These are two of Snowdonias most scenic llyns. They swarm with tourists in fine weather, but this morning (29th May) it was raining, that sort of fine, non-stop stuff that soaks into your very pores. So they were deserted. As a fisherman this suited me just fine.

Fishing llyn dinas – the lake of the fort

I was on Llyn Dinas, after picking up a day ticket at 8.00am for £15 from the post office in Beddgelert. It was flat calm, and I was expecting to see some rises, but I didn’t. I worked round the East Side of the llyn, stepping and casting as I went. A good breeze had picked up; from experience these conditions often produce capital sport. I must have carefully fished a good half a mile of bank, and all I had to show for it was one sharp pull. A sign at least that there were some fish here! The water of llyn dinas was gin clear, weedy in places but almost sterile in appearance with no insect life to be found on the water or in the margins. It seemed odd.

I decided to head to Llyn Gwynant which is a few miles further up the valley on the same ticket.

Fly fishing llyn gwynant – Lake of the white stream

Conditions were similar here. Crystal clear water with the odd discarded beer tin or child’s Wellington boot clearly visible on the bottom! Here I spent another two hours fruitlessly casting my fly line. At least on Gwynant I saw a singular rise – but nothing took an interest in my flies, not a single pull or swirl. I’d fished a lot of water in perfect conditions and covered it well. The lack of action was strange, but perhaps I’d come on the wrong day. Or maybe there aren’t that many fish in these llyns. Still, it was another two llyns ticked off and the scenery was superb, despite the rain.