Feedback & Reports

A somewhat frustrating day's fishing. Fished beat 2 - wonderful setting, pristine river, easy access to river bank. Nice flow, good clarity of water. Air temp about 13 deg C. In short - perfect conditions. Sadly, absolutely no sign of ANY insect life at all. Consequently no fish rising/feeding. Resorted to fishing blind with a small gold head nymph in all the "fishy" looking spots (and there are many on this beat) but didn't even see a fish let alone catch one. Only aquatic life seen was some 1"long fry in the river margin. Fished for 3 hours before a large herd of cows decided to come and join me in the river for a drink, thus bringing an end to proceedings. Watch out for the two swans that patrol this beat - the male especially is VERY aggressive at this time of year (standing waist deep in a river being attacked by a swan is no fun I can assure you!!) I will be back, but later in the year when it warms up a bit and hopefully there is a hatch going on.

Lovely day fishing. Two very small brown trout taken on gold-head PTN. Saw plenty of fish, none rising though and couldn't be enticed to take anything. The two I caught were from the same fast-flowing riffle and were taken in quick succession.

2 Trout

A lovely looking stretch of water. The banks are hemmed in by barbed wire fences but I missed most of this by wading up the river. Although shallow and streamy there was enough depth to hide fish. Six fish landed, largest eleven inches. I fished with a short line so as to keep close contact with the flies which were an assortment of beaded nymphs fished on point and a single dropper. Lost 2 fish and landed one other that was foul hooked under the chin (struck a little late, perhaps. Not counted in total).
Only got as far as the wood so will definitely return.

6 Trout

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