Just back from Pen-y-Chain

**Izzetafox** · 24-05-2008, 23:35

Well I have just got back from a great week at Hafan-y-Mor, the Haven site. Highly recommended as a site so long as you get as far away from the amenities and as close to the beach as possible.
Now at this point I should say the missus was just a little upset at me criticising how many clothes she had packed when she saw all the kayak/fishing gear I had crammed into the motor.
She none to politely told me that the holiday was to spend time with daughter, son-in-law and grandkids and that any fishing would be 'incidental. >

So.......we got there at 2pm unpacked and had a walk on the beach with kids, I just happened to clock that it would be only a two minute walk from caravan to beach. 5pm tea and I was on the water by 6.30.

Now I had been told that drifting around the rocky bay with lures large and small should produce bass. 3 hours later after dragging half a ton of floating weed out of the bay I decided to give it best.

Sunday evening just a gentle blow and it looked finr for a paddle round to Pen-y-Chain, ( Butlins Point) about a miles paddle.By now there was a bit of a chop on the water.
I was surprised when I got there that even though the rocks come to the water at dramatic angles I was only showing 20-24 ft.
I tried sandeel and mackie but could only find doggies, no matter how close I got to the rocks.
I moved out to about 200yds off the point and was a bit surprised at how the wind and chop had got up.
5 minutes later I realised how awkward it can be if you happen to get side on to the waves and shift your balance. Yup you guessed it ....my first dunking in the sea whilst fishing. I am glad I practised re-entries in rivers and lakes and was happy to get back on in less than a minute. I thought as conditions were only worsening that I should start the trip back. Disappointed but not fishless.

Monday night I decided to head for the Gimlet. I launched into a mill pond from just outside Pwllheli harbour.

I paddled round to about 300yds off the Gimlet.
First bait sandeel on a 6ft trace and 15 minutes later I was reward with my first ever huss, I would guess about 5lbs, I didn't realise how much more savage their teeth were than a doggies.

After that all I could get was doggies and a couple of flatties but I was happy.

I had four mackies in two drops on the shrimp rig and as I was only after bait I decided better to leave the rest for the guys struggling from the beach and rock.
Then again the wind decided to spoil the day, in 10 minutes it changed from mill pond to a decidedly choppy sea and I decided common sense should prevail and made my way back in.
Thursday night I decided to give Pen-y-Chain another try. I launched about 6.30 again into a millpond.
Paddled out and decided to fish about 300yds off in abot 25ft of water, this was about 3-4 hours before hw.

Dropped the first bait in, big mackie fillet. Again my first cast luck came up trumps. I nice if small thornback.

Is it just me or have thornback got thornier in the couple of years since I last caught one?

After that all I could get on the was doggies. So I gave the shrimp rig a try and was inundated with pin whiting.

But then as the light was fading I started catching these.

I was uncertain what they were, first though was immature gurnard,

but then I saw the black mark on the dorsal and the band on the tail.

Suddenly I thought WEAVER, I kept saying I was wrong but I still shook them off carefully with the pliers.
Better to be safe than sorry.

Well as twilight came I decided to end my week on this high note.
Through the week I had caught my first ever huss shore or boat, my first yak ray, gurnard/weaver. So It was a great week to be repeated next May and I cannot wait for Aberdaron in July and Sept.

Totals for week:
Huss 1
Thornback ray 1
Flatties 4
Doggies 13
Mackeral 7 ( for bait only)
Whiting 23
Gurnard/Weaver??? 10 (help!!!)

**wil2195** · 25-05-2008, 11:24

Its a red gurnard there not harmfull just very spiky. Looks like you had a good holiday

**dabcatcher** · 25-05-2008, 11:55

great report, sounds like you really enjoyed yourself. i,ll be down there next weekend for a week, cant wait. bet the huss was a struggle in the yak.

did you fish all night on the water?

**ed2** · 25-05-2008, 12:03

Very nice report and a good holiday for you!

**Izzetafox** · 25-05-2008, 15:20

Dabcatcher, only fished till dusk each session.
For info I launched from th pathway at the most easterly point of the campsite, area is called Waterside.
The bay looks very bass'y if conditions are right. The mackies are at the point and I am told triggers have also been caught there.

**thornbackflounder** · 25-05-2008, 18:28

wel done good report and good fishing

**pjh65** · 26-05-2008, 19:25

good report and very interesting.
where did you get your kayak?
how steady are fishing kayaks?
What type of rods do you use?
sorry for all the questions.
Paul...

**Izzetafox** · 27-05-2008, 12:54

PJH,
I got my kayak from Desperate Measures in Nottingham. They are a surprisingly stable fishing platform.
If you are interested go to either of these sites and you will see what guys have done with their kayaks and more importantly the safety aspects of fishing from a kayak.
I highly recommend it.

www.anglersafloat.co.uk
http://zebrakayak.proboards81.com/index.cgi which is the North Wales Kayak Fishing website.
Do a scan through the forums and the home pages and you will find a wealth of information

Cheers
Terry