Feedback & Reports

Two novice river anglers enjoyed a great day's fishing on the Monnow at Skenfrith with Frank Williams.

MM - caught two grayling tiddlers of about 3 inches and also a small brownie which successfully bid for freedom before the net. CM - caught two brownie tiddlers of about 3 inches and two grayling each of 6 to 7 inches. 3 on a small green nymph and one (G) on a small black dry.

Great beat to learn river-craft on with varied water types, and the colour (which ran off over the day) didn't seem to hinder.

2 Trout, 1 - 6 oz, 1 - 2lb 12 oz. Both on a Pheasant tail flashback nymph size 14. Both returned.

It is the first time that I have used the WUF and I have been very impressed with all the work that's been done and the access that has been gained.

The big trout was in fantastic condition.

13 lb Hen Salmon returned Church house pool after J.K. and E.D. had covered it (deep joy).

4 Barbel to 6lbs, 6 Chub to 4 lbs, fish tightly shoaled up in one swim. Many swims proved fruitless. Bank access has improved since last year, but could still be better. A few salmon leaping (or possibly very large trout). All fish caught on pellets with regular feeding through the day.

2nd August, R13, the Edw at Hundred House: 19 x trout, best fish 13"
6th August, R14, the Edw at Cregrina: 47 x trout, best fish 12"

Lots of water coming down on both days (but clear), nothing much hatching or rising so nearly all fishing done with small goldhead nymph. Subtle stuff this - you cast the nymph upstream, you watch the line come back with the current, and when it stops, you've got one. On the Edw you usually have! The majority of these little fish were 6-7 inches, with which this stream seems to be stuffed, and without counting numerous smaller parr of both species. But the odd decent trout there as well, as you see.

3 grayling about 10-11". Caught on beadhead nymph. Water was fast and stained, lots of rain occured previous days.

No salmon seen. 3 brownies returned, best 15".

This was a super beat offering great variety. River conditions were good with some fish rising but I was unable to get any of them intrested in artificials. Around lunchtime I did foul hook 1 WBT of about 1/2lb that had shown intrest in a small GH Diawl Bach I was fishing under my surface fly. That was the extent of my fishing success on what had initially seemed like a very promising day.
Certainly a beat I'd revisit for another try.

Despite the very coloured water fish were feeding and catchable. 3 fish caught all returned : 1 brown trout about 3/4 lb and 1 grayling about 1.5lbs both caught in fast water at the tail of the pool above the small island opposite the house. These were both caught on goldhead pheasant tail nymphs fished about 3 foot below a hare's ear klinkhammer, tied on the hook bend of the latter. The river was running very fast but takes were suprisingly gentle and it was quite difficult to keep in contact with the line and strike quickly enough to set the hook properly. I connected with several other fish which came off the hook very quickly. Any tips on hooking these - I presume they were grayling?
The other fish was a brown trout of about 3/4 lb caught in the fast turbulent water at the head of the pool below the small island on a goldhead green nymph fished down and across-a good solid take. Nothing showed any interest in a dry fly all day. There was precious little fly activity which was suprising as it was quite a warm day and evening, Access to the water on this beat was quite difficult in places primarily because the water was so coloured that it was difficult to work out where was safe to wade.
I eventually discovered that the water by the island was shallow enough to allow the river to be crossed which helped quite a lot as not all the pools can be fished from one bank. In several places the bank was completly overgrown and hid lethal barbwire about a foot off the ground. Watch your waders!

Lower Escley: 4'of clarity and a good flow through all of the pools. Fished for 4 hours and covered less than half of the beat. Plenty of fish rising, mainly in the tails of the pools and shallower runs. #14 Klink was reasonably successful to start but they realy wanted a #16 para adams. Although there were plenty of sedges in evidence.

Plenty of small fish now in evidence and some good size ones to go along with them. The best was a shade under 15" and one of the most beautifully marked fish I have seen.

Longtown beat looked perfect too and all of the upper Monnow beats, Dore included should be ideal this week and into next.