The Society is in many ways unique. It was founded in 1952 by a group of game fishermen who set out to build a club that offered high quality game fishing, usually reserved for those of some social status, but made it available at low cost to the wider community in Monmouth.
The Monmouth and District Angling Society was the original idea of Monmouth Solicitor William Vizard. He was supported by The Reverend Canon Arthur Blake, Ronald Ralph Hayward Willcox (at that time the Mayor of Monmouth), Lt Col D G Frazer, and prominent local businessman Raymond Charles Keeling the owner of a number of businesses in the town including a tackle shop. As support grew, additional backing came from local landowner the late Major Patrick Waller of Hadnock Court.
With help from its various military connections with the REME, the first fishing rights rental agreement was secured in 1954 with HM Principal Secretary of State for the War Department. This agreement to fish the River Monnow waters above Osbaston at Vauxhall and Pwllholm stands to this day, although the Secretary of State for Defence has taken over the role of lessor.
In 1961, the committee, who met to discuss club matters in the Bull Inn Monmouth (re-named the Punch House in the 1970’s) rented the Coarse and Game fishing rights on the River Monnow at Vauxhall Fields from the Haberdashers Company in Monmouth. In May 1987, the Society purchased the fishing rights in perpetuity. This ability to access the river immediately behind the town has proved invaluable to youngsters and the rather less agile elderly.
In 1965, the Beaufort Estate purchased the fishing rights on the River Wye and on the lower River Monnow. The Monmouth and District Angling Society secured the lease of the coarse fishing rights on the Lower Wye, downstream from the main road bridge to its confluence with the River Troddi. The waters on the Monnow from its confluence with the Wye upstream to the Gatehouse Bridge were gifted to the Town as “free waters” and remain so to this day.
Through its close and long standing association with past President the late Major Patrick Waller and more latterly with his son Richard, the Monmouth and District Angling Society has held the Coarse fishing rights on the Upper Wye at Hadnock for 50 years. By the early 1970’s the club had also signed rental agreements with the Dingestow Court and other landowners with fishing rights on almost 5 miles of the River Troddi.
The club rents 3 still water pools on the Treowen Estate near Dingestow which provide members with the opportunity to catch Rudd, Roach, Carp, Perch, Tench and the occasional Bream. These pools offer both easy fishing for youngsters and beginners and some more challenging opportunities.
Members can fish for specimen Chub and Barbel on the River Wye with winter Grayling to tempt you out on those crisp winter days. Both the Wye and Monnow have their populations of Pike if that is what you wish but the Monnow gives anglers the chance to fish all year round as it offers Trout, Grayling, Chub, Dace and occasional Flounders when the Wye floods and the Monnow backs up. The river Troddi offers a real challenge to any fly fisherman willing to test his casting skills against the over-shaded banks in search of those elusive trout. The Troddi is best fished at mayfly time but if you want peace and undisturbed seclusion and an opportunity to enjoy the local wildlife, it’s a must. To this day the club has retained its “no fuss no frills” outlook with low cost membership renewable annually for members, officers of the club, and newcomers alike. The committee still meets regularly at a pub in Monmouth (the Royal Oak PH) and all meetings are open to members and visitors.
The Monmouth & District Angling Society was founded in 1952 to bring high quality low cost fishing to the local community and visitors to the area.
The Society has a maximum of 200 members with memberships renewable annually.
All income is used solely for the benefit of members to pay rents, maintain and manage the fisheries, and re-new fish stocks.
The Society offers coarse fishing on all our waters and fly fishing for Trout and Grayling on the rivers Monnow and Trothy.
Local fishing seasons
Trout – 3rd March to 30th September
Coarse – 16th June to 14th March
Please Note: Coarse fishing is not permitted on “The Duke’s Water, Lower Wye, during the salmon season (March 3rd to October 17th)
Fish whereabouts
River Monnow: Trout, Grayling, Chub, Dace, Perch, Roach, Pike
River Trothy: Wild Brown Trout stream
River Wye: Barbel, Dace, Chub, Grayling, Pike
Treowen Pools: Carp, Tench, Perch, Rudd
Trippenkennet Lakes: Various species of silver fish. Reduced rates available on the bank for M&DAS members
All fishermen irrespective of type require the appropriate Environment Agency rod licence available direct “on line” or from the Post Office. It is an offence to fish without a licence
Monmouth And District Angling Society 