Many anglers enquire which items of tackle and equipment are best suited to fish the Teifi for Salmon and Seatrout. The information outlined below should help those who are just starting in the sport, and the experienced angler who wants to know which items of tackle to pack, prior to their visit.
Rod: 9'6" to 10' rated between 6 and 8 weight with a middle to tip action is ideal.
TRG Tip: Avoid "all through action" rods that cast like a "cows tail" they also tend to lack the power you need to bring a good fish under control quickly, particularly in the dark!
Lines: 80% of our Summer seatrout fishing is done with a floating line, although an intermediate and sinktip are useful additions.
TRG Tip: We use white lines which are more visible at night, and movement of the line can act as a good indication of a taking fish. We us the Lee Wolf Triangular taper lines. The new Snowbee XS floater is also a good buy.
Leader: A "stiffish" flurocarbon leader of a 9'6" to 10' of 8 and 10lb breaking strain is preferable.
TRG Tip: We use "sight free or seagar" which is available from Fishtec or Tightlines Direct.
Reel: Good Seatrout fresh off the tide demand respect. The ability to get the fish on "the Reel" quickly, coupled with the balance between the rod's action and the reels drag system is most important.
TRG Tip: A large Arbor reel gives three major advantages 1. Faster retrieve 2.wider spool, giving less line memory 3. A good disc drag system with a wide range of settings. Loop, Orvis and Vision carry a good selection of these types of reels.
Nets: All nets are cumbersome at night. They need to be carried on your back and out of the way until you need them. Gye nets are awkward when you are up to your waist in water.
TRG Tip: Foldover type 20-22" are more efficient to use.
Waders: Chest waders give you access to different pools, the ability to cross over the river and keep the "backside" dry when taking a break. Neoprenes can be too warm and breathables too cold – the choice is yours.
TRG Tip: We prefer the stocking foot type with separate felt sole boots. Simms, Scierra, and Snowbee cover the range at different prices.
Wading Jacket and Fly Vest: We travel light when night fishing, anything we can't carry on person stays in the car. Fly vests are relatively inexpensive but do need a secure zip pocket for anything valuable such as car keys etc. Invest in a "quality" breathable wading jacket with good storm cuffs.
TRG Tip: If you cannot afford both at the moment – get the wading jacket. When you do purchase the fly vest, make it a larger size so it can be worn over the wading jacket for easy access.
Torches: Buy 2 torches – mini-maglite worn round the neck for tying on flies etc and the next size up for seeing your way home!
Rods: The Teifi is not a wide river. Any rod longer than a 13ft double hander is more of a hindrance than help, in fact over the last two seasons the new switch rods have become more popular. When Grilse are the quarry a single handed 10ft weight 8 would suffice.
Flylines: Floater, Sinktip and Intermediate.
Leaders: Minimum of 15lb Breaking Strain and 10lb for grilse.
Nets: A Gye net is a good investment.
TRG Comment: The fishing tackle retail and manufacturing business is extremely competitive. To their credit, many of them offer the Angler numerous incentives and discounts every season. Not least of these being the various guarantees attached to their fly-rod sales. Unfortunately none of these are standard, varying from full replacement at anytime to part replacement with time constraints. We urge fellow anglers to check out precisely what they are covered for at the time of purchase and this includes items of clothing if found to be faulty.
We would be pleased to answer any further questions you may have with regards to tackle and equipment - and advise you of who to contact and where to obtain the best deals.