- Ecology: Moderate
- Chemical: Unknown
EA (England) · UKGB109056040083
Rules at a glance
- Permit required
- Barbless
- C&R only
Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow23°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
March Brown hatch in late March and April is the season's gift — afternoons in cool weather. Mayfly mid-May. Sedges and BWO through summer evenings. Trout season 3 March to 30 September.
Where
Brecon to Abergavenny is the heart of the trout water. Limestone enrichment gives the Usk hatches like nowhere else in Wales — pool-riffle on cobble, the gravel runs and tail-outs holding fish.
Method
Dry to risers when the March Browns are off — afternoons can be electric. Spider team or Czech nymph through riffles between hatches. The Usk responds honestly to good approach work; sloppy presentation is rejected.
Kit
9 ft #5 — limestone-enriched freestone. Floating line, 9 ft tapered leader to 4 to 5 lb fluoro. Studded boots — Welsh river cobble.
Why this works
Water at 23.2°C. This is the line where catch-and-release kills brown trout. Do not fish for them today.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day
Hatch predictions
See the full hour-by-hour hatch timeline 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.
Updated 9 hours ago
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
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
14-18 · Pattern
Upstream dry, on top
Beats · 18 · 8 reaches
The Usk sits inside a patchwork of private club and estate water, but the Wye & Usk Foundation's Fishing Passport threads a genuine day-ticket route through close to twenty beats from Sennybridge down to Usk town, plus a scatter of tributary Wild Streams. Glanusk Estate and Gliffaes Hotel add two more direct routes around Crickhowell. Several long-established clubs — Crickhowell & District, Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, ISCA — hold further miles that are membership-only; they're listed here for context rather than as something a visiting angler can walk up to.
Upper Usk — Sennybridge to Brecon · 4 beatsDay rods
Cwmwysg Ganol, Cefn Rhosan Fawr, Penpont, Fenni Fach
The 4 beats
Cwmwysg GanolDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
Three-quarters of a mile of right-bank water half a mile below Sennybridge, made up of four pools including the Quarry Pool (a noted salmon lie) and the Junction Pool where the Cilieni tributary enters — trout over 3lb turn up regularly. Gravel and bedrock bed; studded soles recommended.
Catch-and-release for salmon at all times; 2-trout bag limit, none under 9in. No dogs.
Cefn Rhosan FawrDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
1.8 miles of main-river Usk immediately below Sennybridge plus short stretches of the Senni and Cilieni tributaries. Deep pools, waterfalls and gentle glides give first-class wild brown trout fishing; salmon show later in the season (September–October), and sea trout are rare this far up the system.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon at all times, no dogs.
PenpontDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile and a half of mostly double-bank water a few miles above Brecon, best April to June and again after summer rain, with occasional sewin and salmon late in the season given some water. Rewards a stealthy approach across a mix of pocket water and dry-fly flats.
Catch-and-release for all species, fly only. Only 4 rods/day and 2 of those are let separately by the house, so booking 1–3 rods doesn't guarantee exclusivity.
Fenni FachDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile and a half of pools, runs and gutters just upstream of Brecon in peaceful surroundings — predominantly trout, with good salmon fishing when conditions are right. Chest waders with studs are a must; day-ticket anglers may ignore 'No Public Access' signs meant for the general public.
Catch-and-release for salmon at all times, fly only for trout, 2-trout bag limit (min 9in).
The Breconshire Fishery (Brecon Town Water)Day tickets
A mile and a half downstream of Llanfaes Bridge, right through Brecon — easy gravel wading and the busiest beat on the river (dog walkers, other river users), but reliably productive.
Talybont to Crickhowell · 2 beatsMixed
Ashford House, Dan Y Parc
The 2 beats
Ashford HouseDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile of right-bank water below Talybont Bridge with genuine pedigree — John Henderson, inventor of several classic Usk patterns, owned and fished this water in the 1930s. Better known now as a wild trout fishery than a salmon beat (Chain Pool and Blue Pool are the salmon lies), with trout over 2lb realistic. Banks are steep and overgrown in summer.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon, 1-trout limit. Half-price evening tickets from 1 May, fishing from 5pm.
Dan Y ParcMembers
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport) — named-rod syndicate
A mile and a half of double-bank water just downstream of Crickhowell, run as a small named-rod syndicate rather than an open day-ticket beat — part-time keeper, fishing huts, straightforward wading. The Fishing Passport occasionally lists a handful of membership vacancies here.
Membership-style access, not a walk-up day ticket — confirm current vacancies before planning a trip.
