Feedback & Reports

5 grayling - best approx 1lb. Trotted maggot. Conditions difficult rising water full of leaves.

Booked early on the day after overnight rainfall in Wales. Arrived at the bank early to find the river in spate at a good 3 foot over LSLs. Hunted out the slacker water off the crease. Could not find feeding fish till late afternoon when the river had fined down to around 18" over LSL's. 5 barbel to 7.5lbs, 3 chub to 2lbs all on pellet. The other gentleman who had booked on the same stretch (Paul), I witnessed weighing a perfect 10 3/4lb barbel.

Our second day on the river, as we were on the Lower Carrots and Luggsmouth beat yesterday, and the river had risen about five feet overnight and coloured up a lot. As I'm 78 and not so good on my pins, I decided I couldn't cope with carrying all my gear to find a fishable spot, which would inevitably have been quite a way from the car, so I gave up the idea, and sat and watched my son fish a small area of comparatively slack well down from the hut.
He had four good takes during the day on pellet and meat, resulting in four barbel hooked. One came unhooked, one broke him at the hook, but he landed two of 6lbs and 7lbs respectively.

Lovely day, near perfect conditions - mild, river up and coloured. Had 3 barbel, 5, 6 and 10.75 lbs. All taken at the lower end of the fishery on pellet. Lovely beat, excellent fishing. Thanks to all at the WUF and to fellow angler Simon for helping to photograph and return the fish. Limited access to the lower end of the beat.

Beautiful stretch of river, could do with a sign to confirm you are on the right beat (at least for "out of towners"). Arrived early but was woefully inequipped for the river, no fish in the 5/6 hours I was there, another chap had fished the previous day with no luck either. Fished the Vanstone Pool and was even more snaggy than I had imagined. Advice - take lots of heavy weight and be prepared to lose some tackle.

Overall great place to fish with enormous promise.

1 x 11 inch grayling, 2 x out of season trout 10 and 14 inches. A search for the elusive grayling with the trotting rod, and a difficult day really, although I am not quite sure why. The Monnow looked to be in excellent condition.

We were beaten by the flood water eventually. We went back to last week's productive swim but found that dragging weed was a problem and despite apparent drop in water level the flow seemed faster and it was difficult to hold the bottom. So we went to a slower patch of water at the bottom end of the beat and coaxed two barbel to the net. When the water crept around my ankles we realised that the water levels were rising despite a glorious and dry day. More weed and debris, two more barbel and I was chased up the bank by rising flood water, tree branches and other debris. So the dreams of 20-30 barbel did not become reality. We ended the day with 6 barbel to 9lbs and four decent chub. That's fishing! Thank you WUF, we'll be back next year.

3 Rods, 8 barbel (5/2/1)and 2 lost. River up a little but quite clear which may explain less-than-hoped-for catches. Water 11degC and some loose weed coming down. We left at dark before the 3 foot surge came through.

Fished lower end of beat only. Two trout. First on #12 killer bug, very plump and over 14", other was 6" and took #16 GRHE on dropper. Disgorged skeleton of a bullhead when in landingnet. Lost one grayling. Will try again and fish the top section of beat.

The river seemed to be above normal when we arrived and going like a train! We therefore had difficulty in finding anything like slack water. We eventually found a couple of spots close together where the was a modicum of slack, close in under the bank. The river rose a further 18" while we were there and the fishing became even more difficult. I had just one take all day, which hooked me into a barbel, but the fish very quickly took me into the roots of a small willow, and that was the end of that! My son, fishing a few metres downstream blanked comletely.