Feedback & Reports

10 Trout

A very warm bright day. Hacked my way around the beat and fished to rising fish. Thought the fishing would improve as the day went on but it was slow all day. The rises seemed sporadic and infrequent. Caught two on emergers, both around 3/4lb and hard fighting. I have fished this beat over recent years and it has become tougher. It is nevertheless a lovely peaceful spot.

2 Trout

13 Trout

First time on Eyton for a couple of years. Concentrated on the deep slow part at the lower end in the hope that mayfly would be hatching … they were, and the fish were switched on. Must have risen a dozen, hooked 4, landed 2 …. 2 others lost in the weed. Best one a fat beauty of 20” must have ho e 2.5lbs. What a wonderful evening… saw crayfish, visited by otter.

2 Trout

3 Trout

Difficult day with bright sunshine all day, so no rises until very late on and then the fish were 'out of reach'. Nothing on the numerous nymphs I used either so drew a blank!

One highlight though, which did nothing to help with the fishing, I did have a very close encounter with an Otter, which appeared just behind me as I was sat on the river bank at the top end of the beat. It was less than 12 feet away and obviously hadn't seen me and just trotted into the river, did a barrel roll and a couple of up and downs and was gone, fishing!

3 Trout

A very hot and sunny day. The river was low (as expected) but moving strongly across the shallows. I didn't catch sight of a fish let alone have a bite! But I can think of far worse ways of spending a few hours. I found a pair of sunglasses that are now hanging on the car enclosure.

2 Trout

A lovely few hours on the beat I learned to Flyfish on (I calculated it to be 46 years ago- gulp…). A perfect warm spring day in the Monnow valley. In truth the river was pretty low and had missed the quite substantial rise the Usk had had over the previous few days. I was only able to fish from late morning to mid afternoon and I know from experience the evening would be much better. Anyone fishing over this BH weekend would do well to prioritise 5pm onwards. A trickle of Mayflies was coming off but not in the quantities I know this best produces. Olives, yellow mays and some caddis too. There were a few rising fish which obliged but all under a pound. I know there are (much) bigger ones, not least because I bumped into Monnow guru Patrick Lloyd by The Bell and he showed me the recent photos…. I spent my few hours remembering fishing the beat with my late father and grandfather and countless family picnics and expeditions, and my own son catching a trout there. And I cast dry flies to rising trout on a perfect Spring day on the Monnow. It doesn’t get better.

2 Trout