Crickhowell & Glanusk Estate · 2 beatsDay rods
Glanusk Estate Fishery, Gliffaes Country House Hotel water
The 2 beats
Glanusk Estate FisheryDay tickets
Glanusk Estate
Roughly 2.5km of double-bank water just above Crickhowell — six named beats (Below the Bridge, Above the Bridge, Llanwysg, Dufnant, Family Beat, Green Beat, plus an Island Beat on request) along a sequence of long salmon-holding pools that double as excellent dry-fly trout water. Bank access by vehicle along most of the beat in dry conditions.
Full catch-and-release for salmon and sea trout, no trebles, barbless preferred; fly only 3 March–31 May. Contributes to the Usk Fishing Association's river conservation work.
Gliffaes Country House Hotel waterGuide / lodge
Gliffaes Country House Hotel
Gliffaes Country House Hotel holds a private stretch of the Usk above Crickhowell — five salmon and trout beats reserved for hotel guests, with tuition, guides and flies arranged through the hotel.
Hotel-guest water — not open to day-ticket anglers.
Crickhowell and District Angling Society waterMembers
Crickhowell and District Angling Society controls nine miles of beats between Crickhowell and Usk (Crickhowell, Glangrwyney, Abergavenny and Gobion stretches) — one of the largest private fishery owners on the river.
Abergavenny · 2 beatsMixed
Abergavenny Town Water, Gwent Angling Society water
The 2 beats
Abergavenny Town WaterDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport) — club water
A mile of mostly double-bank club water below the Merthyr road bridge in Abergavenny — gravel bed makes for easy wading, with salmon pools and runs that fish well for trout on dry fly, spider or traditional downstream wet.
Catch-and-release for all species, fly only, professional guides not permitted, exclusivity not guaranteed.
Gwent Angling Society waterMembers
Gwent Angling Society
Gwent Angling Society holds seven beats and over ten miles of Usk fishing — salmon-hotspot water near Chainbridge on the lower/middle river, first-class trout beats near Gilwern and Abergavenny, and water on the scenic upper river above Brecon.
Members only, no day tickets, but the club sells guest tickets — contact the secretary via the club website.
Usk Town & the Lower River · 5 beatsMixed
Chainbridge, Old Clytha, Usk Town Water, Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance water…
The 5 beats
ChainbridgeDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A tightly exclusive stretch a few miles above Usk town — six named pools including the Rock Pool, the best of the salmon lies, plus the Upper Rocks and Wood Stream. Private car park at the water; gravel bed with some trickier bedrock sections.
Fly only for salmon until 16 June, catch-and-release for salmon at all times, 2-trout bag limit (min 9in). Half-price evening tickets from 1 May, fishing from 5pm.
Old ClythaDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A short, quiet 400m left-bank beat between Usk town and Abergavenny — the Croy Pool is a noted salmon catch and lovely fly water, the rest suits an afternoon's trout fishing. Locally famous for blizzard grannom hatches in April.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon, 2-trout bag limit (over 2lb must be returned).
Usk Town WaterDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
Two miles of double-bank water through Usk town itself, from Llanbadoc Church to the fields at Llancayo — consistently productive gravel-bed trout water, though busy with dog walkers on warm days near the bridges. Trout only — salmon on this stretch are privately fished.
No salmon or sea trout fishing; traditional (non-migratory) fly patterns only, max hook size 10; 4-trout bag limit; no night fishing; no dogs.
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance waterMembers
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance owns roughly three miles of the Usk between Crickhowell and Abergavenny (Mardy, Ysbytty and Kemeys), alongside Taff and reservoir fishing further south.
Membership club; some of its Usk water is also let as day tickets through the Fishing Passport.
ISCA Angling Club waterMembers
ISCA Angling Club
ISCA Angling Club fishes club water on the lower Usk for both trout and salmon.
Members only — no day tickets on this water.
Usk Wild Streams — tributary permitsDay tickets
The Foundation's Wild Streams scheme opens genuinely remote upland tributary fishing across the Usk system — Upper and Middle Cilieni, Upper and Lower Grywne Fawr, Lower Crai, Lower Tarrell, Middle Bran, the Honddu and Parc Fishery — light-tackle, stalk-and-cast wild brown trout water best fished with a 6.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Water here around 23°C. Nothing cooler within range — carry a thermometer.
Gallery · 6
River Usk in the Brecon Beacons 
River Usk at Brecon 
River Usk and Table Mountain 
River Usk cascade, Crickhowell 
River Usk at Usk town Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 2 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature1 × 28%0.3
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time70 × 13%9.1
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity51 × 12%6.1
Limiting factor: Water temperature (23.2°C) is outside Brown Trout's preferred range (10–16°C)= 56
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.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Salmon 1 February → 17 October
- Trout 3 March → 30 September
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — NRW At Risk classification. Usk sea trout (sewin) are present and fish can be taken on the daytime from June, but stocks are below historical levels. The Usk is primarily known as a salmon and brown-trout river; sea trout are a secondary quarry.
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 Usk has seen catastrophic salmon decline; agricultural pollution and warming a major factor.
