River Monnow - Brown Trout

Brown Trout

At one time the river was noted for its substantial brown trout population, with the length from Pontrilas to Skenfrith producing record catches. Numbers fell substantially during the 20th century and especially after the 1960s but in more recent years the trout fishing has improved dramatically and the Monnow catchment once again ranks as one of the best wild trout fisheries in England and Wales and it is now also noted for the grayling fishing. A recently opened fish pass at Monmouth allowing migratory fish to by-pass a previously impassable weir has once more given salmon and sea trout access to the majority of the catchment and salmon were seen jumping at the now dismantled Kentchurch weir for the first time for many years in the Autumn of 2008. The Monnow Rivers Association takes a large amount of the credit for the improvement in the fishing through their work on habitat improvement throughout the catchment and encouraging anglers to return a high proportion of fish caught safely to the water.