Feedback & Reports

Lovely beat with lots of adult mayflies about. Strangely not too many fish rising but those that were all gladly took imitation mays and a few speculative casts in likely spots also got the fish up. Tricky access and deep sections are worth the effort!

6 Trout

River becoming increasingly coloured as the morning progressed. Got a couple of early fish to dry fly but by 11:00 visibility was down to around six inches - so went home for lunch!

2 Trout

Interesting beat, first time for me and not as aware as I should of been about the type of beat. Very overgrown banks and not easy to get to the water. Should really have had lighter tackle but having said that it was a lovely afternoon. No fish, did see one rise and covered but no take. It is a beat that keeps you healthy with the climbing and scrambling but good fun when you get used to it.

Interesting beat, first time for me and not as aware as I should of been about the type of beat. Very overgrown banks and not easy to get to the water. Should really have had lighter tackle but having said that it was a lovely afternoon. No fish, did see one rise and covered but no take. It is a beat that keeps you healthy with the climbing and scrambling but good fun when you get used to it.

What a different day, overcast with heavy showers, river very coloured, very few olives hatching and no fish showing. Fortunate to be with guide Oliver Burch who knows this stretch very well with the best areas and access spots - some lovely beats but alas unable to interest fish in dries or nymphs.

6 x trout 6-15 inches, Deer Hair Emerger. A day changing gradually from warm to cool and then rain as an Atlantic front came over. A very few olive uprights, yellow mays, and later some true may flies, but little reaction on the surface from the fish yet. I found myself roaming up and down the beat looking for risers, although those found would usually take. As usual at Monnow Valley, I have a "big fish / great escape" story to tell. This one rose once upstream of my position and took my Deer Hair Emerger with a great swirl a few seconds later. There followed about two seconds connection after I set the hook, then one angry jump showing his impressive dimensions, and he broke the tippet. I suppose I was holding rather hard because he was right next to alder roots, but that will teach me to use adequate nylon!

6 Trout

A good day plenty of fly hatches but not many fish rising.

6 Trout

6 Trout

4 Trout

A short session late morning to mid afternoon. River looked good, but little to no evidence of fly life. Prospected with dry fly. First fish came from a likely lie. The second was a cast to one of only two rises spotted all day. A bit quiet but enjoyable none the less. A few areas have been noticeably modified by the winter floods in terms of depth and missing trees.

2 Trout