- Ecology: Moderate
- Chemical: Unknown
NRW (Wales) · UKGB110066059960
Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow19°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Water at 18.6°C — above the brown trout caution line (18°C). Fish dawn or dusk only. Land it fast, wet hands, no air shots.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am
Hatch predictions
Today's headline hatch shown — see all 8 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence
Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.
Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
Beats · 5 · 2 reaches
Rhyl & St Asaph AA — visitor permitsAccess varies
The Clwyd is a sewin river first.
Visit official site ↗Clwyd tributaries · 4 beatsMixed
River Elwy — Vale of Clwyd AC (Kinmel Estate), River Elwy — Rhyl & St Asaph AA, River Aled — Rhyl & St Asaph AA, River Wheeler (Afon Chwiler) — Vale of Clwyd AC
The 4 beats
River Elwy — Vale of Clwyd AC (Kinmel Estate)Members
Vale of Clwyd Angling Club
Six beats on the lower Elwy near the Kinmel Estate, closer to St Asaph — the Elwy is one of Wales's more productive sea trout (sewin) fisheries, with fish of 5-10lb routinely caught.
Members only. Annual membership around £145 (renew before 31 March).
Visit official site ↗River Elwy — Rhyl & St Asaph AADay tickets
Rhyl & St Asaph Angling Association
About 9 beats further upstream, from St Asaph town water up toward Llanfair Talhaiarn — part of a combined ~20-mile Clwyd/Elwy/Aled holding.
Visitor day ticket £15 (1-day) / £60 (5-day), covering Clwyd/Elwy/Aled beats — confirm which specific beats are included before travelling.
Visit official site ↗River Aled — Rhyl & St Asaph AAMembers
Rhyl & St Asaph Angling Association
A single double-bank beat downstream of Llansannan, on this smaller Elwy tributary that rises at Llyn Aled reservoir. Best later in the season for migratory fish; salmon is not confirmed on this specific beat.
RASAAA membership ~£180 adult; some beats may be included in the visitor day-ticket scheme, confirm before travelling.
Visit official site ↗River Wheeler (Afon Chwiler) — Vale of Clwyd ACMembers
Vale of Clwyd Angling Club
A single beat near Bodfari on this small Clwyd tributary, followed for its whole length by the A541. Established brown trout population, with sea trout and salmon running when water heights allow.
Members only — no day-ticket route found for this beat.
Visit official site ↗What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Water here around 19°C. Nothing cooler within range — carry a thermometer.
Gallery · 6
River Clwyd valley, southwest of Ruthin 
Afon Clwyd at Trefnant 
River Clwyd at Rhuddlan 
The River Clwyd, Ruthin Park 
River Clwyd, Ruthin Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 80%
How the 36 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature46 × 28%12.9
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time65 × 13%8.5
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity65 × 12%7.8
Conditions total= 70
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
What would change the calculation
Cooler water — back toward the 10–16 °C ideal band — would lift the score and ease welfare.
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Salmon 20 March → 17 October
- Trout 3 March → 30 September
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — NRW At Risk classification. North Wales river. Sea trout present but stocks are among the more marginal in Wales; classified At Risk. Secondary quarry behind salmon.
Salmon: Negligible (2026) — NRW / EA 2024 Salmon Stocks Assessment classifies this Welsh principal salmon river 'at risk' — egg deposition below Conservation Limit. All Wales byelaws (in force 2020-2030) make catch & release mandatory. Conservation priority; not a salmon fishing destination. The Clwyd's salmon run is much reduced; classified at risk.
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations
River Clwyd
Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow19°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Water at 18.6°C — above the brown trout caution line (18°C). Fish dawn or dusk only. Land it fast, wet hands, no air shots.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am
Hatch predictions
Today's headline hatch shown — see all 8 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence
Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.
Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
Beats · 5 · 2 reaches
Rhyl & St Asaph AA — visitor permitsAccess varies
The Clwyd is a sewin river first.
Visit official site ↗Clwyd tributaries · 4 beatsMixed
River Elwy — Vale of Clwyd AC (Kinmel Estate), River Elwy — Rhyl & St Asaph AA, River Aled — Rhyl & St Asaph AA, River Wheeler (Afon Chwiler) — Vale of Clwyd AC
The 4 beats
River Elwy — Vale of Clwyd AC (Kinmel Estate)Members
Vale of Clwyd Angling Club
Six beats on the lower Elwy near the Kinmel Estate, closer to St Asaph — the Elwy is one of Wales's more productive sea trout (sewin) fisheries, with fish of 5-10lb routinely caught.
Members only. Annual membership around £145 (renew before 31 March).
Visit official site ↗River Elwy — Rhyl & St Asaph AADay tickets
Rhyl & St Asaph Angling Association
About 9 beats further upstream, from St Asaph town water up toward Llanfair Talhaiarn — part of a combined ~20-mile Clwyd/Elwy/Aled holding.
Visitor day ticket £15 (1-day) / £60 (5-day), covering Clwyd/Elwy/Aled beats — confirm which specific beats are included before travelling.
Visit official site ↗River Aled — Rhyl & St Asaph AAMembers
Rhyl & St Asaph Angling Association
A single double-bank beat downstream of Llansannan, on this smaller Elwy tributary that rises at Llyn Aled reservoir. Best later in the season for migratory fish; salmon is not confirmed on this specific beat.
RASAAA membership ~£180 adult; some beats may be included in the visitor day-ticket scheme, confirm before travelling.
Visit official site ↗River Wheeler (Afon Chwiler) — Vale of Clwyd ACMembers
Vale of Clwyd Angling Club
A single beat near Bodfari on this small Clwyd tributary, followed for its whole length by the A541. Established brown trout population, with sea trout and salmon running when water heights allow.
Members only — no day-ticket route found for this beat.
Visit official site ↗What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Water here around 19°C. Nothing cooler within range — carry a thermometer.
Gallery · 6
River Clwyd valley, southwest of Ruthin Afon Clwyd at Trefnant River Clwyd at Rhuddlan The River Clwyd, Ruthin Park River Clwyd, Ruthin Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
- Ecology: Moderate
- Chemical: Unknown
NRW (Wales) · UKGB110066059960
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 80%
How the 36 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature46 × 28%12.9
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time65 × 13%8.5
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity65 × 12%7.8
Conditions total= 70
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
What would change the calculation
Cooler water — back toward the 10–16 °C ideal band — would lift the score and ease welfare.
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Salmon 20 March → 17 October
- Trout 3 March → 30 September
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — NRW At Risk classification. North Wales river. Sea trout present but stocks are among the more marginal in Wales; classified At Risk. Secondary quarry behind salmon.
Salmon: Negligible (2026) — NRW / EA 2024 Salmon Stocks Assessment classifies this Welsh principal salmon river 'at risk' — egg deposition below Conservation Limit. All Wales byelaws (in force 2020-2030) make catch & release mandatory. Conservation priority; not a salmon fishing destination. The Clwyd's salmon run is much reduced; classified at risk.
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations