Feedback & Reports

River up and so were my hopes for salmon. Not to be unfortunately. About a dozen of WBT came to my hand (one fish well over 2lbs) and two 3-4lbs chub. Good day of fishing but no cigar.
Well maintain beat and helpful owner. Thank you.

This was my second visit to this lovely beat, and I again concentrated my fishing on the lower half of the beat upstream of the first car park. There was a fairly constant hatch of small sedges throughout the day, and the occasional medium-sized olive came off around mid-day. Trout were rising in the slower water, and I managed four WBTs to 12" on small klinkhamers and paraduns. The largest fish was taken, but the others were all returned. I tried upstream nymphing for larger fish, working up through the riffles and checking pockets behind large rocks etc, but to no avail. I didn't see the otters, sadly.

Was hoping to contact the ladies of the stream but no sign of them all day. Couple of lovely looking pools on the upper beat which I'm sure will hold fish when it gets a bit colder. Very few rises and hard fishing but managed a couple of brownies including 1 of approx 1.5lb on a pink cheque nymph.
Difficult to negotiate the bank side paths in most areas so chest waders a must. Instructions to access the right hand bank of the upper beat a bit confusing as the beat details seem more intent on keeping you away from the white house and garden than actually telling you which way to go.
Nevertheless a lovely secluded stretch of water and I will be back.

The best fishing of the weekend - caught 10 grayling and 8 trout of various sizes plus quite a number of smolts, nothing of any real size though. Vast majority of the fish were taken on a copper headed pheasant tail nymph variant.

Hope to be back again at some time in the none too distant future.

Opted for trout as river very low and clear. Took one fish of 1 lb on 16 tin head pheasant tail nymph and failed to land another of 2lb + as it cleared the water surface and shed the hook.

Hooked a few small chub on an adams 16 dry later, but little or no activity at dusk as temp dropped sharply

This was the first of three qietish days which was mostly overcast and cooler thasn recently. Plenty of fish rising with a fair number probably on the small side, however managed one 4" grayling and two 10" browns and lost a further two reasonable fish as well. The beat was very low and silty in places with the water running very clear making it more a stalking event.

7 or 8 from 3" to 6". Almost all on PTN goldhead - New Zealand style. Fantastic Day!

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.