Stillwater · Silurian Mudstone Shale · Wales / Cambrian Mountains (Elan Valley uplands, Rhayader)

Llyn Carw

A dark oval upland lake set in open grass moorland under a partly cloudy sky, with distant hills on the horizon.

Carw is further out on the same moorland ticket as Claerwen and Gynon, and it's got a reputation — modest, local, but real — for wild browns that run bigger than you'd expect from a lake this size, fish pushing past the pound for anyone who puts the legwork in.

Marginal · Trout
Marabou Damsel · 8-12
A patient day, if you fancy it
Good wave on — drift country. Slow going — pick your moments and do not force it.
43% confidence
limited data

Llyn Carw is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindNW 16 km/hGentle breeze
Today's fly
Marabou Damsel
Marabou Damsel8-12
Retrieve, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Gentle breeze
NW 16 km/h
N
NW
from the north-west
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp
Air temp19°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1018 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
Late April–June; evening rises through summer
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. Keep a sedge-style dry or emerger on a short leader for the evening rise.
The plan
Plan A

Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. Keep a sedge-style dry or emerger on a short leader for the evening rise.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

Bank

Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
2
3
2
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Trout fly box
Bays & launches · 1
Day ticket via Rhayader and Elan Valley AA (covers Claerwen)Access varies
Remote moorland lake above Claerwen with wild browns to 1lb+, fly only.
Visit official site ↗
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
59%
Cloud50%
Wind65%
Temp60%

A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
  1. A dark oval upland lake set in open grass moorland under a partly cloudy sky, with distant hills on the horizon.
    Llyn Carw
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Carw is further out on the same moorland ticket as Claerwen and Gynon, and it's got a reputation — modest, local, but real — for wild browns that run bigger than you'd expect from a lake this size, fish pushing past the pound for anyone who puts the legwork in. There's no shortcut to it; you earn the fishing with the walk. Fly only, same permit that covers the reservoir and the rest of the club's natural lakes, which makes it an easy add-on to a Claerwen day if you're willing to keep going a bit further into the hills. Bring a map. The satisfaction here is roughly proportional to how far you're prepared to walk.

  • Lake
  • Silurian mudstone shale
Why this score
  • Sedge is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
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