Feedback & Reports

2 Brown trout, one of 1lb 8oz, the other of around 14oz. Both caught on a bead head PTN (size 14), fished New Zealand style under a klinkhammer. Failed to land another hooked on the klinkhammer when the hook snapped at the bend!! Cold wind tended to keep flies and fish down for the most part and they only rose in sheltered pockets. A steady trickle of grannom and LDO either side of mid day, but nothing spectacular by Usk standards. I really liked the fishery and shall return, hopefully in more clement conditions. The fish were in excellent condition and fought well. All the fish I saw rise appeared to be of a good average size.

My only criticism would be to say that the maps and more particularly signage could be improved, particularly for left bank access.

Escley brook lower beat. This was a surprise. I expected a lot of small trout, but it seems to hold a few large ones in the pools. One magnificent 16 inch cock fish, which seemed in perfect condition - wonderful colouring. (And why did I leave the net in the car, I had some anxious moments there?). I saw and spooked a much larger one in the pool where the tree has fallen in. Also one of the lower pools contained grayling (10 inches), much higher up the Monnow system than I expected.

10 grayling all released. 6 wild brown trout 1 kept. A fantastic morning fish rising to dry flies, mainly grey klinkhammer - needed to be very quick as missed quite a few. PTN successful in quicker water. Beautiful stretch of water.

5 Grayling all released. 4 Wild Brown Trout 2 kept. Just an idyllic beat on a bright sunny day. Fish rising throughout the day, occaisional interest in dry fly, klinkhammer. Most fish caught on PTN variations, or large pale nymph pattern. Missed 4 good fish. Wonderful place to spend the day, having lunch infront of the lodge, looking down onto the river was truly memorable.

No fish caught. Lovely beat but despite good sky conditions the strong chill wind kept fish down with just a few single risers all day. Wind also made accurate casting with long light leaders very difficult even with weighted nymphs. Look forward to returning on a better weather day.
Excellent service thank you.

Very quiet until lunchtime when a good hatch of dark olives and grannom coincided and the fish went wild for 20 minutes in The Millstream. After the hatch, normal service resumed and you would think there was nothing in the pool.

I caught 4 trout, best about 14" and pricked a couple of others. Despite rising fish all around him, Kev struggled to compete with the quantity of naturals and only managed one trout of about 12".

3 grayling all released, 2 wild brown trout both kept. A difficult day, strong winds, sunny spells, prolific Grannom hatch, the water blanketed at times with sheer numbers of winged insectlife. All fish caught on pheasant tail nymph and varients of that pattern.

WUF note: 4 rods.

Arrived early to the water with still a touch of mist in the air. The day promised much which it delivered in due course but it was slow. I walked the whole beat to get a feel for it, and wait for the mist to burn off.

I was fortunate enough to meet Banu from this forum about half way through my recce. To whom I owe great thanks for the photography. I am so often the one with the camera. Which means many of the pictures I have of good fish that I have caught are either in hand or on the bank side. It is nice to have a pic of me grinning like an April fool and holding a fish.

Of the day's fish what can I say, there were only three but they were all crackers as you can see.

WUF Note: 3 x Trout, 15-17"

As requested: Grannom hatch began on Usk town water today from around 10 to mid-afternoon. About 11 it was really quite intense: like a snow storm of little brown scraps. For all that, the trout didn't seem to be that engaged by the activity yet. I got 3 with some difficulty.

Lovely day on Gromain on 2nd April - probably the best early season day we have had yet. 1 rod had 7 trout, 2 grayling - the other 5 trout 2 grayling, all fish on dries.

Steady trickle of grannom and olives throughout day and occasional large stone fly. Best trout 14" - spotted like a leopard, best (out of season)grayling a lovely 18" female. The minnows were spawning in the shallows, the heron was fishing too - but so was a cormorant when we arrived!

Thanks for usual efficiency in organising a great day's fishing at short notice.