Hywel 'Painter'.

[Teifi-Terrorist]

It is with deep sorrow that I pass on the information that one of the infamous local characters, Hywel 'Painter', has passed away. Well known on the Teifi and the Aeron.

I'm not sure exactly when this took place, but PhilRich recently shared the information with me.

He was quite literally a worming legend! Even in recent years when his health was far from ideal he would sneak out 20 salmon in the poorest of seasons.

He was a joy to watch and joy to chat with. He was one of those real characters, full of stories but also full of knowledge that he would quite happily pass on, when het got to know you.

I'd enjoy catching up with Hywel throughout the season and asking him what his tally was for the season. I'm not sure if I ever got an honest answer from him. He would always have a twinkle in his eye and wry smile when he let his answer slip. This changed from one week to the next, sometimes increasing, sometimes decreasing.

When he saw me out guiding a client that would be the end of it "beth diawl ti'n neud mas da hwna! Paid dangos popeth i nhw cofia" roughly translated as; "what are you doing out with 'him', don't you show them everything mind!", as he chuckled away, worms ledgered below on a likely holding spot.

He will be missed of that I am certain. People like Hywel are a dying breed and when we are wise enough to sit and listen they have a wealth of information to share.

I shall be drowing a bunch or worms in his honour in Pwll Du this year! As I'm sure will Philrich.

Steff.

[Waddington]

Very sorry to read this Steff. My Dad was only saying to me the other day that he wanted to look up Hywel in the next few months - sadly this is too late now.

I can remember with great fondness as a boy, 'The Painter' giving me a lot of patient help worming at Rhydygalfe in the late eighties and early 90's. It certainly seemed to be a favourite spot of his. In those days Hywel was often there with his friend Cliff. Hywel in this period also helped a friend of mine, and fellow visiting angler, catch his first Salmon at Rhydygalfe. He often still talks about it as really 'The Painters' fish.

As you say Steff, a real character and a legend with a worm. I'm sure he will be sadly missed on the river. Dad, my brother and myself will always remember fondly those days spent with Hywel and be grateful for his friendly help.

My condolences to Hywel's family.
Phil

[steelheadnut]

I too was saddened by the death of Hywel on the 13th of February.
I was at the funeral on the 22nd, as were many of his friends and fellow fishermen, laid to rest but a stones throw from his beloved Teify at Cilgerran.
My deepest sympathy goes to Mags and family at this time.

I worked with Hywel on a few jobs over the years, and usually our conversations
turned to the fishing, and where we should go if the water was good, Vicars, Jacks, pwll du or Rhydygalfe to name a few on the Teify or maybe to the Aeron if the Sewin were running.
I remember one outing, he wanted to go down to pwll du on a Sunday morning, bright sunshine, clear water but there had been a few fish caught further down river during the previous week. I was a bit hesitant at the prospect and thought it was going to be a fruitless effort.
Anyway we duly arrived at the car park, Hywel with his worming gear and me with my (then) B&W hexagraph 14ft,er D/H. “A beth ty’n meddwl ddaly di gyda hona” (what do you think you’re going to catch with that). I told him I didn’t think either of us was going to catch anything, but thought I stood a better chance with my flies than he did with his worms.
We arrived at the pool, Hywel went to his usual spot in the trees and I said I would go to the top of the pool just over the footbridge into the field, ideal place, with plenty of room for the back cast. Freed my shrimp imitation from the ring and flicked it over the rushes to lie in the water inches from the bank, safe place for it while I looked for my favourite fly for that spot in my wallet. The shout goes up from the woods “co fe, ma un da fi”. I just couldn’t believe it, but there it was a nice fish of about 10lbs, Hywel wasn’t one for messing about, 27lb+ breaking strain(fishing light that day :>)
“Well I ti anghofio’r flei na sy’ ‘da ti” (you’d better forget that fly you have on) he said, with a wry smile. “Paid a becso good boy”( don’t you worry) I said “fydd in da fi erbyn cyrreidda I nol ‘dar ialen” (I’ll have one on by the time I get back to the rod)
was my reply. Off I go to change my cast. Before I reach the rod he’s into another, a smaller one this time. Won’t say what was going through my mind at the time, but there wasn’t an almighty splash, and he stayed dry, even the gods were not listening to my mutterings.
Arrived back with my rod, sorted a cast out, picked the rod up only to find I had hooked a salmon, well, the fish hooked itself really. It had taken the fly into it’s mouth and stayed tight into the bank, with no pressure on the line I presume the fish had no reason to go ballistic, until I picked up the rod.
What a morning watching Hywel having a wonderfull time with his fish, and me, not even having the pleasure of hooking my own fish.
I don’t think anyone really knew what Hywel’s catch figures were for any one year.
He was a fisherman of the old school of thought. Catch and release was alien to him, although he did put some back but fishing for Hywel was a hoby and to put food on the table as well.
He will be greatly missed by me and many others.

Pob hwyl gyfaill, gobeithio fod y pysgota’n dda lle’r wyt .

Cap

[Teifi-Terrorist]

Thanks Phil & Cap, great to read - great to read those stories Cap, that was Hywel all over!!! :> Some great memories and memories that will keep Hywel alive in memory for many seasons to come.

Steff.

[Philrich]

Very sad news indeed.

I had the pleasure of fishing with Hywel on several occasions on pwll du. Without his help I could still be fishing that pool in all the wrong places as every aspect of it looks so appealing.

But he gave his time and patience to show/teach me every single potential holding spot. Lets face he didnt have too. But during the time I got to know him there would always be an entertaing story, in-line with the tutorial. In all fairness its difficult to tell just one that sticks out, but the story about winding up the bull is a classic. I`m not going to give full details, but it stil makes me laugh out loud :>

He was old school, proper old school, he had no time for fancy equipment or even enjoying playing a fish it was simply get in and dispatch it(not all the time though) . A 19lber he caught a few seasons back was simply reeled in.

Without his help I would not have the knowledge I have on several pools on the river, not just pwll du. He always knew when there was slightly too much water for a given pool and where your efforts would be better placed.

I`ll look forward to spending a few hours on pwll-du this season drowning a worm or two and sharing the experiences I had with him.

Roll on the first Salmon of the season, it`ll be returned and hopefully he wont be looking down in disgust :>:>

Philrich

[steelheadnut]

Very sad news indeed.

I had the pleasure of fishing with Hywel on several occasions on pwll du. Without his help I could still be fishing that pool in all the wrong places as every aspect of it looks so appealing.

But he gave his time and patience to show/teach me every single potential holding spot. Lets face he didnt have too. But during the time I got to know him there would always be an entertaing story, in-line with the tutorial. In all fairness its difficult to tell just one that sticks out, but the story about winding up the bull is a classic. I`m not going to give full details, but it stil makes me laugh out loud :>

He was old school, proper old school, he had no time for fancy equipment or even enjoying playing a fish it was simply get in and dispatch it(not all the time though) . A 19lber he caught a few seasons back was simply reeled in.

Without his help I would not have the knowledge I have on several pools on the river, not just pwll du. He always knew when there was slightly too much water for a given pool and where your efforts would be better placed.

I`ll look forward to spending a few hours on pwll-du this season drowning a worm or two and sharing the experiences I had with him.

Roll on the first Salmon of the season, it`ll be returned and hopefully he wont be looking down in disgust :>:>

Philrich

Nice one Philrich, he won't be looking down, he'll beat you to the pool :> :>
Cap