Feedback & Reports

Weather conditions were not favourable - Rain set in at 0900 and continued until about 1800. Wind was gusty and variable. I arrived at 0600 and fished until 0930 using a duo with an elk hair dry and small black gold bead nymph on the point. Caught one small Grayling. Very few fish showing on the surface, although the water remained clear despite the recent rains. Stopped fishing at 0930 but returned again at 8pm hoping for an evening rise as the weather was by then dry and clear. Still very little surface activity, and I blanked and went home at 9.30pm.
Despite my relative lack of success I was still delighted with the Grayling as I haven't caught one since fishing as a boy in Yorkshire in the mid 1960s!
It was a real treat to fish on a beautiful small river in a glorious location, despite the weather and I found wading quite comfortable up to about thigh depth.
I think this would be a fabulous place to fish in the right conditions and would definitely go back for another session or two if I get the opportunity in the future.
One small point of concern was the forbidding sign saying "Private Property Keep Out" on the gate at the entry to the beat...caused me to re-consult the map before determining that it must be the right way to go. I think the Foundation should put a sign on there to reassure newcomers like me that they are entitled to access the river through that gate.
Many thanks to the helpful people at the Foundation who gave good and willing advice, and pointed me to the ideal venue for a days trout fishing- shame about the weather though.

1 Grayling

River quite clear, a couple of good hatches where fish were taking from the surface especially right at the bottom of the beat and near the top. Got better towards evening. Grayling caught pretty much by accident about 2 feet from where I was fishing as I was reeling in to head off to the pub.

2 Trout, 1 Grayling

1 Chub

Weather was fairly kind and only rained for a few minutes. Slight breeze. Water still a bit coloured but clearer than it was a couple of weeks ago. Wading is easy - but suggest having a wading stick as the river bed not visible.
18 WBT all in good nick and safely returned. Best was 12".
All caught either on a soft hackle dry or black magic nymph 20" under a life jacket elk hair caddis (all flies from Jon Barnes) also and 2 small grayling on soft hackle dry, plus a decent lunch at the pub. Added to which - good company from JH so a great day out.
Used 10ft 4wt all day - seemed about right for me.

18 Trout, 2 Grayling

Second time on this excellent beat, humid and overcast day but thankfully no rain. Similar to a few weeks ago, there was not much fly activity and few fish rising. I managed 16 trout and 1 grayling from a mix of the faster head waters and slower glides - missed a fair few too. Two of the larger fish caught were stocked browns - all fish returned safely. Spotted two kingfishers (or one bird twice) which is always nice.
Fish took a mix of drys (elk hair caddis, parachute adams, blue wing olive) and a medium weighted ptn in the faster water. Best fish was about 1 1/4 lb from the pool below Skenfrith bridge, fought like a fish twice the size.
All in all a very good day and pleasant lunch with fellow angler BS.

16 Trout, 1 Grayling

Fish were taken on size 14 Grey Dusters and sedge patterns. Dusters were fished static but the sedges proved more effective when moved. All fish were released, best around 1lb 6oz. River was running slightly coloured. We both really enjoyed the experience and will definitely return.

9 Trout

My first time on the Monnow and certainly not the last. An excellent day on a lovely beat in spite of the late afternoon rain. I arrived to find another angler tackling up and was hoping to get a few tips but Sod's law, it was Brian's first time here too!
There is a nice mix of fast water, deeper pools and long slower glides but today the water was pretty coloured. There was not much fly life today and rises were sporadic. I managed 9 fish on a mix of dry and duo, with an elk caddis and ptn, fished on my 9ft 4wt. Another half a dozen hooked but not brought to net so a great day's sport (minor interruption from two black labs and an owner throwing sticks in the river).
Thanks to Brian, who was great company and good conversation over a sandwich lunch and pint at the Bell. Will definitely be booking this beat again - thanks WUF.

9 Trout

12 Trout

Lovely stretch of water with good variation that should keep you busy for the whole of the day.
The weather was warm and overcast with rain starting in late pm/early evening. I used a 10ft 3wt all day.
Shame the river was so very coloured - for example I was wading at just above the knee deep and was not able to see my feet. Not knowing the water; I was pleased I had my wading stick with me for the deeper sections. I met one of the land owners who said that there had not been much rain and couldn't understand why it was so dirty. It was more like Bisto in the slower stretches.
There were sporadic fly life throughout the day but very few fish rising. There were better hatches in the late evening.
Stuck with dries most of the time to see what I could get to rise and unexpectedly managed 12 WBT.
All in good nick and safely returned. The best was about 11 inches.This was more by "prospecting" than casting to a rising fish. Elk Caddis and CDC mays/emergers proved best. Left the water at 9pm when the rain was too much to bear.
Excellent company from fellow angler and lovely lunch at The Bell.

12 Trout

The day was hot and bright, with little evidence of fish or fly until the evening. But at about 7.30, after dinner at The Bell, we stood on the bridge and offered a libation (in the form of a small quantity of bitter) to Adipe, the Fish Sage, who was revered and consulted by the ancient Mesopotamians (Adipe is believed to have been a giant Tigris carp, said to have come from the waters beneath the waters).
Soon a few mayfly, yellow may duns and smaller flies began to leave the water, and there were occasional splashy rises. By 9pm, the air was thick with yellow may duns, though the rising was still quite sporadic. We caught some beautiful and hard-fighting fish (though up to only 3/4lb) on mayflies, duck's dun, yellow may imagos and emergers. The action slowly tailed off, but there was still the occasional rise at 10.
I now see that I should have tipped the whole pint in. Then there would have been a spinner fall and a feeding frenzy.

8 Trout