The Duke’s Water — Lower River Wye, Monmouth

The lowdown

• This is The Duke’s Water, the local name for the society’s leased coarse fishing at Monmouth. There’s over a kilometre to go at, with fishing on both banks rather than just one side.
• The boundaries are nice and clear: start a few metres below Wye Bridge and finish at the River Trothy confluence. Keep those landmarks in mind when choosing where to settle in.
• The standout feature is the large eddy below the old stone viaduct. It offers fishing during spates — a handy bit of the stretch to know about when the Wye is up.
• Barbel, chub and grayling are the principal targets named here. That’s the stretch-specific line-up, rather than a wish list of everything you might fancy finding on the end of your line.
• Timing is the big catch: coarse fishing runs from 18 October to 2 March inclusive. From 3 March through to 17 October, coarse fishing is prohibited during the salmon season.
• For the upper right bank, use the track to the allotments field. The lower right bank is reached across the old railway footbridge from the left bank — worth sorting before lugging your kit along.
• Left-bank access follows the footpath beside the playing fields. Vehicles aren’t allowed on the riverbanks except for authorised fishery management, so don’t plan on driving straight down to your swim.
• Feeders and bait droppers are allowed, but pre-baiting swims isn’t. You can fish two rods at once; keep them attended whenever there’s a hook in the water. No sneaky overnight session either.

Methods: Feeder fishing is an allowed option, and bait droppers are permitted too. Keep it barbless, use an unhooking mat where appropriate, and leave the keepnet and livebait plans at home.

Access & tickets

Buy annual membership online through the society’s Clubmate service before heading down; day tickets and day memberships are no longer available. All annual memberships expire on 31 December, and junior membership is £5, up to age 16 or 18 in full-time education.

Fish the club names

barbel, chub

Key rules

• Coarse fishing is allowed only from 18 October to 2 March inclusive; it is prohibited during the salmon season, 3 March to 17 October.
• Carry your membership card and appropriate rod licence. Memberships are not issued on the bank.
• Fish only from one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset. Night fishing, overnight camping and fires are prohibited.
• Use barbless hooks only and an unhooking mat where appropriate. Handle all fish carefully and return them promptly; keepnets and livebait fishing are prohibited.
• Use no more than two rods at once, and never leave a rod unattended with a hook in the water.
• Feeders and bait droppers are permitted on the Wye, but pre-baiting swims is prohibited.
• Vehicles are prohibited on riverbanks except for authorised fishery management. Dogs must be controlled and well behaved.
• Stop fishing when the water temperature reaches 23°C, regardless of other conditions.

River level

Where it is