Feedback & Reports

Another great day on the Monnow. Despite plenty of sunshine, the temperature didn't get up beyond the mid-teens - however plenty of fly life. Water was low (almost summer levels) and clear, but cold. No fish moving all day, although a number seen using Polaroids.
Fishing was hard due to temperature, with the best method using a heaving nymph fished NZ style to cover and search plenty if water.
Only 3 WBT banked, biggest of which was a pound, smallest about half that. All fish were silver and skinny. 4 more hooked and lost, and each angler missed half a dozen takes. Once the temperature begins to rise this beat will be even better.
Stunning location, great fishing and a fantastic pint of HPA at The Bell to round the day off. Finally a big thank you to Chris Price (www.castingwithstyle.co.uk) for a great hour of tuition in the morning - can't recommend enough.

3 Trout

A beautiful day. Arrived and was made very welcome by the owner of the beat who provided good advice and guidance on how to fish the beat. Day had sporadic light hatches of March Brown, Caddis and LDO. Day was bright and cloudless, water gin clear. Couldn't help but spook the larger fish rising on the flats but caught two small ones in the riffles. Will be back to this lovely wide and deep flowing beat. Thanks again to the beat owner for his compnay and advice.

2 Trout

Lovely water. Nice weather but unfortunately blanked. Some sporadic hatches of fly during the day.

A very beautiful location and stretch of the Usk and a perfect Spring day - except for the lack of fish. Tried just about everything - dry, nymph, NZ style - but very quiet on the BT front. A nil return.
Challenged two caneoists - the water level being way below the gauge - who were apologetic, carried on and sped downstream.

Forget fly fishing here. No fish caught but would like to try again on a spinner.

Joined by PH for our first trip of the season. Lovely beat, full of promise. The bright, sunny conditions and a cool breeze didn't help, keeping the hatches quite sporadic. 1 x WBT to the net with another decent fish hooked but lost after 2 leaps out of the water. Both succumbed to a nymphs fished deep. Special thanks to Jean at Sweets and Barry (the beat owner) for making today very pleasant.

1 Trout

This is a moody beat and I never seem to catch many fish, but it does keep dragging me back. It's easy wading and has some lovely tree cover. I find the nature of the Honduu is that where the surface might seem featureless, the bed of the river is full of depressions and channels that might hold trout. You have to cover every inch of water. I only connected with and landed 3, all around 8", but had I been "reading" the water I wouldn't have cast to anywhere I caught these fish! All came to a small flashy nymph.

3 Trout

A great evening's fishing. 2 trout around half a pound and 2 grayling between 3/4lb and a pound.

2 Trout, 2 Grayling

The day before was warm and may well have been the ideal early season conditions. On my visit the wind had a bit of a chill to it so hatches were thin on the ground. Only saw two upwings lift off the water during the warmest part of the day. Did see a couple of fish rise to something at the surface. Tried emergers but only had one splash at the fly. Gave nymphs a try and had one follow that I saw. It was good to be out and I'll certainly return.

Loads of fish caught all day up to 2lbs in some decent water. Shame they were mainly very poor quality stocked fish though, lots of fins missing and rubbed ddown tails. With the number of juvenile wild fish in the tribs there is no reason to be filling the river with these ugly things.

20 Trout