The venues are described from south to north.

BORTH HEAD

A flat, gullied reef extends out from below Borth Head for 20-100m. It is accessible for a couple of hours either side of low water - take care not to get cut off. It is fishable in winds up to Force 4 but care must be taken to watch out for rogue waves especially if there is a ground-sea running. Realistically it is best fished in calm conditions: if there is any movement in the water the beach is just as good. To get there just park near Upper Borth and walk out southward under the headland, or alternatively walk up over the headland and down to the cove of Aberwennol before turning north or south under the cliffs. Keep away from the cliffs though - they are loose and rockfalls do happen!

This is a popular bass area in the summer, but is hardly fished in winter and has potential both for whiting and codling. One day I'll get round to trying it! Dogfish are present all year round, especially during April-November, and the doggies guzzle any baits fished on the bottom. For this reason most anglers prefer to float-fish or use lures for the bass: even so this is one venue where doggies can be caught on float-fished baits. There is good clean-ground fishing off the reef to the S of Aberwennol cove on larger tides: fish baits have produced grey and tub gurnard and greater weever during summer 2003.

For float-fishing for bass, use peeler crab (a bit scarce locally) or prawns, which can be netted in the rock-pools from May onwards in most seasons. When conditions permit, this is a very pleasant form of bass fishing in which light tackle may be used.

As well as dogfish, expect odd strap conger (potential for larger fish!) and rays to large bottom-fished baits, especially at night. Huss, tope and monkfish ought to be a possibility here too: certainly worth a try sometime, I keep telling myself!! If planning a night trip, a daytime recce is vital in order to identify less snaggy areas: consider using a rotten-bottom as there is a fair amount of submerged rock and kelp, especially in the section straight under Borth Head.

In high summer, mackerel shoal within casting range and pollack and small wrasse are also a possibility. I wouldn't be that surprised to see the odd black bream or two being caught off these marks either.

BORTH BEACH TO YNYSLAS POINT

The rocks of Borth Head give way to flat sand for three miles northward, with ancient beds of peat with tree stumps sometimes visible (the 7000+ year-old Fossil Forest), especially after storms have scoured the sand away. The beach is shallow and holds a good surf - which attracts surfers. Shallow gullies are temporary features but hold fish when present. It may be accessed at several points in Borth or from the golf-course crossing carpark at Ynyslas Turn (charge in summer).

This is a food-rich beach in its lower reaches. Razorfish, black lug and a host of small bivalves, crabs, shrimps and fish inhabit these lower areas - and shellfish can be washed up in their hundreds after a big storm. The razors were decimated in April 1986 by a combination of severe frost and low spring tides, after which they washed up in drifts feet deep. The black lug are not abundant and are hard to dig.

(below) Borth Beach at low water - good for sunsets even when the fishing isn't much cop!

The beach holds a variety of fish species: according to the time of year it can produce bass, flounder, dab, dogfish, mackerel, rays, turbot, whiting, rockling and occasional codling and sole. It is sometimes heavily netted in the winter but is clear in the summer, due to a local well-enforced bylaw.

The beach fishes best after a bit of an onshore blow has calmed down, when the fish will be quite close in, in the water-tables. Long periods of flat calm are poor, especially in mid-summer. Both the flood and ebb produce, but local opinion favours low water up for bass. The period January-March can be pretty quiet. At times, especially during spring tides after storms, weed can drive you round the bend! The beach fishes by day and night, but in the tourist season expect better results at night, when the sea isn't full of swimmers.

(below) - Borth, January 1990 - definately a non-fishing day!

For all species, a simple 2-hook paternoster rig seems to work. Use size 1 to 3/0 hooks, depending on the size of bait. For the bass, most anglers use blow lug, ragworms or razorfish. However, larger bass (not at all common these days) take big fish or squid baits. My best, at 71/2lb, in August 2001, took a whole Calimari squid. Frozen sandeels also score here, and the rays like these too.

Most of the rays are of the Small-Eyed variety and range up to around 10lb, with most much smaller. Although a bit inconsistent (2002 much better than 2004 for instance), when they are about they are fun to catch (and return) on light tackle.

Small, palm-sized turbot are common and can be avoided by using sizeable mackerel baits which they can't swallow. Larger turbot are much rarer and are always a noteworthy catch. Ammo blast-frozen mackerel fillet is the deadly bait for these, if you want to give them a try - but be prepared for a few blanks, or a lot of dogfish! During one session last year, after a bit of a struggle and to the disbelief of spectators, I reeled in a 5lb small-eyed ray on the top size 1 hook (on lug) and a 4lb turbot on the bottom hook. Despite hours of trying I have yet to repeat this feat!!

Flounders are most common during the autumn and spring and obligingly take any bait they can get into their mouths. Worms are preferred - tipped off with mackerel or squid. Sole are rarely caught on small lug baits at night. In late autumn, whiting in reasonable numbers can show over high water on bigger tides, with dab, rockling and occasional codling.

Every year I have caught occasional 25-30cm tope at low water in July. One day I will try a large bait in late June, at night on a low-water spring tide, to see how far they have strayed from their mothers! Worth a go.

(below) - a decent-sized turbot from Borth Beach, 2002

DYFI ESTUARY

The estuary is accessible from both the south (Ynylas Dunes car-park, a bit of a trudge but peaceful) and the north (Aberdyfi - pay and display carpark, shorter walk, lots of dog-walkers). There are also some good marks reachable via the "Roman Road" footpath leading up the estuary from Aberdyfi towards Picnic Island, which may also be accessed from the main Machynlleth-Aberdyfi road (parking very limited). All offer the potential for good fishing when rough weather is affecting the open beaches. All venues seem to fish better when there's a bit of a chop on the water. It is one venue that can produce some fish in an easterly, if you can bear getting frozen!

Anglers should note that boat-fishing within the estuary for bass, and boat fishing using sandeels for bait, are illegal as it is a nursery area, but shore-fishing is permitted at present. Often full of windsurfers and waterskis, but the fish seem used to these, although at the peak of the holiday season better results can be had by night-fishing. The main channel is closer to the Aberdyfi side, with a smaller south channel fishable from Ynyslas. Don't venture too far out onto the sandbanks, especially when the tide is flooding, and also watch out for patches of quicksand. You're better off fishing from Terra Firma into the main channels.

The estuary has a resident population of flounders (averaging about 1lb) and eels and is an important holding-area for seatrout and salmon waiting to run up the river. From early spring to late autumn, bass (with a lot of undersized schoolies) and mullet are present. A few plaice are also taken in spring and occasional turbot in late summer. Mackerel shoals invade on big late-summer tides. October and November see dogfish (in plague proportions at times), dab, whiting and a few 1-2lb codling. The flounders go off to spawn in early Spring and this is a quiet period. Watch out for lesser weevers! - and take care to unhook and return the small school-bass, which can be common and are illegal to keep. Fisheries officers do patrol this area - you have been warned.

(below) - the Estuary from the air with the tide fairly well in. Ynyslas is on the S side and you can park on the sand S and W of the Leri. The walk out to the point and the South Channel can be a bit of a trudge!! For excellent aerial photos of marks all over the UK why not try Multimap.

There are two ways of tackling this mark. Fish either side of low water on any tide or try a quick session over high water and the first few hours of the ebb at Aberdyfi on neaps. At full flood or ebb on spring tides, the ever-present floating weed can make all marks unfishable. Outside of these times, a 4-oz Breakaway-type lead is normally adequate.

In terms of baits, this is a very seasonal venue. Use peeler crab in spring-early summer, then switch to worms or sandeels in summer through to late autumn, with worms and razorfish working well in the autumn-winter. For the flatties, add some attractor beads. Crabs can be a nuisance, present all year round but really annoying in the summer! Aberdyfi's wooden jetty is crowded with crab-fishing holidaymakers on sunny summer afternoons. They can remove baits in minutes, but if they suddenly stop this activity that is a hint that the bass have arrived - always an exciting moment. Spinning ought to work well here, but the floating weed usually messes things up. I've never tried fishing here for mullet but have seen plenty, especially in the Afon Leri. They run up this small river, with a few bass, up past the boatyard and railway bridge. I've had bass here to 4lb in the dim and distant past on 12g silver Toby lures in the past, on really big spring tides at slack high and the first of the ebb, but it's a snaggy bottom.

