Feedback & Reports

Arrived at the river at lunchtime to find it quite coloured & pacey. After 15mins fishing I stepped off a sheet of bedrock into an abyss! (wading staff folded away in back of vest) Wet clothes removed, staff un-folded, managed 3 grayling on bugs to 15ins, "commando".

5 wild brown trout - to half pound, duo best, great support from Chris Price.

Last fished the Escley in June, what a difference a couple of months makes!! The beat was almost unrecognisable with very low water, little flow and dense cover. You need to exit/enter the river quite often due to livestock access, so be prepared for some clambering.

No hatch to report, just the odd small and occasional large olive coming off. Didn't see a fish a rise all day. Managed 5 wbt, all returned, on a trusty Adams parachute. Very good average size, at around the 8" mark. I knew the conditions were not ideal but I was constantly encouraged by the enormous amount of wbt, plus the odd grayling, this stretch of the Monnow holds. I lost count of the amount of brownies 8"-12" that I spotted, and for the most part spooked. And in places, the water was thick with fry. All this leads me to one conclusion, roll on May / June which is when I think this beat excels.

Another hugely enjoyable day, as ever my thanks to the WUF for its efforts in making this quality of fishing available to all.

2 rods fished for 3 hours on the lower part fo the fishery. Feedered hemp and pellet on the hook produced 8 barbel to just over 9lbs. Although the water's a bit slower here the fish are there and with a bit of patience it's as comfortable and rewarding as barbel fishing gets.

Fished Coleman's on the afternoon until the early evening. Four fish regularly head and tailed amongst the rocks but all resisted my efforts. They must have been there a few weeks now.

Nil return, lovely day for it though.

Fished in the usual place but had no joy so I tried several other swims before finding some fish. Had 3 chub and 3 barbel in a couple of hours before I had to leave. All fish caught on swimfeedered pellets. Didn't see the two chaps fishing opposite down below Luggsmouth catch anything.
Quite a few canoes some came up river never seen that before, sooner them than me, all well behaved though.

Fished the evening only. As my first time on the beat fished the north bank in a couple of places as hadn't packed waders. Firstly parked up at the hut and tried the Groe Greggan - New Pool area where sedge were coming off but no fish showing and I couldn't tempt any to rise or take a nymph. Driving back to the Upper beat access point and fishing from the upper boundary to Racecourse stream there were fish moving, no joy with the dry fly but had lots of pulls from small pesky brownies to a spider, caught and released two WBT c 9ins and c 11ins, one to a spider and the other to hatching sedge imitation. Thank you WUF!

It was always likely to be hard work today. River low and clear, weather cool and sunny, and drifting weed a bit of a problem. One barbel of around 7lb in the morning from halfway down Legg Meadow on a small pellet. Only an eel and a lost fish (probably a good chub) from further up in the evening. Enjoyable nevertheless. Will be back when we get some worthwhile rain.

8 Brown trout 6" to 10"

Fished a couple of hours each day from 28th August to 2nd September. Water very low. Total of 8 brown trout caught - largest 12" but mainly around 8 to 9". All caught on self tied gold headed olive nymphs fished New Zealand fashion under yellow foam headed elk hair caddis.

Fishing spoiled to some degree by children and dogs swimming in deepest pools on two of the days. No sign of salmon moving because water far too low.