Freestone · Mixed · South East / Wexford, IE

Slaney

River Slaney at Scarawalsh Bridge — broad freestone pool with wooded banks
Today · Closed season
Blue-Winged Olive
Forecast · Today
Closed season
Out of season. File this water for the right month.
40% projected
Today's fly
Blue-Winged Olive
Blue-Winged Olive
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Rising
0.48 m
Lifting fast
Water temp16.3°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather14°C
WindN 36 km/h
Pressure1003 hPa
Rain · recent15.8 mm
Rain · ahead1.6 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
16°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Spring run from late February through May; grilse from June; main run summer. Wexford-coast spate water; fish 12 to 24 hours after rain.
Where
Beats from Bunclody through Enniscorthy to the tidal limit. Heads, tails, and named lies; many beats fish through cooperative club water.
Method
Small doubles 10 to 12 across-and-down on a floating line; small tubes on a sink-tip in spring water. Catch-and-release encouraged across most Irish salmon water.
Kit
10 ft #7 single-hander on the smaller spate rivers; 11 ft switch where the river opens out. Floating line plus light sink-tip. 10 to 12 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
The river is in textbook shape. River dropping nicely into shape after a lift — textbook conditions. Clearing nicely — classic taking conditions. 14.4°C — in the ideal taking range for autumn salmon. This is the window experienced salmon anglers wait for — if you can get to the river, go now.
Likely species
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 12 Uhr

12 Uhr(now) — Heather Fly

Stage: Terrestrials on topApproach: Dry flyActivity: 56%
Also:Reed Smut47%Cinnamon Sedge28%Autumn Dun23%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost10 food groups active

Peak activity at 12 Uhr — Heather Fly (Heather Fly, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds as a supporter.

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14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 as a supporter.

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14-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 · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
1
Sea trout runRun
1
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
CapererHatch
2
3
3
2
Hawthorn FlyHatch
2
2
GrannomHatch
2
2

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

Ranked for today
Fly box · Atlantic Salmon
LW
Large Willie Gunn
large / fished deep · Salmon fly
SB
Salmon Bomber
small dry fly · Salmon fly
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • South Eastern district
  • **2026: Catch-and-release only — Slaney is meeting only 71% of 1SW and 17% of 2SW Conservation Limit
  • No harvest surplus.** Fly-only above Enniscorthy Bridge
  • Single or double barbless hooks required throughout
  • Worm prohibited above Enniscorthy Bridge; allowed below with barbless single hook only
  • Slaney River Trust is the main rights body
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 5
  1. River Slaney at Scarawalsh Bridge — broad freestone pool with wooded banks
    Scarawalsh Bridge
  2. The River Slaney flowing through open countryside near Scarawalsh, County Wexford.
    River Slaney near Scarawalsh
  3. Wide view of the River Slaney from the Irish National Heritage Park, County Wexford.
    River Slaney at Wexford
  4. River Slaney at Stratford-on-Slaney, County Wicklow, the upper river in its headwaters.
    River Slaney at Stratford-on-Slaney
  5. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown

EPA (Ireland) · IESE_12S022200

The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightLow But Fishable-0.9
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftDropping Nicely Into Shape+4.5
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+3.8
Time in seasonLate Season+0.4
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base10.2
Will they take?Willingcaps the band

Fish should be willing to take — clearing, stained water.

Can you trust it?
Water temperaturelive gauge readinggauge
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 June → 31 AugustC&R
  • Sea trout 1 June → 31 AugustC&R
  • Trout 17 March → 31 August
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts