Spate · Mixed · South Wales / Neath Port Talbot

Afan

A rocky river winding through a wooded valley with a walker and dogs on the shingle bank.
Poor · Atlantic Salmon
Cascade · 10-14
Poorlive now
Slow going — better windows ahead
Low and clear — careful approach country. Stale fish in low clear water spook easily — pick your hour.
90% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.14 mLast reading 8h ago
  • Water temp21.8°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Cascade
Cascade10-14
Regional salmon default — river-specific evidence is thin.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Falling
0.14 m
Last reading 8h ago
Water temp21.8°C
ClarityClear
Weather26°C
WindSW 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 Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow
22°C est.ideal 1014°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Mainly autumn, in very small numbers. The Afan is not a salmon destination — a fresh fish here is a notable event.
Where
Lower river pools above the tidal limit at Port Talbot.
Method
Small doubles 10 to 12 across-and-down on a floating line; small tubes on a sink-tip in spring or coloured water. Fish the named lies in each pool, working systematically before moving on. Mandatory catch-and-release under NRW byelaw — every salmon goes back.
Kit
10 ft #7/8 single-hander or 11 ft switch — small spate scale; double-handers are wasted on these rivers. Floating line plus light sink-tip. 10 to 12 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Water at 21.8°C. This is the line where catch-and-release kills atlantic salmon. Do not fish for them today.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6pm

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 8 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.

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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
1
Sea trout 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
Atlantic Salmon fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Water here around 22°C. Nothing cooler within range — carry a thermometer.
Gallery · 2
  1. A rocky river winding through a wooded valley with a walker and dogs on the shingle bank.
    River Afan
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • EcologyModerate
  • ChemicalUnknown

NRW (Wales) · UKGB110058026130

Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature030% weight
  • Flow8525% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time10015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 May17 October
  • Sea trout 3 March17 October
  • Trout 3 March30 September

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — Recovering industrial valley river. Sewin run modest but consistent enough through summer to warrant a sea-trout designation. All-Wales At Risk picture applies; treat as a low-density conservation fishery.

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