Spate · Mixed · Devon

River Taw

Photo of River Taw
Marginal · Brown Trout
CDC Emerger · 14-18
Marginallive now
Slow going — pick your moments
River temperature is the limiting factor today, not the flow. Fish dawn or dusk if you go at all, and handle everything with extra care.
80% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.10 mDropping in the last 6h
  • Water temp19.4°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
CDC Emerger
CDC Emerger14-18
Upstream dry, in the film
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.10 m
Dropping in the last 6h
Water temp19.4°C
ClarityClear
Weather19°C
WindNW 13 km/h
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow
19°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 19.4°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 6pm

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 11 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

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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
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
Local classics: Half Stone·Blue Upright·Pheasant Tail Nymph
Beats · 3
Upper Taw & tributaries (Mole, Bray, Yeo, Little Dart)Access varies
The upper Taw and its tributaries are first-rate wild brown trout and spider water with strong hatches from spring to autumn.
Visit official site ↗
Lower Taw — Barnstaple & District AA waterAccess varies
The B&DAA controls game water on the lower Taw near Bishops Tawton (the Newbridge beat) for salmon, sea trout and brown trout, and gives members subsidised day-ticket access to prime beats on the Taw, Torridge and Exe.
Visit official site ↗
River Taw Fisheries & Conservation Association (river-wide)Access varies
The RTFCA is the river-wide association of riparian owners and Taw anglers, working on the river's fish stocks and ecology rather than selling general day tickets.
Visit official site ↗
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Water here around 19°C. Nothing cooler within range — carry a thermometer.
Gallery · 2
  1. Photo of River Taw
    River Taw
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 80%
How the 31 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature33 × 28%9.2
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time50 × 13%6.5
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity60 × 12%7.2
Conditions total= 63
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
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 March → 30 September
  • Trout 15 March → 30 September

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Salmon: Negligible (2026) — EA 2024 Salmon Stocks Assessment classifies the Taw 'at risk' — egg deposition below Conservation Limit. C&R mandatory. The river still produces salmon every season but stocks are well below historical levels; the better story now is the sea trout run, which remains one of the strongest in southern England.

Related guides
Yorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methodsTrout Near Londonaccess guideEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts