The Jaudy & Guindy rivers
The Jaudy and the Guindy are also among those streams with a sweet spot in my heart as you can find them in close proximity to my parent’s home in Tonquédec, Côtes d’Armor. They have been my private playground and home to many experiment and apprenticeship, virtually since from day one of my fly fishing career. I know them intimately, have maintained contact, so to speak, and keep returning year after year. I can now offer their discovery to my customers who happen to spend some time in the region of Lannion in Trégor or those that have the discovery of fine fishing rivers in northern Brittany marked on their bucket list.
Caracteristics
The Jaudy (Yeodi in Breton) rises in the south of the Ménez-Bré (elevation 302 m) on the territory of the community of Louargat, at a location known as Pen-Jaudy. It empties into The Channel after a course of 44.2 km, flowing to the north for the most part. The average flow is about 1.6 m3 per second. The estuary forms at La Roche-Derrien and near Tréguier its waters mix with those of the Guindy, forming one of the prettiest abers in Brittany.
Its two main tributaries are the Théoulas, joining from the right hand side near Brélidy and the Guindy from the left hand side near Tréguier. The AAPPMA of Pontrieux manages the most interesting stretches of the Jaudy.
The Guindy is yet another coastal stream that rises at the foothills of the Menez Bré, highest elevation in Trégor. While its upper regions are quite similar to many streams on Trégor, the middle and lower sections are a lot slower. The Guindy drains a plateau separating the Leguer from the Trieux. Below Cavan, it meanders through meadowlands and harbors very pretty trout with fish in sizes over 30 cm. There are also migrating fish like salmon, lamprey and sea trout that use the stream as spawning grounds (likewise on the Jaudy), Jaudy and the Guindy forming a common estuary.
The AAPPMA of Lannion is managing the upper portion all the way to Pont Poyès, the AAPPMA of Tréguier does so on the lower reaches.
I will certainly keep the better spots to fish for myself here, to keep a certain degree of confidentiality, but I will gladly guide you there, should the need arise.
What I can tell you is the size of both streams: the Guindy is somewhat narrower in its fly fishing section than the Jaudy (3-to 4 meters versus 5 to 6 meters wide), yet both are populated by wild trout, sometimes in respectable sizes (40 cm). The bigger fish are mostly found in the slower sections that require a stealthy approach and specific fishing strategies. Stalking makes perfect sense here. Both streams can be fished while wading or from the bank, depending on the situation, with either short rods (7’0” to 8’0”) or longer rods as well (9’6” à 10’0”). There is also good fly fishing in faster water with freestone bottom (especially on the Jaudy) where fishing the rises or entire drifts can be particularly thrilling. Both streams have either rocky of silty bottoms with a healthy population of aquatic insects such as trichoptera and ephemeroptera with, oftentimes, great Danica mayfly hatches. Terrestrial insects play a major role in wooded sections as well.
I will take you there from May to the end of the season. Spring will be most favorable for good fishing, though, while the heat of summer dictates fishing during the early morning (dawn) and late evening (sunset) hours.
