Feedback & Reports

New to wild streams fishing and had a blank day but a great deal was learnt on a lovely stretch of the Monnow. One or two missed takes on a Hares Ear nymph. Switched to dry for a while as there were quite few Olives around but no noticeable rises. Will return to this beat with more knowledge.Thanks for a lovely day.

Recent rain had put a bit more water in the river, but no colour. Fished first to last light. Chub first cast, but this proved to be a false dawn, as bites were very hard to come by. Two more Chub followed, one late morning, one mid afternoon. Ultimately 500 mile round journey a bit of a trip for what I could have caught in my local river, but I'll be back.
Track down to fishing hut was fine (but I do have a 4x4) and the beat has plenty of fishable swims (unlike some others).

3 Chub

A dull day, water low but with a little colour, 1-2 rises, very little fly life. Caught 2 very small trout, lovely colours these small stream trout have. This is a very nice stream spoilt by lots of rubbish in the water, old tyres, wooden pallets plastic gates and other stuff. A shame.
In addition, on arriving at the top of the beat, there were 2 children with their dad fishing with float and maggots. The father stated he had no idea the fishing was private or required a permit. I was also informed by a walker that the river is regularly fished by children and adults with maggots, again a shame!

2 Trout

Phone booked this at 4pm on my way from work in Ross. Hoped for a evening ticket but does not apply on this beat which is a real shame, so stumped up £20.75 for the pleasure of fishing from 4-45 till dark. Expected more water there after Mondays rain, in fact it looked clean and clear so set up on far bank next to bridge. Must have been one of those days, lost 3 sets of kit rolling a big lump of spam and one feeder when I swapped tactics.
Moved further down, again loosing a feeder first cast, cut clean off clean above the feeder! Think this may have been due to a lot of submerged small willow branches pulling my main line down into the rocks. Where and why these were present, who knows? Tried a lighter feeder to no avail and lost another set. Moved right down to below the willow and fished spam with a totally buried hook. Took a 7lbs barbel after 20mins. The sky turn very dark and it hammered down. Called it a day around 7.20pm. Had worst days!

1 Barbel

4 Barbel

First of two day session. River rising steadily during the day. Running fairly clear and low. Fished several swims during the day but no joy. Fish came at dusk.

4 Barbel

Raise in river levels very welcome, with trout responding well to nymph.

18 Trout

2nd visit this year to HL3 this time with my friend PD. Weather was autumnal following two days of rain but the river had a few inches on and a tinge of colour heightening our expectations. This is my 60th year of angling and I fulfilled a lifelong ambition of catching a barbel float fishing. A fine 7lb fish on a 4SWG pellet waggler fished on the snag swim far side 6lb line to size 10 pellet banded hook on 5lb hook link. I had several hours fishing this method with the upstream wind helping the bait presentation catching another 26 Chub to 5lb. The usual feeder method brought 2 more barbel and 6 chub. PD caught steadily through the day on the pellet feeder in the bottom swim on the beat catching 10 barbel to 7lb and 17 chub to 4.5lb.
Many thanks to Wye & Usk for the opportunity to fish this fantastic water and bailif Colin Richardson for keeping it in top condition and the latest information on the river.

13 Barbel, 49 Chub

The fishing was in a very beautiful surroundings but very slow fishing.

1 Chub

Fished the Rocks, the Wires and shallows but struggled. River low but weather conditions good. Managed 3 barbel and 2 eels on pellets and meat. Very long walk due to using the gate on right instead of gate on left!

3 Barbel, 2 Other