Junction beat on the Welsh Dee, July 2022

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A morning spent on the Junction beat of the Welsh Dee

[@simonartley1645]

A beat Ive made a few casts at ....and many more downstream Welsh Dee still has its moments with Salmo Salar...much casting and hoping and careful wading. Springers are a great rarity and have been for many too many years ...but a Stinchar Stoat or Ally's shrimp can be a great help in summer autumn.... Simon Artley Manchester

[@jpsflyfishing]

I've only ever had a few Salmon from fishing in Wales but when it's fishing well, it's great and like fishing any decent Salmon river. Don't think I will bother this year though, unless I get offered a rod on a decent syndicate, I will try to head north instead to make up for it. Tight lines

[@auldwader]

Lovely looking river and looks like you had an exciting day. I enjoy your videos, no stupid pipe music or drone footage. Keep doing what you're doing mate.

[@jpsflyfishing]

Thanks Paul, hope you’re having a good season too

[@oldsmugglerflyfishing]

Hello JPS! You were fishing a beautiful river and made nice casts. Can you tell about your equipment? I mean rod and line setup. All the best.

[@jpsflyfishing]

It's a Shakespeare oracle switch rod with a guideline bullet line, I fish it with a 5 foot tip and long tapered leader.

[@oldsmugglerflyfishing]

@@jpsflyfishing Thanks!

[@aaronwilliamwallace]

Is that a 7/8wt Shaky switch? If so my eyesight must be good. I read the comment saying you had a guideline bullet line. What weight was it? The heaviest Bullet is the 9wt (310 grains). A 7/8wt switch rod will load with about 400 grains. Therefore, if this is true, your line will not be properly loading the rod (for Spey casts). If you'd like a more enjoyable experience with this rod then a heavier line to match the rod would be needed (400 grains for a 7/8wt switch rod). This is only true for Spey casting though. If you're doing overhead casts with it a 400 grain head will overload it, so in that case the line you have is a good compromise. Cheers, Aaron.

[@jpsflyfishing]

Yes, it’s the 7/8 Shakespeare switch rod. I find the 9 weight bullet line excellent to do both Spey and overhead casting but will give a heavier line a try when I get the chance.

[@aaronwilliamwallace]

1:52 don't strike for salmon. It just pulls the fly out of their mouth. I used to do the same. Just let the salmon take the fly and it will hook itself, then you can slowly lift the rod. They stay on a lot better if you don't strike. OPST has a video up about setting the hook for salmon. Tight lines!

[@jpsflyfishing]

Thanks for your tips. I was fishing a loop here so the fish has already taken half a yard of line but maybe lifting more gently could have hooked the fish better.

[@aaronwilliamwallace]

@@jpsflyfishing Okay, I know a lot of people do this. I hold the line as it comes off the reel and feel the take that way. You can feel the line tighten and the fish headshaking and then you lift slowly. Works for me anyway. I used to lose most of my fish before I started doing this.

[@jpsflyfishing]

@@aaronwilliamwallace nice, I do different techniques depending on the speed of the drift and water flow rate but it’s that take you’re describing is always the magical moment. Tight lines

[@MrKveite1]

@@aaronwilliamwallace Even better is if you make a cast, adjust the break until the river pulls line then 1 cllck at the time strenghten the break until the river no longer takes line and start fishing. do NOT touch the line and do NOT use a loop. let the fish take line straight from the reel. That makes the fish able to turn to go back towards it's holding spot and when you lift it will hook in the scissors pretty damn near every time.