TREFEDDIAN-TYWYN

Another 3-mile stretch of flat sand, backed by dunes and reachable from Aberdyfi, from a car-park and footpath by the cemetery on the Tywyn road, and from the south end of Tywyn prom. This beach is very similar to Borth, with the same species, and the same comments apply, although it is usually much quieter, due to the longer approach walks involved. It is netted by local fishermen in places. The southern end, by the Dyfi Estuary's outer banks, is one popular area, while closer to Tywyn there is a stream crossing the beach, its outfall protected by weed-covered boulders and this is a good place to try, although small eels may be a nuisance. The Welsh shore-caught record turbot of 10lb came from this beach some years ago. I've only had small, palm-sized ones here - just my luck!!

(below) - Tywyn beach in summer, lookging S from the southern end of the prom, where it starts getting shallower.

TYWYN-TONFANNAU

Deeper water close in and steeply shelving beaches leading down to broken ground with stone and weed patches bring about a subtle change from Tywyn northward. Reef-loving species here mix with sand-loving ones and Tywyn can produce good mixed bags. The area just off Tywyn prom is very popular and there is usually someone fishing there every day, except in the depths of winter. Easy access, free parking and the "craic" add to the popularity. At the northern end, access is via a car-parking area by the Afon Dysinni and a path which leads under the railway bridge over the river and out across to the sea. Don't be tempted to take a shortcut across the railway!

There is usually some surf present, and if there is a ground-sea running big swells crash up the beach over the top of the tide. These can put the fish down and in such conditions it is best to fish over low water.

(below) - Tywyn, N end of prom, 27 Oct 2002 - in some conditions it's best not to fish at all!!

The following species can turn up here: flounder, dogfish (all year round), bass, mullet, turbot (spring-late autumn); small-eyed ray, pollack, lesser weever, grey gurnard, mackerel and occasional black bream, (summer-early autumn) and whiting, poor-cod, pouting, codling (generally in the 2-4lb range), rockling and dab (autumn-winter). Bull huss and conger have also been caught on occasion at range. Febuary and March tend to be quiet here.

Paternoster gear will do for most species, but use larger baits for bass, codling and rays. Lug, rag, mackerel, sandeel and squid are the most popular baits here. A Breakaway-type lead helps combat the strong lateral tide-run which sweeps the beach. There are some snags below the low-tide mark, so take a few spare sinkers. Spring tides with a lot of weed in the water are unfishable. Best conditions occur with a moderate sea running and if you happen to be there after a storm but without the floating weed, give it your best - these conditions bring the fish in. Flat calms are less productive, except for whiting, and easterlies put a real dent in the results. Night fishing is better for most species.

This beach is the most reliable whiting venue out of the ones listed here and some good catches may be taken in October and November if the conditions are not too rough or the easterlies haven't set in. 2001 was excellent, my best bag being 20 whiting and 30 dogfish in a very hectic session: 2002 has been a damp squib by comparison due mainly to bad weather throughout November, with 3-4 fish bags the norm when it has been possible to get out. 2003 was better with the fish staying on into February and 2004 has been OK but with lots of small ones. A 1lb whiting is a good one at this mark.

The codling are unpredictable (especially over 2004-5 when very few have been reported at all), with best results during rough weather, if the dreaded weed can be avoided. Locals living on the sea-front and able to get out at the moment conditions become favourable always do best! The few codling that I've taken have mostly been on deliberately-targeted lug-squid baits or on mackerel strips intended for whiting. My best (6.5lbs) taken in December 2003 had swallowed a whole five-bearded rockling that had been attacking a small bit of lug! Frozen peeler would also be worth experimenting with.

At Tonfannau, the Afon Dysinni flows out to sea right by a boulder-bank, the Sarn Y Bwch Causeway. In addition to the aforementioned species, this is a very popular spinning venue for bass on summer evenings. As at all of these venues, carefully release any undersize bass - you may be approached by a Fisheries bailiff wanting to inspect your catch, and they will act if anyone is found with undersized fish. Tonfannau is also a good dolphin and seal-spotting venue in the summer. It's a bit spooky at night if you are alone!

I hope that this information has been useful and that you enjoy your fishing down here. I can't guarantee fish, but at least if you know what is potentially about then you're in with a chance!

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words and images (except Dyfi Estuary) copyright John Mason 2003

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