3 days on the Monnow...

[boisker]

Just got back from three days fishing on the Monnow...
Tough fishing, bright much of the time and when it wasn’t the wind was blowing upto 30mph which isn’t conducive to lots of fly life.
But still 3 great days.
Started on my usual beat, Ling water, caught low double figures, upto 12” but most around 10”.... couldn’t find one of the big boys.

Day 2 and 3 were days I’d won on the Monnow auction-
Day 2 was a guided day by Dave Smith on various stretches of the Monnow and a quick call in on the Honddu, again tough conditions, but some cracking fish... a wild brown of over a pound, a 17-18” grayling weighing bang on 2 lb (Dave weighed it), plus some smaller trout and grayling. Most successful was the nymph on the duo, but I wanted to find a big BT on dry so went back to dry. Dave stayed on duo and picked up a couple more grayling of around 2lb and plus smaller fish.

Day 3 was on the Garway club waters, I arrived early and got off to a good start... a wild brown, 18” or so about 2.5 lb , tricky to photo I tried to rise one handed in the net and it jumped and shot off I then had a fun hour on a long glassy flat and caught 4 stocked trout around 14-15” to the dry, I carried on up the beat and picked up 15 or so smaller fish. I reached the car about 3pm; I had intended to stop for 30 mins and then carry on fishing up above the beat, but nothing was moving, the wind had got up and my back was getting a bit sore after about 18hrs fishing in 3 days....
Oh.... and Englands opening WC game was on, so having caught some great fish I decided to head home.
A ‘rather nice’ 3 days...








Photo of grayling to follow when Dave sends it through...

[halfstoned]

Sounds great, like the picture of the fish underwater, nice looking river.

[boisker]

It’s a great river, very varied and holds a very decent head of fish which can go to a big size. Dave had been out on a beat a few days earlier and lost what would have been his pb for the Monnow... over 4lb. I think that’s exceptional for the river, but there’s always a reasonable chance of one over 2lb and I nearly always catch a couple over 15”.
The Honddu was interesting, the water was a bit to low for it to feel like it was going to fish well, it definitely worth investigating again.
If you are up that way it’s worth trying on the Wye and Usk passport beats, but the best option is to try a day or so from the Monnow auction in February... run on the U.K. fly forum.
I hope to get up again in September and try and catch some sedge action.

[yeoman]

Sounds great, and good to get a proper fishing session in, and catch some proper fish!

[Pete Tyjas]

Nice, really enjoyed and some nice fish too.

[boisker]

And the grayling...