Feedback & Reports

1 x 12" trout, 1 x 7" trout, 4 x grayling to 11".
Trout and 11" grayling to hares ear. 3 small grayling
to F fly. All fish returned. Enjoyed the river lots of
varied fishing. Saw one cormorant.

After setting off at 1.30am we arrived at 5am at the parking area, as reported it is a fair walk to the river but worth every step for the views. We went to the top end of the stretch to start off with, T, N and D fished the first field while I went to the next field facing the weir garden. I had a barbel at 7.30am about 6lb on elips pellet followed by a dace on corn. D had 1 chub at 8.30am of about 4lb on halibut pellet. It went quiet until 11.30am then N hooked a nice 7lb barbel and D got his second chub at noon 3lb. Weather became overcast and I got a 7lb barbel, brilliant condition. At 5pm N caught a chub 4lb on the worlds smelliest cheese paste followed by a 9lb 2oz barbel on pellet. He said it nearly pulled him in. He had 1 more barbel of 7lb at 7 30pm. T had gone stalking and got his rewards with a 7lb barbel and a 4lb chub between 6-8pm.
I had walked to the last field of the beat at 5.30pm and had 3 x 6lb ish barbel. It then started to drizzle so I went back to 1st stretch were it was fish heaven, 6 more barbel, biggest weighed at 9lb 4oz and 2 x 3-4lb chub that took my rod off the rest with wild bites. Got snagged a few times with underwater trees but thats where the fish were. Great beat, weather fantastic, plenty of swims to go at, river fairly low but overcast weather helped will be back here perhaps after pike. Thanks WUF.

A very bright and breezy day but we all caught in numbers, a total of 6 barbel and 18 chub on a mixture of meat or pellet. Best barbel 8lb+.

Late report, have been on holiday with no internet access. The fishery as beautiful as ever and Don friendly and informative as always. The fishing was a bit slow, weather not ideal as it was a bit too bright. However, about midday my wife caught her first ever barbel, a beauty of 9lbs 2oz and followed it with one of 5lbs about 2.00pm so one delighted lady. I had to wait until 5.00pm for my first bite but the wait was worth it as I landed fish of 8lbs 8oz, 10lbs 4oz and 8lbs 12oz between then and 6.30pm. Groundbait / pellet feeder and boilies wrapped in paste did the trick. All in all, another superb day on this fine beat. And hardly any canoeists, saints be praised.

2 x fingerling brown trout caught by Pumping Station on hairs ear nymph.

5 x trout 6-10 inches, small Klinkhammer and a Foam Beetle. A very bright sun, temperature down to 13 degrees and a cold wind which turned into a gale. It felt like a day in March and I struggled to cast in the gusts of wind. The open upper part was easier than the deep, very overgrown section at the bottom. Considering this beat was very thoroughly pruned in January, it's depressing how rapidly the shoots have come back. It's the nature of the Dore to wind through very deep holes between Alder trees and it is just not possible to wade right through the bottom section. You need to dive in and out of the access points across the wire fence here, fishing where you can. Only from the old brick Turnastone Court up to the top can you cover the whole stream properly.
Have a look in the church before you go. It's an interesting one with information about a former fishing vicar.

Managed four fish to hand and about six others were curious as well between 10am and 2pm. Fished an Adams throughout, biggest about 10" and scattered plenty of little ones on the flats. Pleasant day as usual in the Monnow system. Bit a fly life started about 1pm but had to fish school hours today.

Caught 2 chub on luncheon meat and 1 barbel of 5lbs on pellets. Lost another 3 barbel due to the sharp rocks snagging line during fight but a very pleasant day had again on a beautiful stretch of river and managed to get the car down to the river bank which saved a bit of a walk, though car grounded whilst joining the main road as very steep slope at gate, hopefully exhaust survived !!

11 Barbel to 8lbs 11oz. Evening session making the easy level walk up the beat from Glen Cottage. The steep rocky track was dry and perfectly do-able in 4x4, the Volvo saloon of the cottage visitors clearly made it too. The old railway stone pillars had 5 anglers fishing them, 2 on WUF Lower Ballingham bank and 3 on the Aramstone bank (adjacent to the WUF beat) and I made it 6 for a biteless while.
Away from the pillars was much more agreeable and so was the space and the solitude. Stunning evening vistas into the setting sun, with threatening black cells on a relentless, deliberate I would say, path towards me; you knew it was going to happen, and the same could be said of the fishing. Lovely beat.

Fishing the bottom pool after speaking to Don I caught my 1st babel within minutes of casting and caught 8 more all on pellet, biggest was 5lb and we had chub up to 3lb.