Canol Fisheries - Wild Welsh water.

I visited Canol Fisheries which is situated in Felindre, Swansea. It is a beautiful location encompassed by the valley and wild Welsh countryside. 

The lake has been left in a fairly wild state itself with an abundance of weed (broad-leaved pondweed) allowing only a handful of spots to be fished. There is a healthy habitat here for the local wildlife, being surrounded by natural springs and copses of trees. There were a mixture of damsel and dragonflies, a recent spawn of toads and the obligatory red kite. 

Small Toad!

Spot the kite.

There is low angling pressure at this venue which may be due to its isolated location and non-commercial status, leaving the fish in good condition and full fighting fetter. The hardcore carp anglers would most likely be put off by the fairly clear water, I believe this adds to the challenge if targeting the common, mirror and grass carp. There are resident tench however, that are known to flourish in the clear water, Canol also hosts a head of bream.

On arriving at Canol I parked up and surveyed the venue. I was initially concerned by the cover of weed which covered three quarters of the lake making only certain areas fishable, I wondered how an excess of vegetation would effect the fish. I walked the perimeter and saw little sign of fish, non whatsoever in fact, even with the clear water. 

Ascended perspective.

Excess weed?

I chose a spot that was opposite a clear stretch of water flanked by weeds either side. 

Spot of choice.

I set up a running hair rig baited with normal sweet corn adjoined to a false rubber grain, I cast this in front of me into about 5ft of water. 

Simple rig.

I set up my other rod with a crystal float set at a foot short of the lake bed next to the weeds to my right, this baited again with corn. My plan was to scope out the abundance and species of fish in this swim. I had no bread or maggots which in hindsight was a mistake, I believe a few red maggots are a very good candidate to lure most freshwater species.

The float had some tentative bites then went under, I struck and found myself connected to a tench of approximately a pound, it fought fairly hard for its size but I managed to lose it in the pond weed. I continued with the float laying down a light mix of halibut ground bait, hemp seed and a spattering of chilli sweet corn. 

All went quiet with no action on either rod, only small line bites on the hair rig, with the float dead. I decided to change tactic slightly and changed the float for a hair rig baited with floating sweet corn. This seemed to work as time passed with increasing movement on both rod tips (one a carp broom handle, the other a quiver tip). Again all went quiet and I started to despair. I literally put my head in my hands and as I did this I had a screaming run on the carp rod, I struck and connected to what felt like a very powerful fish. I had to bully it which I don’t like doing as it was heading straight for the cover of the pond weed. The fish was bending the rod in two, I wasn’t worried as the rod was equipped with 8lb Korda Subline connected to braid hook link and a  strong Gardner hook. However pride comes before a fall, something gave and I lost the fish. The braid had given way, of all things I would not have expected this. I believe there was a weakness in its length somewhere, the hook was gone with the fish. It wasn’t the knots as I tie five turn grinner knots which have never failed me, yet (touchwood). 

Feeling rather deflated I mused on the ‘one that got away’ as you do in these circumstances. I genuinely believe it felt above the 15lb mark, which would have made my week. To rub salt in my wounds another fisherman turned up and caught a 12lb common within ten minutes. Still eager to sniff out one of these pristine fish I continued with the same methods up to dusk, I saw a few fish rising on the surface but the dark shapes ignored all my free offerings. 


About an hour before dark I had another screaming run on the carp rod which, I let it go a few seconds then struck. I felt instant opposition on the reel which felt all wrong-the line had wrapped round the spool! I struggled to unravel it to little effect as the fish was lost, another one! I had no idea of the size as it fled before I could connect.

I finished the session without getting my net wet but having learnt two important lessons: 

•  always check the integrity of the line and knots
•  always check the reel and line lay

The owner mentioned that he has started on another lake nearby, he has stocked it with small carp and trout at present. I left a report in the car park drop box detailing my struggling session. The other fisherman had two decent carp and a nice tench, which he was fishing for.

I am going to visit the venue again very soon, to finish what I had started, I want a rematch with ‘the BIG one that got away’.