Feedback & Reports

7 x grayling 6-8 inches, on nymphs. A day of small things and very cold. However, a few large dark olives came off after lunch and I saw the first rising trout of the year.

7 Grayling

River starting to rise and getting coloured. Only fished from 12 till 15:00. 2 trout on nymphs.

2 Trout

11 x grayling 6-14 inches, 4 x out of season trout 12-15 inches, nymphs on French Leader. A grayling day near home for a change. The water is still extremely low, so I reached the end of the beat by 2.30, just doing the deeper parts. The grayling were mostly shots, but a couple of nice ones. Has anybody else noticed how remarkably blue/lilac the shining flanks of Monnow grayling are, compared with fish from the Wye, Irfon or any other tributary? Of the out of season trout, the three larger ones were stock fish, presumably from the Tregate Anglers water below. Nice looking fish, but blue dye spots on the belly removed any possible doubt.

11 Grayling

Low water, sunny sky,... most of the graylings pretty small.

7 Trout, 20 Grayling

Wonderful stretch of the Monnow. Water level very low and I didn't see a single fish move all day. But this beat will go on my list of favourite places to fish, despite the landowner doing all he can to restrict access to the river.

Very difficult day, the river looked in good condition with some residual colour from the rain but there was a nasty downstream wind. Except for the parr (which seemed to be quite numerous) no fish were rising until late afternoon, and searching with wets and dries produced nothing. Eventually one or two fish did begin to rise in well sheltered far-bank slacks beyond my wading and casting skills. One 10" fish rose within range and I caught it on a dry sedge pattern.

1 Trout

Good conditions. No fish hooked.

River in great order, but sadly anticipation not matched by results. Weather cool, cloudy bright, and expected activity did not materialise. Much of the day spent river watching, waiting for tell tale dimples, but even this avid watcher failed to see a single fish all day, even in the tastiest of bubble lines and other likely spots.

Arrived around midday, river looked very good, just a hint of colour, weather was mostly sunny with the odd shower. Started by walking to the far end of the beat and noticed the odd fish topping on the way so started with a Daddy as there where lots in the fields. I was covering fish but had no takes on it at all, there was also no hatch going on and very little insect life so quite what the trout were taking was a mystery. I soon switched to my faithful Greenwells Glory dry fly which I find will produce almost anywhere and so it proved to be the case today. Targeting the steadier glides I managed plenty of takes, missing most unfortunately but I did manage two respectable sized brown trout in excellent, hard fighting condition, both returned none the worse.
Lovely afternoon on this great beat, thank you Wye and Usk Foundation, I'll be back for more.

2 Trout

A blank i'm afraid but an enjoyable day on the river. I'm new to fly fishing rivers which may well of attributed to the nil return.