- Ecology: Moderate
- Chemical: Unknown
NRW (Wales) · UKGB110066060030
Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow19°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Through the open trout season. Spring olives April through May; sedges through summer; small dark flies into autumn close.
Where
Pool tails and pocket water through the North Wales spate stretches. Small-scale Snowdonia-edge water.
Method
Upstream dry to risers; dry-dropper through the riffles. North Country spider on the swing in cooler water. Spate-driven on falling water.
Kit
9 ft #4 — Welsh freestone default. Floating line, 9 to 12 ft leader to 4 to 5 lb fluoro. Studded boots — slate slabs run slick.
Why this works
Water at 18.7°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
See the full hour-by-hour hatch timeline with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds 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
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
Beats · 1
River Machno — National Trust (Ysbyty Ifan)Enquiry
The Conwy's first major tributary, running through the slate-quarrying Penmachno valley past Pandy Falls and Machno Falls — a distinct National Trust fishery, separate from Betws-y-Coed Anglers Club's water on the Conwy/Llugwy/Lledr.
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
Afon Conwy near Betws-y-Coed 
River Conwy at Fairy Glen 
River Conwy near Dolgarrog 
Afon Conwy at Tal-y-Cafn 
River Conwy, Llanrwst Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 80%
How the 30 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature44 × 28%12.3
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity15 × 18%2.7
Feeding Time85 × 13%11.1
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity50 × 12%6.0
Limiting factor: Water is very coloured — too coloured for Brown Trout= 55
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.
A drop and clear would lift the flow and clarity scores.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Salmon 20 March → 17 October
- Trout 3 March → 30 September
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — NRW At Risk classification. North Wales spate river with sea trout present but stocks in decline. Run timing is highly rain-dependent; windows after summer spates are the productive periods.
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 Conwy holds North Wales salmon interest but stocks are at risk.
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations
Conwy
Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow19°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Through the open trout season. Spring olives April through May; sedges through summer; small dark flies into autumn close.
Where
Pool tails and pocket water through the North Wales spate stretches. Small-scale Snowdonia-edge water.
Method
Upstream dry to risers; dry-dropper through the riffles. North Country spider on the swing in cooler water. Spate-driven on falling water.
Kit
9 ft #4 — Welsh freestone default. Floating line, 9 to 12 ft leader to 4 to 5 lb fluoro. Studded boots — slate slabs run slick.
Why this works
Water at 18.7°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
See the full hour-by-hour hatch timeline with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds 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
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
Beats · 1
River Machno — National Trust (Ysbyty Ifan)Enquiry
The Conwy's first major tributary, running through the slate-quarrying Penmachno valley past Pandy Falls and Machno Falls — a distinct National Trust fishery, separate from Betws-y-Coed Anglers Club's water on the Conwy/Llugwy/Lledr.
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
Afon Conwy near Betws-y-Coed River Conwy at Fairy Glen River Conwy near Dolgarrog Afon Conwy at Tal-y-Cafn River Conwy, Llanrwst Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
- Ecology: Moderate
- Chemical: Unknown
NRW (Wales) · UKGB110066060030
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 80%
How the 30 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature44 × 28%12.3
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity15 × 18%2.7
Feeding Time85 × 13%11.1
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity50 × 12%6.0
Limiting factor: Water is very coloured — too coloured for Brown Trout= 55
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.
A drop and clear would lift the flow and clarity scores.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Salmon 20 March → 17 October
- Trout 3 March → 30 September
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — NRW At Risk classification. North Wales spate river with sea trout present but stocks in decline. Run timing is highly rain-dependent; windows after summer spates are the productive periods.
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 Conwy holds North Wales salmon interest but stocks are at risk.
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations