These are the latest River Reports submitted by visitors to the site.
Subject: Mid Summer and Half Way Through The Season
Date: 20/06/2011
River/Beat: Monnow
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: Our rivers are flat lining at their lowest levels but remain in good heart, with plenty of fish happy to take flies in the, thankfully, cool and clean water. Much of this is to do with the abundance of aquatic invertebrates that are present in our rivers, which is a very good sign. A hot, dry summer, with low water will be another matter. Any rain that we have had in the catchment has been steady but not prolonged enough to make much difference to the water levels. A good flush through would be much appreciated. The great news is that the mink and Himalayan Balsam control is going very well indeed. A widespread resurvey of the mink rafts is, so far, showing that we remain a "mink free" catchment, which will be some good news for the water voles. And the HB treatment is continuing apace, with us exceeding all targets of river bank sprayed for this year. Fishing wise we are moving into the time when early and late and small flies fished fine and far off will be the more effective methods, whilst low clear water and warm sunny weather persists at least.
Subject: I Can't Answer That..............
Date: 09/05/2011
River/Beat: Everywhere
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: But whole heartedly agree with you! It is just not necessary, the river is stuffed with fish and enough, for those that want to, to kill a few for the table. To happier things - the mayfly are hatching and the fish have latched onto this annual supersized ready meal. So make the most of it, especially now we have had a flush of fresh water.
Subject: Wilful vandalism or plain ignorance?
Date: 05/05/2011
River/Beat: Above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: I'd like to thank the owners of beats above ours for stocking a ludicrous amount of fish with blue spots on their bellies into a river that is already shrunken to its bones but I can't! They are already infesting the river as far down as the Church driving the numersous 6-8 inch naturalised fish out of their holding areas into territory where they can easily be predated upon. Why does anyone need to stock a river which can sustain itself with so many aliens of that size and why would anyone do it in such conditions?
Subject: Vole Surveys
Date: 21/04/2011
River/Beat: Dore and Mainstem around Llangua
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: The 2011 vole survey has been completed over the last 3 days, thanks to Jonathon Reynolds of the GWCT, Ben and Owen Rodgers, George Woodward, Neil Marfell and Patrick Lloyd who waded and poked about on the whole length of the Dore and other areas to establish the extent of vole activity. Intitial findings are that voles are generally present and correct and that they have expanded their territories onto the main river, near Llangua, which is great news and huge credit to all that monitor the mink rafts throughout our catchment so that we can maintain our mink free status and see the benefits to our wildlife. I will post the full results as soon as we have them. In the meantime do report any sightings of voles and mink to us. If you would like to monitor a raft let me know. The rivers are low but, thankfully cool. Insect hatches are building, notably Large Brook Duns and Olive Uprights are beginning to appear and with them the chances for some serious fishing in the evenings. We have fully mapped all of the Giant Hogweed sites and will treat these next week. The week after, the first in May, we are going to start the spraying of Himalayan Balsam from Alt yr Ynnis down stream, intially to Llangua bridge. The first signs of regrowth (or lack of it) of HB on the 21kms completed last year are very encouraging and that is down to the hard work put in by the paid and volunteer spray and pulling teams done last year.
Subject: Sweet but low down
Date: 18/04/2011
River/Beat: Above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: Seems like a smorgesboard of insects about and more minnows than i can remember. Can anyone else remember our beloved river so low at this time of year? Surprising number of good fish about and small ones to think happily about future. There's an otter and family working up above the bridge!
Subject: Awake!
Date: 15/04/2011
River/Beat: The Monnow Catchment
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: Grannon have been and gone. Hawthorn next and the major hatches of Brook duns and olives begin to arrive as we slip into May. Other creatures are also stirring on our rivers: Water voles are active in their old haunts and there are clear signs that they have spread onto other parts of the catchment, away from the Dore, their release site. We will be doing the annual survey next week so will get a full picture of how they have done over the last year. Fingers crossed that the harsh winter has not had too bad an effect. Dippers are nesting and have chicks. Stephanie has been out and about ringing the broods. There seem to be lots of Mandarin Ducks about. We all need rain though!
Subject: Wake up call!!
Date: 27/03/2011
River/Beat: Devils Bridge
Your Name: Frank Williams
Your Report: Time to kick this season off, the river is finally starting to wake up. Began fishing around 10am on Wednesday and had a few fish to the dry in a couple of hours. Happy days.
Subject: Minnows and ladies
Date: 16/08/2010
River/Beat: Above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: Fish to 20" on fry patterns!!!Numerous large (15"+) grayling have suddenly ghosted into beat - anyone else seen similar?
Subject: Mink and Weeds
Date: 31/07/2010
River/Beat: Behind You
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: Peter, Good to have you monitoring those rafts. Keep us up dated on them. You are the first volunteer monitor of many. With your help we can keep the Monnow mink free. With everybody's help we can also make the Monnow weed free too. As we move down the catchment with the spray programme (this years we have completed 21Kms: all of Honddu, Monnow from Oldcastle to Pandy and Dore from Abbeydore to confluence) it will become imperative that we pull any stray Himalayan Balsam plants that we see. Pull 50 a day - it doesn't take long.
Subject: An afternoon well spent
Date: 23/07/2010
River/Beat: Tregate
Your Name: Peter Brundret
Your Report: Cleaning off and re-surfacing the clay pads on 4 mink traps yesterday, new Otter prints were found on traps 1 and 3. With Mink to be expected any time soon, a weekly check will now take place. Recent rains have produced a minimal rise in levels but slightlt fresher water conditions have produced rising fish to the odd Mayfly.
Subject: Wild Evenings
Date: 22/07/2010
River/Beat: Where they'll have me
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: Rarely allowed out in the evening nowadays. The rain has perked things up a little but baring the Honddu, which rose a little the rest of the catchment has missed most of the rain, so far. Still the fish seem to like it and are responding in the cooler conditions.
Subject: Best fun with clothes on?
Date: 19/07/2010
River/Beat: Above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: Rain at last - what a relief to see our river perking up. Asside from sulphurs and mays (still) and bwo's has anyone else had joy with sedges. Have had some wild late evenings skittering big sedges - wrenching takes from big fish in shallow water - does it get any better?
Subject: Minnows
Date: 01/07/2010
River/Beat: Everywhere
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: Yes lots of minnows - probably because the breeding season has been so settled and becasue the water is so low and clear that there are more shallows for them to "bask" in so they are more obvious to us. I suppose a muddler minnow would count as a dry - but still no.
Subject: Enough To Settle The Dust
Date: 01/07/2010
River/Beat: All Over
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: And not much more than that forcast. Photos would be good. Still haven't come across one this year so can't pass comment. If stocked it is illegal, no EA approval has been given for stocking rainbows on the Monnow.
Subject: Gooseberries or raspberries?
Date: 30/06/2010
River/Beat: Above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: Yep, 6 different ones - 5 on mays, one on sulphur (not all by me!). All gone west but if more come along will save scales. Can post some photos if you like. Gonna need a lot of rain. Is it just me or is there abnormal amount of minnows etc in river this year. Has anyone done well on fry before? Ive never caught on this method!
Subject: Six and Out
Date: 29/06/2010
River/Beat: In My Waders
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: 6 different ones?! 20" Rainbow, on a dry - that'll be the Gooseberry club for you! Better take a few scales to be read, that will give a better idea of their history. Some propects of much needed rain. If the main river is out of sorts for a few days then head directly to the upper tribs which will clear fastest, especially the Honddu and the Olchon.
Subject: Smorgesbord
Date: 28/06/2010
River/Beat: Above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: Mays, Sedges, Suphurs take your pick. River agonisingly low but late night action INTENSE especially on suphurs. Some signs of minnow bashing for first time. Unfotunately another 20"+ rainbow reported - 6 now - all simialr size and clearly stocked - shame to have these (admittedly reel screaming) aliens when our river is crammed with so many fine wild browns
Subject: Odd May Still About
Date: 21/06/2010
River/Beat: Llangua
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: A few Mayfly are still coming off and some spinners were dancing last night but there was no real spinner fall. Masses of sedges very late in the evening but the fish were making sippy rises to unseen spinners. The Dore is holding very well but most of the tribs are low but a good flush would help the mainstem, which is holding up surprisingly well, given the driest start to a year for over 40 years. In these conditions, stay late, fish fine and far off and the rewards are still there to be had.
Subject: Or May be not
Date: 11/06/2010
River/Beat: Above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: Fish still on Mays. Take your point about grayling but more 'bows don't breed and couple more caught - all looking like Chew Valley specials not fish farm escapees!! Good luck to the Monnowthoners and lets see how long the fish stay on the Mays!
Subject: May be
Date: 09/06/2010
River/Beat: Around
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: Yep the Mayfly is still going strong but watch out for the smaller pale waterys and small dark olives that the trout can become fixated upon. One raimbow does not make for polution - it could just be an escappe from the fish farm at Llanfiangel Crucorney. I caught one last year below Grosmont also fully finned. Would you complain if they were breeding?! Grayling were introduced over 100 years ago and I expect they were regarded, by some, as vermin.
Subject: Low and what on earth!
Date: 07/06/2010
River/Beat: Above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: Can anyone else remember the river being so low at this time of year. Guess we'd better enjoy the current conditions 'cos its gonna be brutal later without a lot of rain! Also on the pollution subject some idiot seems to have stocked large rainbows into the system - i caught a fully finned fish of well over 20" - what kind of idiot would do such a thing?
Subject: Better late
Date: 07/06/2010
River/Beat: Above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: They may have been late but for us the mafly has been outstanding this year. Monster hatches, massive spinner falls and for those staying to dark big big fish on the move. Numerous 18" fish taken and bigger lost! How's everyone else faring?
Subject: May Hey hey!!
Date: 26/05/2010
River/Beat: Waterloo Bridge
Your Name: Frank Williams
Your Report: Had an hour at Waterloo Bridge last night, fish all along the stretch rising to Mayflies. Met another club member who was very happy with the 16.5 inch fish he caught the evening before the best fish he had caught on the Monnow so far. he also reported loosing another larger/ stronger fish.
Subject: Summer!
Date: 23/05/2010
River/Beat: GFC Beat 4
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: The Mayfly are flirting with us! A few are drifting off during the day but the real hatch has yet to arrive, Any day now, surely? Friday was the first real day of summer and after 11.00am ish the surface activity reduced to the odd fish in the shade. Early and late fishing is the mantra whilst the sudden onset of summer continues. Small black flies and #14 and #16 para adams and greenwells are all good imitations of what's on the water.
Subject: Alive but polluted
Date: 20/05/2010
River/Beat: Above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: Fish now truly on top taking anything from midges to olives to brook duns. First mayflies coming off now. Many fish to 16" but either large fish or small with few inbetween apart from a sudden infectation of stock fish at top of beat - so many as to say its almost pollution and makes you worry for the poor natual residents. Look out all below after next floods they'll be coming your way I'm sorry to say!
Subject: I am awake, thanks
Date: 18/05/2010
River/Beat: Kentchurch to Langua
Your Name: Frank Williams
Your Report: ...and so is the river. Fished from Kentchurch bridge to Langua road bridge. There were fish rising all day. mostly to black gnats but the fish where not being fussy I caught fish on either a para adams or a olive emerger all day. Left the river about 8pm and there was still signs of action. Saw my first two mayflies of the year.
Subject: Waking Up
Date: 16/05/2010
River/Beat: Below Llangua
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: The last two weekends have, finally seen the main river begin to wake up after an abnormally long winter. Despite cold water the Large Brook Duns, Yellow Mays and Large Dark Olives are hatching in good numbers, with plenty of "black gnats falling onto the surface and the fish are looking up for them. The really pleasing thing is that there are so many juvenile fish amongst them. It bodes well for the years to come. No reports of Mayfly yet but the old fashioned (before global warming) herald of them was the May (hawthorn) flower, so not long now, perhaps!
Subject: Cmon all where's '10!
Date: 19/04/2010
River/Beat: Monnow above Llangua
Your Name: Ling
Your Report: Fish coming to variety of methods - nymph to start, at least two 16 inch plus browns to dries and reports of big 2 1/2lb + grayling! Who else is out there and how are they doing?
Subject: Summer Has Arrived
Date: 05/06/2009
River/Beat: Catchment
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: The hot and sunny weather makes fishing during the day difficult, to say the least. Fish early and or late to catch the hatches and may fly spinner falls, in the late evening. Enjoy a long lunch! Blue winged olives are beginning to appear in the evenings and they will be a popular offering for the trout. I there are no mayfly about, try a #16 olive pattern early evening and a sherry spinner later on.
Subject: Mayfly are GO!!!
Date: 26/05/2009
River/Beat: Tregate/Garway
Your Name: Holycow
Your Report:The mayfly hatch is in full swing - fish going crazy on main stem at Kentchurch and Waterloo Bridge and as of today I can confirm that the Monnow at Tregate is boiling with fish from 2pm till 8pm. Best fished with CDC & Elk as I have discovered unless you have a preferred choice - water at a good level but dropping again and colour has dropped out in many places. Fish as late as you can - this week is going to be amazing with lots of WBT of good size - 12" - 14" mostly everywhere currently. Fill your boots!
Subject: April and May Showers
Date : 02/05/2009
River/Beat: Catchment
Your Name: Rob
Your Report: The Monnow is catching the odd shower. It does not really add to the river level but it does colour the tributary,where it hits, up a bit. So you can find a slug of "dirty" water coming through the system at any time. They freshen things up and give the angler a bit of cover. This happened to me on the Escley, lower WUF voucher beat on Friday. A couloured river but ok to fish and the trout thought so too!
Subject: St Mark's Fly
Date: 21/04/2009
River/Beat: Everywhere
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: The Hawthorn fly is a black terrestrial fly that is recognisable by the its long legs that "dangle" when in flight, so that it looks like a flying "T". Its Latin name is Bibio marcii and it's other common name is St Mark's Fly because its hatch period always coincides with 25th April, St Mark's Day. The Hawthorn fly; it is on the wing at the same time as the may is out! Sunny breezy days mean that this poor flier often ends up crash landing on rivers and trout love them! A #12 or #14 black fly, with trailing legs will often provoke a fierce take as the fish compete for this tasty morsel. Other flies that are making the fish look up now that the buds are breaking on the Alders are: Large Dark and Medium olives; Iron blues are getting more prevalent and Large Brook duns.
Subject: End of Grannom
Date: 16/04/2009
River/Beat: Main stem
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: A couple of quiet hours around lunchtime, today. I saw 4 rises and caught one 9" trout. Olives are more numerous that the grannom which appear to be at the end of their hatch. A couple of small hawthorns about today so the next feast is on the way! A few alders just breaking into leaf -when they are in full leaf the river will be fully alive. Rain last night and this afternoon has mde no rela differnce to the river levels so more is needed for a good flush through.
Subject: First of the Year
Date: 13/04/2009
River/Beat: Tregate
Your Name: Patrick
Your Report: Caught 1st trout of season after a session of fishing that showed up my rustiness. 8 risen, 5 hooked, 2 landed. Hopefully the ratio of stats will improve as season progresses. Saw 1st Hawthorn fly today - St. Mark's day still 12 days away. And last but not least saw the 1st MAYFLY - the season's off and running. P
Subject: First of the Season
Date: 20/03/2009
River/Beat: Tregate
Your Name: Paul King
Your Report: I snatched a couple of hours on an unseasonably warm and bright day to try to find my first trout of 2009. Despite the warmth of the day there were just a few LDOs hatching but nothing much showing interest. I switched from dry to a small nymph and had just one pull that turned out to be a nice trout of 13.75". It was a 2008 stock fish and in lovely condition.
Subject: Grannom Sedge
Date :08/04/2009
River/Beat: Mainstem Beats
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: Grannom have started to hatch in numbers on the mainstem beats. On warm, low wind days this can mean literally hundreds of thousands of sedge hatching around mid day and laying later in the day. A fantastic sight that makes you realise how productive the river is and how many fish are in the river! Imitate with a Klinkhammer or a #14 nymph pattern for the hatch and #14/#16 sedge pattern later, when they come back to the river to lay their eggs. The upper tribs are low and clear so fine and small is the order of the day and concentrate on the Dore and Lower Honddu beats or the main stem.
Subject: Lazy Sunday
Date: 29/03/2009
River/Beat: Longtown
Your Name: Dave Smith
Your Report: A lovely day out on the Longtown beat on Sunday. The river is low and clear but there were plenty of fish showing. Some cracking grayling shoaling up in OJ ready to spawn. The shoal was mixed with trout too, about 16 strong! I ended up with 5 fish including some 13" rs, but we bumped plenty more. A good number of olives coming off but not many free rising fish. Look to the pockets and the tails of the pools! Tight Lines Dave.
Subject: Rain Needed
Date: 01/04/2009
River/Beat: Upper Monnow Tribs
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: The upper river and the tributaries are very clear and getting near to summer level. As a result the fish are easily spooked and prepared to ignore even well presented flies. Where, you can, the main stem and Dore beats will be the places to be until we get a lift in the water. LDOs and stoneflies are now in abundance but the fish can play hard to get! Go smaller.
Subject:Tight but fun!
Date: 28/03/2009
River/Beat: Chanstone Dore
Your Name: Paul Hopwood
Your Report: Together with a friend i fished the Chanstone beat of the Dore, whilst the river was small, and not for the feint hearted the rewards were exceptional. We had some stunning Grayling (albeit out of season) best over 40cms, and some lovely trout. it was great to see the smaller fish (parr sized) in the beat. The wildlife was amazing, and a big grayling on a 6'6 3wt rod great fun. I have some photos and video if the Site would like them. Tight lines all Hoppy.
Subject: A Hatch to Remember Date: 23/03/2009
River/Beat: Escley Brook (Lower)
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: Last week the LDO hatch on the Escley was fantastic and the trout really started to feast on them, on or near the surface. Lots of fish were active at the heads and runs into to the deep pools. I took four fish in 2 hours on a #14 olive emerger pattern. All were in stunning condition and measured, 13.5", 12.5", 14 and 14.5". Wonderful fish of a very high average weight for a stream of this size, or any size, for that matter. The details of this day ticket beat are on the Fishing Pages of this site.
Subject: Early Spring Fishing
Date: 17/03/2009
River/Beat: Honddu & upper tribs
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: The warm spring weather is improving the mid day hatches of Large Dark Olives (LDOs) and, on the Honddu, Willow flies (Stoneflies). For brief periods, around lunchtime there is a good enough hatch for fish to be feeding at or close to the surface. Even on the main stem beats fish are becoming more active as the deeper, cooler water starts to warm up. All our rivers are just about in perfect order but it won't be too long before the smaller streams need a top up to be at their best once again.
Subject: First session of season
Date: 17/03/2009
River/Beat: Dulas Brook
Your Name: Tim Andrews
Your Report: A tough but enjoyable day on this small stream. Great to be back out there accompanied by the wagtails and tree creepers. Caught 7 or 8 WBT, mostly small but 2 longer lean fish of 10". Casting quite tricky in tight spots, but great to winkle fish out of these little pools. Tiny PTN caught the fish and I fished through in approx three hours. Saw no rising fish or hatch. After the initial morning sun a cold wind got up around lunchtime.
Subject: Opening day
Date: 03/03/2009
River/Beat: Escley Brook
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: Unlike Frank, we were not sated, jut soaked. Lovely water but to much of it from above and, later, from below! The riers are currently drooping and the Honddu is fshing well now and the upper Escley and Monnow will be good from Friday. The Dore will take a day or two more to clear, by about Saturday.
Subject: Opening day
Date: 03/03/2009
River/Beat: Monnow Tribs
Your Name: Frank Williams
Your Report: Opening day weather was less than clement but I managed to get out on the Dore. Chanstone court to be precise. Fished for an hour before the river rose and coloured but I did get 4 Grayling all fell to a light yellow Gammerus pattern. Then I moved on to Lower Stanton where I got my first brownie of the season quickly followed by 2 more. Soaked but stated I headed home happy.
Subject: Spring in the air
Date: 22/02/2009
River/Beat: Kentchurch
Your Name: Neil Marfell
Your Report: A touch of colour still being carried below the Dore confluence on the Monnow, very good visibility above it. Three feet on the Dore itself. A good number of large dark olives coming off around lunch time.Very fishable. Kingfishers,Woodpeckers and spring in the air at last.
Subject: 12 Days and Counting Down
Date: 19/02/2009
River/Beat: Escley
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: The habitat team on the Escley are really enjoying working in the dry and warm conditions so their oppicing is flying at the moment. I met up with them on the Upper Escley Passport beat on Tuesday and close to a bridge I spied a trout that is close to 1.5lbs! Roll on 3rd March! The Monnow rivers are dropping and warming and Large Dark Olives are starting to hatch in abundance, around lunch time.
Subject: The White Mountains
Date: 10/02/2009
River/Beat: Hereford
Your Name: Rob Denny
Your Report: Heavy rain for 20 hours at low levels with snow on higher ground means that the Monnow catchment will be out of order for several days to come.
Heavy rain for 20 hours at low levels with snow on higher ground means that the Monnow catchment will be out of order for several days to come.
Subject: Looking forward
Date: 09/02/2009
River/Beat: Overlooking the Wye, thinking about the Monnow
Your Name: PTL
Your Report:
The interminable closed season is almost at an end - only 3 weeks to go. Let's hope the weather improves before the March 3rd, although Large Dark Olives can hatch in even the most inclement conditions. Am planning to start on the new Escley beats this year, maybe slipping down the Longtown beat first. Hopefully the trout are not as rusty as me and that this Opening Day will actually see a fish brought to hand!
From P Lloyd - 9th January 2009
The Escley Brook on Thursday - best wait awhile longer methinks!
From Frank - 12th November 2008
The Honndu and the upper Monnow are now fishable. Running a little fast but clear.
Just shows how fast this part of the catchment clears.
There was a good hatch of olives and stoneflies around 1pm.
I did not see the Dore. The Monnow at Skenfrith was brown and high,as to be expected.
Frank