Edwinsford Fishery - sea trout fishing in Wales on River Cothi (Towy)

EDWINSFORD SPORTING ESTATE, WALES -salmon and sea trout fishing in Wales

The EDWINSFORD Fishery Wales. Sea trout (sewin), salmon & sea trout fishing, with over four miles of private double bank fishing, just above Abergorlech, is probably the most significant and varied fishery on the Cothi and Towy (Tywi) catchment in Wales - the Cothi provides up to 40% of the total sea trout run in the Tywi (Towy) system. This is one of the best private fishing beats in Wales. Salmon can enter the Cothi in April (although the first salmon is normally caughtat Edwinsford in June) with grilse runs on any summer spate and an autumn run throughout September until the end of the season. Sewin (sea trout) will run the Towy and Cothi from the beginning of the season with the main run of sea trout starting during or after the first spate in May, and from this time they will be present at EDWINSFORD throughout the season although they may be difficult to tempt in low water unless night fishing. Although a spate river the Cothi holds up remarkably well after a flood with sustained fishing possible for 2 weeks if the ground is not too dry. Needless to say on nearly 4 and a half miles there is lots of variety with plenty of good fly fishing water and some more inaccessible pools where bait will be easier to fish. Edwinsford made the national angling press in early 1997 after the remains of a hen salmon, estimated to have weighed in excess of 50lbs, was found on the bank on the Home Beat. Scale readings indicated that this remarkable fish had spent year 1 in the river before returning to spawn on five separate occasions. Commenting, Dave Mee, the Environment Agency's Environmental Appraisal Officer for Fisheries in Llanelli said: "This is quite an exceptional fish because the majority of salmon die after spawning, with generally less than five per cent of the population returning to spawn for a second time - a one in 3 million chance. Current available information suggests that no salmon has been recorded in the UK that has completed more migrations than this fish". A cast of the fish (shown below) has been made using photographs taken at the time and with the help of an outline traced onto a board scarcely large enough to register its size. Who will catch her brother?

Beat 1 (10 named pools)

The top of the beat is just below a weir approximately three and a half miles north of Talley. The Weir Pool nearly always holds fish in the faster water while the pools down to Dolbont (one of the best night pools) often produce fish before the lower river after a spate. Here the river flows through a wide valley and is generally fished from the north bank with access from the road which follows the south bank or from a track across the fields. In very wet weather we will endeavour to assist with transport to the top of the beat if the track becomes too muddy for your car. Red kites are usually seen in this area and otters are frequently seen at dawn and dusk.

Home Beat (7 named pools)

Starting with Nikos, constructed in 1999 which has already yielded its first sewin and salmon and has transformed a featureless run which never produced fish in the past. 6 further pools including fast streamy water, slower glides and a deeper holding pool in front of the derelict mansion, give variety to this stretch.

Below the Upper Garden pool is a private stone bridge, which was rebuilt in 1788. This provides useful pedestrian access to the left bank and adds charm to the beat which has always been the most fished due to its proximity to the Edwinsford hamlet. Goshawks sometimes fly across the valley in this area.

Beat 3 (12 named pools)

Williams, the new pool also constructed in 1999 adds another dimension to this beat and has already produced some sea-trout although it was made to improve the salmon fishing! Matthews, below the weir, is now one of the leading pools in 2000. The Moelfre and Brynabon and Oak pools below the Corner consistently produce fish in most water heights. This beat often fishes well before dark, even in low water as the sun sets below the hill above most of the beat.

Beat 4 (8 named and many unamed pools)

Starting at The Willows, a wonderful streamy pool which has recently been modified the beat extends right down to Upper Hippies. After The Willows the river enters a deeper wooded valley of exceptional beauty and solitude, a private track along the river from Edwinsford being the only access. There are a number of smaller pools and runs waiting to be named after a successful captor. Gordons was only named in 1999 and has proved a revelation in low water.

Beat 5 (9 named pools)

Probably the most attractive part of the river as it skirts round the edge of Cwm Gwlau wood, this beat has a very special feel to it. Although access is good from the estate track, there is a sensation of total isolation in this part of the valley, A recent visitor commented that almost every yard of this beat was fishable! 5 new pools have created some deeper streamy water.

Beat 6 (8 named pools)

As this beat is the furthest from the hamlet it has been fished less than the other beats although access is now much improved. A number of more adventurous fisherman have already been rewarded with sewin from some of the new pools. This beat fishes longer after a spate although wading is tricky in high water. The new bottom pool, The Stump, is the first stopping place on the river for nearly half a mile.

The fishery was bought by the present owners at the end of the 1997 season. Records prior to this date are somewhat sketchy; one owner part-let the fishing to a syndicate while the most recent owner mainly fished only at weekends and the normally productive method of night fishing for sewin was seldom practised. In 1992, a wet year, over 350 sewin were caught with over 40 salmon in addition - it is encouraging that Dan Hawkins’ sewin in ‘98 was the earliest recorded sewin caught on the Edwinsford water within recent memory, and the first fish in ‘99, 2000 and 2004 were caught on the same date. However, being a smaller river the Cothi should have good water to fish well during the day and the fishing may be very challenging in daytime in low water - in 1998, our first letting year, catches started in earnest in early June although many fish were in evidence in May, with most sewin coming to the fly even if the worm might have been more productive. 1999 also started well with the first fish in April and a number of big fish, some in double figures, lost in the first half of May - this is undoubtedly the underestimated month and offers the best chance of a monster sewin. It has been noticeable that the stealthy and innovative fisherman has managed to catch more fish, especially in the most difficult conditions - an employee from the Environment Agency, fishing here in June ‘99, described the tail of Dolbont on beat 1 as “heaving with fish” and then proceeded to catch a lot! Sizeable shoals of good-sized sewin can sometimes be seen in several pools in low water and they are often catchable at night except on misty evenings - a decent sized sewin caught on the fly at night must rank as one of life’s greatest excitements! Settled water produces the best night fishing, and August is becoming the most productive month, possibly because anglers on family holidays can only escape after dark! The odd salmon is sometimes caught if we have decent water after mid-June although the main run is during September and October. The largest fly-caught sewin in ‘99 weighed in at seven and a half pounds, with one of six and a half pounds in 2000 and fish of over 9 pounds in 2003 and 2004 and a "monster" already lost in 2005. Many others in the 4-6 lb bracket have been caught caught. 2 sewin of over 7 pounds were caught in 2001 although fewer smaller “schoolies” were caught until the back end. Needless to say all fishermen are now required to record details of their catch and we have learned considerably from anglers’ reports.

Each party is usually given 2 beats (one upper & one lower) on a rotaing basis at dawn, cottages with only one angler may be asked to share 3 beats with one other angler. The river is seldom more than 30 yards wide and is easily fished with an 11foot single handed rod. A 12 1/2 foot double hander gives more line control for salmon in high water and a brook rod adds to the excitement in the wooded areas. Even a one and a half pound sewin is fun on light tackle. Light lines (preferably 6 or less) and long leaders are advised during low water conditions Very small conventional sea-trout flies work during the day with small one inch tubes and Waddingtons especially successful at night.

Edwinsford is also ideal for non-fishing family members. As the river is close to good accommodation, anglers can be independent if the rest of the family want to go sight seeing, go to the coast or on expeditions. In the summer months the fishing tends to be better early in the morning and for the last hour and a half before dark and into the night. This leaves the middle of the day free for the family. Evening barbeques by the river have been known to ruin intentions for night fishing!