Feedback & Reports

5 Barbel, 2 Chub

Blank. A couple of hours this morning looking at lower Monnow pools. Nothing seen or risen - a few late mayflies still around. However (reasons to be cheerful), although the level is still very low and the bottom covered with slime, that brown stain has gone from the water. And it's raining, so things can only get better!

Fished from 7am until 1pm, when the heavens opened and I made a tactical withdrawal.
Fished upstream of bridge first where I landed the 2 trout and a solitary grayling. Fished French leader and nymphs.
Saw a lot of signal crayfish remains at the top of the beat, presumably the otters. Lifting a couple of rocks revealed plenty of others too.
Went back to car at 10 for a coffee, residents of cottage were just leaving, so was able to have a go at the water at the front of the cottage for the first time ever.
Landed another 11 grayling, this time on a mix of dry and duo.
At one point an otter swam across in front of me, underwater, no more than 6 foot away. It went into the reeds on the bank, where I assume it's young were as they proceeded to squeal with delight.
All grayling in the 6 to 8 inch range, both trout about 8 inches.

2 Trout, 12 Grayling

Water was low, but had the company of heavy rain showers during the day (most unusual considering the warm summer weather of late). Fished a team of beaded nymphs and caught 7 brownies, the best being about half a pound. Lost two better ones when each threw the hook by leaping from the water. Tried a klinkhammer, half an hour before the end, couldn't connect on the only take.
Lovely beat, bedrock was clearly showing, although very slippery in places. Lots of birdlife, herons, kingfishers, swans and a gaggle of geese paddling around. A beat to come back to for sure.

7 Trout

The river was very low and it rained all day, so not the ideal conditions. Some pegs were treturous due to the slippery mud. The fish weren’t really interested until the sun moved around behind the trees at about 7pm, but thankfully they turned up and i caught [and lost] a few. Hopefully the weather will be a bit kinder on my next trip down!

3 Barbel, 1 Chub

River running low due recent dry conditions. However, when we turned up we had a torrential down pour that set the tone for the whole day. At the end of the day some of the steep banks were getting slippery.
Enjoyed a great day as always on the Wye. Had 2 barbel 8:02 and 4:08 and a chub of around 4lb. All on feeder tactics

2 Barbel, 1 Chub

Rained all day. Good to be out though. No fish this time but will be back again.

3 Chub

The first decent amount of rain was very welcome but not enough to raise or colour the water, although very windy the sun did appear if only for a brief spell, despite this I was very pleased with my first summer trip on the Wye and did manage to locate the fish eventually in a pacey part of the stretch. Feeding Hemp, Halibut pellet and fishmeal ground bait through a swim feeder with a large banded pellet as hook bait this seemed to do the trick. Caught three nice Barbel early on between 4 - 6 pound and lost a couple more at the net. The canoe traffic was constant throughout the day with some very considerate people and other not so ending up in several broken lines. It was a nice stretch of the river with a number of well cut swims but very steep and in places difficult to get near the water. The location information was spot on , thanks to Wye/Usk Foundation, I'll be booking again soon.

3 Barbel, 1 Chub

1 Grayling