first occasion to point out these hazards so you know what to look for. Reading this section is no substitute for being shown the hazards. The sphagnum moss that dominates the terrain can produce some odd features that may fool you into making bad choices. When looking at the dense shrub heath ahead of you an apparent path may be evident as it lacks shrubs – this is where you need to be extremely careful. The moss will grow over voids below it forming what appears to be a solid surface. This includes holes, ditches, wet lines in the hillside and even large cracks in rocks. Even knowing this, on my first visit I fell down a wide cleft in a rocky outcrop as I stepped onto what I thought was firm ground while stalking a fish but turned out to be moss that had grown across the crack. I was extremely lucky not to break both my legs in the fall but left me hobbling for the rest of the day (and weeks after). Small streams around the llyns will similarly be covered by the moss and as the peat bog has grown up alongside the stream may leave an effective ditch of 1-2 m deep and again can be a leg breaking hazard. Listen for the sound of running water and take care. When walking on boggy parts, test with walking stick first, and aim for the grass tufts which generally offer firmer footing. Consider every step and concentrate on what you are doing.
If you plan to fish the sedge rise in the evening and walk out in the dark then you need to be even more cautious. While in parts the path may be marked by posts or markers with reflective tape you should not rely on these for navigation in the dark. There is no substitute for planning how you will get out as these posts fall over or lose their reflective tape or define an incomplete path and before you know it you are lost in the peat bog in the dark.
Last of all, know where you will have mobile phone coverage once you get back to the car to let your buddy know you are out safely. It also pays to have a mobile phone charger for your car or a portable mobile power charger in the event you have run your smart phone battery down during the day, this way you can make that all important call. Finally and most of all, enjoy the solitude, listen to the sounds of nature around you and unwind knowing that you have made every effort to have a safe fishing trip.
Tight Lines
Greg
