I’m not very good at this am I? Blogging that is… although the keen eyed out there may make similar observation about my fishing. My last blog posting was the night before opening day… over a month ago, and during that time I’ve been out and about at least four times, “So why no entries on the blog?” you ask, full of righteous indignation, deprived as you have been of my musings and missives from the Monnow valley. “Heck Dave, what have you been up to?”

It sounds like a limp excuse but I’ve been trying to wrestle with technology and learn how to make my text flow around little photgraphs in my blog postings, and no matter how carefully I follow the instructions on the Wordpress site, it wont bastard-well work; so I throw a hissy fit and say “Sod you then! See if I care!” and pootle off instead to do a spot of work or go to sleep. Anyhow, uploading some photos this morning I realised that if I am serious about maintianing the site, then I need to discipline myself a little more and instead of having creativity inspired tantrums, perhaps lower my sights and just write… and stick the pictures in as best I can.

A Honddu McNab
My first exploits of any consequence were on a lovely little beat of the river Honddu, newly discovered for the start of this season, but of secret location for the now… sorry. Despite a chill easterly breeze whipping through the valley, the river course was sheltered and calm, so fishing proceded in relative comfort. The Honddu is a strange little river, sometimes as desolate as the Black Mountain that flanks the northerly edge of its valley, yet on other occasions teeming with life like a tropical reef. The first 400 yds of fishing displayed the Honddu at its most generous, twelve fish including a deliciously svelt looking grayling of 13″, a gorgeous wild brown of 14″ which escaped the hand before the shutter could do its work, and…. and… a clonking great rainbow trout of… ooh, around two and half pounds!!! You can imagine my disappointment/exhilaration… on a 7ft 3wt. On telling Wicked Uncle Patrick the tale, “A Honddu McNab eh!” he exclaimed.

So here is the challenge guys… photographic evidence of a Honddu McNab: Grayling, Brown and Rainbow, in one day, and to provide a little challenge… the same beat, heh heh heh, will garner you two dozen flies from my Monnow Favourites selection. Who is up for it? Or is it too tough…