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Usk
Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow23°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
March Brown hatch in late March and April is the season's gift — afternoons in cool weather. Mayfly mid-May. Sedges and BWO through summer evenings. Trout season 3 March to 30 September.
Where
Brecon to Abergavenny is the heart of the trout water. Limestone enrichment gives the Usk hatches like nowhere else in Wales — pool-riffle on cobble, the gravel runs and tail-outs holding fish.
Method
Dry to risers when the March Browns are off — afternoons can be electric. Spider team or Czech nymph through riffles between hatches. The Usk responds honestly to good approach work; sloppy presentation is rejected.
Kit
9 ft #5 — limestone-enriched freestone. Floating line, 9 ft tapered leader to 4 to 5 lb fluoro. Studded boots — Welsh river cobble.
Why this works
Water at 23.2°C. This is the line where catch-and-release kills brown trout. Do not fish for them today.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day
Hatch predictions
See the full hour-by-hour hatch timeline 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.
Updated 9 hours ago
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
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
14-18 · Pattern
Upstream dry, on top
Beats · 18 · 8 reaches
The Usk sits inside a patchwork of private club and estate water, but the Wye & Usk Foundation's Fishing Passport threads a genuine day-ticket route through close to twenty beats from Sennybridge down to Usk town, plus a scatter of tributary Wild Streams. Glanusk Estate and Gliffaes Hotel add two more direct routes around Crickhowell. Several long-established clubs — Crickhowell & District, Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, ISCA — hold further miles that are membership-only; they're listed here for context rather than as something a visiting angler can walk up to.
Upper Usk — Sennybridge to Brecon · 4 beatsDay rods
Cwmwysg Ganol, Cefn Rhosan Fawr, Penpont, Fenni Fach
The 4 beats
Cwmwysg GanolDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
Three-quarters of a mile of right-bank water half a mile below Sennybridge, made up of four pools including the Quarry Pool (a noted salmon lie) and the Junction Pool where the Cilieni tributary enters — trout over 3lb turn up regularly. Gravel and bedrock bed; studded soles recommended.
Catch-and-release for salmon at all times; 2-trout bag limit, none under 9in. No dogs.
Cefn Rhosan FawrDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
1.8 miles of main-river Usk immediately below Sennybridge plus short stretches of the Senni and Cilieni tributaries. Deep pools, waterfalls and gentle glides give first-class wild brown trout fishing; salmon show later in the season (September–October), and sea trout are rare this far up the system.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon at all times, no dogs.
PenpontDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile and a half of mostly double-bank water a few miles above Brecon, best April to June and again after summer rain, with occasional sewin and salmon late in the season given some water. Rewards a stealthy approach across a mix of pocket water and dry-fly flats.
Catch-and-release for all species, fly only. Only 4 rods/day and 2 of those are let separately by the house, so booking 1–3 rods doesn't guarantee exclusivity.
Fenni FachDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile and a half of pools, runs and gutters just upstream of Brecon in peaceful surroundings — predominantly trout, with good salmon fishing when conditions are right. Chest waders with studs are a must; day-ticket anglers may ignore 'No Public Access' signs meant for the general public.
Catch-and-release for salmon at all times, fly only for trout, 2-trout bag limit (min 9in).
The Breconshire Fishery (Brecon Town Water)Day tickets
A mile and a half downstream of Llanfaes Bridge, right through Brecon — easy gravel wading and the busiest beat on the river (dog walkers, other river users), but reliably productive.
Talybont to Crickhowell · 2 beatsMixed
Ashford House, Dan Y Parc
The 2 beats
Ashford HouseDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile of right-bank water below Talybont Bridge with genuine pedigree — John Henderson, inventor of several classic Usk patterns, owned and fished this water in the 1930s. Better known now as a wild trout fishery than a salmon beat (Chain Pool and Blue Pool are the salmon lies), with trout over 2lb realistic. Banks are steep and overgrown in summer.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon, 1-trout limit. Half-price evening tickets from 1 May, fishing from 5pm.
Dan Y ParcMembers
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport) — named-rod syndicate
A mile and a half of double-bank water just downstream of Crickhowell, run as a small named-rod syndicate rather than an open day-ticket beat — part-time keeper, fishing huts, straightforward wading. The Fishing Passport occasionally lists a handful of membership vacancies here.
Membership-style access, not a walk-up day ticket — confirm current vacancies before planning a trip.
Crickhowell & Glanusk Estate · 2 beatsDay rods
Glanusk Estate Fishery, Gliffaes Country House Hotel water
The 2 beats
Glanusk Estate FisheryDay tickets
Glanusk Estate
Roughly 2.5km of double-bank water just above Crickhowell — six named beats (Below the Bridge, Above the Bridge, Llanwysg, Dufnant, Family Beat, Green Beat, plus an Island Beat on request) along a sequence of long salmon-holding pools that double as excellent dry-fly trout water. Bank access by vehicle along most of the beat in dry conditions.
Full catch-and-release for salmon and sea trout, no trebles, barbless preferred; fly only 3 March–31 May. Contributes to the Usk Fishing Association's river conservation work.
Gliffaes Country House Hotel waterGuide / lodge
Gliffaes Country House Hotel
Gliffaes Country House Hotel holds a private stretch of the Usk above Crickhowell — five salmon and trout beats reserved for hotel guests, with tuition, guides and flies arranged through the hotel.
Hotel-guest water — not open to day-ticket anglers.
Crickhowell and District Angling Society waterMembers
Crickhowell and District Angling Society controls nine miles of beats between Crickhowell and Usk (Crickhowell, Glangrwyney, Abergavenny and Gobion stretches) — one of the largest private fishery owners on the river.
Abergavenny · 2 beatsMixed
Abergavenny Town Water, Gwent Angling Society water
The 2 beats
Abergavenny Town WaterDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport) — club water
A mile of mostly double-bank club water below the Merthyr road bridge in Abergavenny — gravel bed makes for easy wading, with salmon pools and runs that fish well for trout on dry fly, spider or traditional downstream wet.
Catch-and-release for all species, fly only, professional guides not permitted, exclusivity not guaranteed.
Gwent Angling Society waterMembers
Gwent Angling Society
Gwent Angling Society holds seven beats and over ten miles of Usk fishing — salmon-hotspot water near Chainbridge on the lower/middle river, first-class trout beats near Gilwern and Abergavenny, and water on the scenic upper river above Brecon.
Members only, no day tickets, but the club sells guest tickets — contact the secretary via the club website.
Usk Town & the Lower River · 5 beatsMixed
Chainbridge, Old Clytha, Usk Town Water, Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance water…
The 5 beats
ChainbridgeDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A tightly exclusive stretch a few miles above Usk town — six named pools including the Rock Pool, the best of the salmon lies, plus the Upper Rocks and Wood Stream. Private car park at the water; gravel bed with some trickier bedrock sections.
Fly only for salmon until 16 June, catch-and-release for salmon at all times, 2-trout bag limit (min 9in). Half-price evening tickets from 1 May, fishing from 5pm.
Old ClythaDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A short, quiet 400m left-bank beat between Usk town and Abergavenny — the Croy Pool is a noted salmon catch and lovely fly water, the rest suits an afternoon's trout fishing. Locally famous for blizzard grannom hatches in April.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon, 2-trout bag limit (over 2lb must be returned).
Usk Town WaterDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
Two miles of double-bank water through Usk town itself, from Llanbadoc Church to the fields at Llancayo — consistently productive gravel-bed trout water, though busy with dog walkers on warm days near the bridges. Trout only — salmon on this stretch are privately fished.
No salmon or sea trout fishing; traditional (non-migratory) fly patterns only, max hook size 10; 4-trout bag limit; no night fishing; no dogs.
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance waterMembers
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance owns roughly three miles of the Usk between Crickhowell and Abergavenny (Mardy, Ysbytty and Kemeys), alongside Taff and reservoir fishing further south.
Membership club; some of its Usk water is also let as day tickets through the Fishing Passport.
ISCA Angling Club waterMembers
ISCA Angling Club
ISCA Angling Club fishes club water on the lower Usk for both trout and salmon.
Members only — no day tickets on this water.
Usk Wild Streams — tributary permitsDay tickets
The Foundation's Wild Streams scheme opens genuinely remote upland tributary fishing across the Usk system — Upper and Middle Cilieni, Upper and Lower Grywne Fawr, Lower Crai, Lower Tarrell, Middle Bran, the Honddu and Parc Fishery — light-tackle, stalk-and-cast wild brown trout water best fished with a 6.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Water here around 23°C. Nothing cooler within range — carry a thermometer.
Gallery · 6
River Usk in the Brecon Beacons River Usk at Brecon River Usk and Table Mountain River Usk cascade, Crickhowell River Usk at Usk town Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
- Ecology: Moderate
- Chemical: Unknown
EA (England) · UKGB109056040083
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 2 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature1 × 28%0.3
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time70 × 13%9.1
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity51 × 12%6.1
Limiting factor: Water temperature (23.2°C) is outside Brown Trout's preferred range (10–16°C)= 56
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.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Salmon 1 February → 17 October
- Trout 3 March → 30 September
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — NRW At Risk classification. Usk sea trout (sewin) are present and fish can be taken on the daytime from June, but stocks are below historical levels. The Usk is primarily known as a salmon and brown-trout river; sea trout are a secondary quarry.
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 Usk has seen catastrophic salmon decline; agricultural pollution and warming a major factor.
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts