Stoneflies
Caddisflies
Gammarids
- Ecology: Moderate
- Chemical: Unknown
EA (England) · UKGB109056040083
Rules at a glance
- Permit required
- Barbless
- C&R only
Water temperature for Sea Trout
Warm — slow16°C est.ideal 8–15°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Sea Trout
When
Run from May, peak July and August. Usk sewin are daytime fish — unlike northern English rivers, they take through the day. NRW At-Risk classification; treat catch numbers conservatively.
Where
Same beats as the salmon — Brecon to Abergavenny. The mayfly and BWO hatches bring fish on during daylight; the limestone enrichment is the key.
Method
Daytime swung fly with small wets (Teal Blue and Silver, Silver Stoat #10) and the dry — Welsh sewin take a March Brown or a sedge as readily as a wet. Slow swing through the runs and tail-outs.
Kit
10 ft #6, floating line, 6 to 8 lb fluoro. Spare tippet for daytime light leader changes. The night-fishing kit isn't needed here.
Why this works
Good — time of day is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Caddisflies
- Net-spinning caddisMost likelyLower confidenceNearest relative#12–14–16 · PupaWidespread riffle net-spinner; evening emergence.
- CapererAlso possibleLower confidence#10–12 · AdultBig autumn sedge; fish dry at last light.
- Green SedgeAlso possibleLower confidenceNearest relative#10–12–14–16 · NymphFree-living green caddis larva; fast stony riffles.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 12:00
12:00(now) — Heather Fly
Stage: Terrestrials on topApproach: Dry flyActivity: 52%
Also:Reed Smut48%Cinnamon Sedge29%Autumn Dun25%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost10 food groups active
Peak activity at 12:00 — 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.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 3 as a supporter.
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 · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
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 · Sea Trout
Top
1-2 inch · Tube
In deep pools and dark water, silhouette and contrast do the work colour cannot. A fly that reads as black against depth is enough. Fish it broadside, hold the swing, let it hang at the dangle — that is when the best fish take.
8-12 · Streamer
Slim and mobile — fished sunk through the pool when surface work is not producing. Consistently takes fish that will not come to the surface.
2-4 inch · Streamer
A mobile eel-like profile that undulates through deep pools — effective when sea trout are lying deep and not responding to conventional wets.
Beats · 18 · 8 reaches
The Usk sits inside a patchwork of private club and estate water, but the Wye & Usk Foundation's Fishing Passport threads a genuine day-ticket route through close to twenty beats from Sennybridge down to Usk town, plus a scatter of tributary Wild Streams. Glanusk Estate and Gliffaes Hotel add two more direct routes around Crickhowell. Several long-established clubs — Crickhowell & District, Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, ISCA — hold further miles that are membership-only; they're listed here for context rather than as something a visiting angler can walk up to.
Upper Usk — Sennybridge to Brecon · 4 beatsDay rods
Cwmwysg Ganol, Cefn Rhosan Fawr, Penpont, Fenni Fach
The 4 beats
Cwmwysg GanolDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
Three-quarters of a mile of right-bank water half a mile below Sennybridge, made up of four pools including the Quarry Pool (a noted salmon lie) and the Junction Pool where the Cilieni tributary enters — trout over 3lb turn up regularly. Gravel and bedrock bed; studded soles recommended.
Catch-and-release for salmon at all times; 2-trout bag limit, none under 9in. No dogs.
Visit official site ↗Cefn Rhosan FawrDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
1.8 miles of main-river Usk immediately below Sennybridge plus short stretches of the Senni and Cilieni tributaries. Deep pools, waterfalls and gentle glides give first-class wild brown trout fishing; salmon show later in the season (September–October), and sea trout are rare this far up the system.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon at all times, no dogs.
Visit official site ↗PenpontDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile and a half of mostly double-bank water a few miles above Brecon, best April to June and again after summer rain, with occasional sewin and salmon late in the season given some water. Rewards a stealthy approach across a mix of pocket water and dry-fly flats.
Catch-and-release for all species, fly only. Only 4 rods/day and 2 of those are let separately by the house, so booking 1–3 rods doesn't guarantee exclusivity.
Visit official site ↗Fenni FachDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile and a half of pools, runs and gutters just upstream of Brecon in peaceful surroundings — predominantly trout, with good salmon fishing when conditions are right. Chest waders with studs are a must; day-ticket anglers may ignore 'No Public Access' signs meant for the general public.
Catch-and-release for salmon at all times, fly only for trout, 2-trout bag limit (min 9in).
Visit official site ↗The Breconshire Fishery (Brecon Town Water)Day tickets
A mile and a half downstream of Llanfaes Bridge, right through Brecon — easy gravel wading and the busiest beat on the river (dog walkers, other river users), but reliably productive.
Visit official site ↗Talybont to Crickhowell · 2 beatsMixed
Ashford House, Dan Y Parc
The 2 beats
Ashford HouseDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile of right-bank water below Talybont Bridge with genuine pedigree — John Henderson, inventor of several classic Usk patterns, owned and fished this water in the 1930s. Better known now as a wild trout fishery than a salmon beat (Chain Pool and Blue Pool are the salmon lies), with trout over 2lb realistic. Banks are steep and overgrown in summer.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon, 1-trout limit. Half-price evening tickets from 1 May, fishing from 5pm.
Visit official site ↗Dan Y ParcMembers
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport) — named-rod syndicate
A mile and a half of double-bank water just downstream of Crickhowell, run as a small named-rod syndicate rather than an open day-ticket beat — part-time keeper, fishing huts, straightforward wading. The Fishing Passport occasionally lists a handful of membership vacancies here.
Membership-style access, not a walk-up day ticket — confirm current vacancies before planning a trip.
Visit official site ↗Crickhowell & Glanusk Estate · 2 beatsDay rods
Glanusk Estate Fishery, Gliffaes Country House Hotel water
The 2 beats
Glanusk Estate FisheryDay tickets
Glanusk Estate
Roughly 2.5km of double-bank water just above Crickhowell — six named beats (Below the Bridge, Above the Bridge, Llanwysg, Dufnant, Family Beat, Green Beat, plus an Island Beat on request) along a sequence of long salmon-holding pools that double as excellent dry-fly trout water. Bank access by vehicle along most of the beat in dry conditions.
Full catch-and-release for salmon and sea trout, no trebles, barbless preferred; fly only 3 March–31 May. Contributes to the Usk Fishing Association's river conservation work.
Visit official site ↗Gliffaes Country House Hotel waterGuide / lodge
Gliffaes Country House Hotel
Gliffaes Country House Hotel holds a private stretch of the Usk above Crickhowell — five salmon and trout beats reserved for hotel guests, with tuition, guides and flies arranged through the hotel.
Hotel-guest water — not open to day-ticket anglers.
Visit official site ↗Crickhowell and District Angling Society waterMembers
Crickhowell and District Angling Society controls nine miles of beats between Crickhowell and Usk (Crickhowell, Glangrwyney, Abergavenny and Gobion stretches) — one of the largest private fishery owners on the river.
Visit official site ↗Abergavenny · 2 beatsMixed
Abergavenny Town Water, Gwent Angling Society water
The 2 beats
Abergavenny Town WaterDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport) — club water
A mile of mostly double-bank club water below the Merthyr road bridge in Abergavenny — gravel bed makes for easy wading, with salmon pools and runs that fish well for trout on dry fly, spider or traditional downstream wet.
Catch-and-release for all species, fly only, professional guides not permitted, exclusivity not guaranteed.
Visit official site ↗Gwent Angling Society waterMembers
Gwent Angling Society
Gwent Angling Society holds seven beats and over ten miles of Usk fishing — salmon-hotspot water near Chainbridge on the lower/middle river, first-class trout beats near Gilwern and Abergavenny, and water on the scenic upper river above Brecon.
Members only, no day tickets, but the club sells guest tickets — contact the secretary via the club website.
Visit official site ↗Usk Town & the Lower River · 5 beatsMixed
Chainbridge, Old Clytha, Usk Town Water, Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance water…
The 5 beats
ChainbridgeDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A tightly exclusive stretch a few miles above Usk town — six named pools including the Rock Pool, the best of the salmon lies, plus the Upper Rocks and Wood Stream. Private car park at the water; gravel bed with some trickier bedrock sections.
Fly only for salmon until 16 June, catch-and-release for salmon at all times, 2-trout bag limit (min 9in). Half-price evening tickets from 1 May, fishing from 5pm.
Visit official site ↗Old ClythaDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A short, quiet 400m left-bank beat between Usk town and Abergavenny — the Croy Pool is a noted salmon catch and lovely fly water, the rest suits an afternoon's trout fishing. Locally famous for blizzard grannom hatches in April.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon, 2-trout bag limit (over 2lb must be returned).
Visit official site ↗Usk Town WaterDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
Two miles of double-bank water through Usk town itself, from Llanbadoc Church to the fields at Llancayo — consistently productive gravel-bed trout water, though busy with dog walkers on warm days near the bridges. Trout only — salmon on this stretch are privately fished.
No salmon or sea trout fishing; traditional (non-migratory) fly patterns only, max hook size 10; 4-trout bag limit; no night fishing; no dogs.
Visit official site ↗Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance waterMembers
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance owns roughly three miles of the Usk between Crickhowell and Abergavenny (Mardy, Ysbytty and Kemeys), alongside Taff and reservoir fishing further south.
Membership club; some of its Usk water is also let as day tickets through the Fishing Passport.
ISCA Angling Club waterMembers
ISCA Angling Club
ISCA Angling Club fishes club water on the lower Usk for both trout and salmon.
Members only — no day tickets on this water.
Usk Wild Streams — tributary permitsDay tickets
The Foundation's Wild Streams scheme opens genuinely remote upland tributary fishing across the Usk system — Upper and Middle Cilieni, Upper and Lower Grywne Fawr, Lower Crai, Lower Tarrell, Middle Bran, the Honddu and Parc Fishery — light-tackle, stalk-and-cast wild brown trout water best fished with a 6.
Visit official site ↗What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 6
River Usk in the Brecon Beacons 
River Usk at Brecon 
River Usk and Table Mountain 
River Usk cascade, Crickhowell 
River Usk at Usk town Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
The full read · show the working · for Sea Trout · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightVery Low-3.4
Recent riseSmall Recent Rise+3.5
Falling after liftDropping Too Far Towards Low Clear+1.1
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+3.5
Time in seasonLate Season+1.9
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base9.0
Will they take?Neutralcaps the band
Taking mood is fair — clearing, stained water, very low flow.
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Salmon 1 February → 17 October
- Trout 3 March → 30 September
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — NRW At Risk classification. Usk sea trout (sewin) are present and fish can be taken on the daytime from June, but stocks are below historical levels. The Usk is primarily known as a salmon and brown-trout river; sea trout are a secondary quarry.
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 Usk has seen catastrophic salmon decline; agricultural pollution and warming a major factor.
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations
Boards & regulators
Usk
Water temperature for Sea Trout
Warm — slow16°C est.ideal 8–15°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Sea Trout
When
Run from May, peak July and August. Usk sewin are daytime fish — unlike northern English rivers, they take through the day. NRW At-Risk classification; treat catch numbers conservatively.
Where
Same beats as the salmon — Brecon to Abergavenny. The mayfly and BWO hatches bring fish on during daylight; the limestone enrichment is the key.
Method
Daytime swung fly with small wets (Teal Blue and Silver, Silver Stoat #10) and the dry — Welsh sewin take a March Brown or a sedge as readily as a wet. Slow swing through the runs and tail-outs.
Kit
10 ft #6, floating line, 6 to 8 lb fluoro. Spare tippet for daytime light leader changes. The night-fishing kit isn't needed here.
Why this works
Good — time of day is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Caddisflies
- Net-spinning caddisMost likelyLower confidenceNearest relative#12–14–16 · PupaWidespread riffle net-spinner; evening emergence.
- CapererAlso possibleLower confidence#10–12 · AdultBig autumn sedge; fish dry at last light.
- Green SedgeAlso possibleLower confidenceNearest relative#10–12–14–16 · NymphFree-living green caddis larva; fast stony riffles.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 12:00
12:00(now) — Heather Fly
Stage: Terrestrials on topApproach: Dry flyActivity: 52%
Also:Reed Smut48%Cinnamon Sedge29%Autumn Dun25%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost10 food groups active
Peak activity at 12:00 — 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.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 3 as a supporter.
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 · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
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 · Sea Trout
Top
1-2 inch · Tube
In deep pools and dark water, silhouette and contrast do the work colour cannot. A fly that reads as black against depth is enough. Fish it broadside, hold the swing, let it hang at the dangle — that is when the best fish take.
8-12 · Streamer
Slim and mobile — fished sunk through the pool when surface work is not producing. Consistently takes fish that will not come to the surface.
2-4 inch · Streamer
A mobile eel-like profile that undulates through deep pools — effective when sea trout are lying deep and not responding to conventional wets.
Beats · 18 · 8 reaches
The Usk sits inside a patchwork of private club and estate water, but the Wye & Usk Foundation's Fishing Passport threads a genuine day-ticket route through close to twenty beats from Sennybridge down to Usk town, plus a scatter of tributary Wild Streams. Glanusk Estate and Gliffaes Hotel add two more direct routes around Crickhowell. Several long-established clubs — Crickhowell & District, Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, ISCA — hold further miles that are membership-only; they're listed here for context rather than as something a visiting angler can walk up to.
Upper Usk — Sennybridge to Brecon · 4 beatsDay rods
Cwmwysg Ganol, Cefn Rhosan Fawr, Penpont, Fenni Fach
The 4 beats
Cwmwysg GanolDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
Three-quarters of a mile of right-bank water half a mile below Sennybridge, made up of four pools including the Quarry Pool (a noted salmon lie) and the Junction Pool where the Cilieni tributary enters — trout over 3lb turn up regularly. Gravel and bedrock bed; studded soles recommended.
Catch-and-release for salmon at all times; 2-trout bag limit, none under 9in. No dogs.
Visit official site ↗Cefn Rhosan FawrDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
1.8 miles of main-river Usk immediately below Sennybridge plus short stretches of the Senni and Cilieni tributaries. Deep pools, waterfalls and gentle glides give first-class wild brown trout fishing; salmon show later in the season (September–October), and sea trout are rare this far up the system.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon at all times, no dogs.
Visit official site ↗PenpontDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile and a half of mostly double-bank water a few miles above Brecon, best April to June and again after summer rain, with occasional sewin and salmon late in the season given some water. Rewards a stealthy approach across a mix of pocket water and dry-fly flats.
Catch-and-release for all species, fly only. Only 4 rods/day and 2 of those are let separately by the house, so booking 1–3 rods doesn't guarantee exclusivity.
Visit official site ↗Fenni FachDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile and a half of pools, runs and gutters just upstream of Brecon in peaceful surroundings — predominantly trout, with good salmon fishing when conditions are right. Chest waders with studs are a must; day-ticket anglers may ignore 'No Public Access' signs meant for the general public.
Catch-and-release for salmon at all times, fly only for trout, 2-trout bag limit (min 9in).
Visit official site ↗The Breconshire Fishery (Brecon Town Water)Day tickets
A mile and a half downstream of Llanfaes Bridge, right through Brecon — easy gravel wading and the busiest beat on the river (dog walkers, other river users), but reliably productive.
Visit official site ↗Talybont to Crickhowell · 2 beatsMixed
Ashford House, Dan Y Parc
The 2 beats
Ashford HouseDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A mile of right-bank water below Talybont Bridge with genuine pedigree — John Henderson, inventor of several classic Usk patterns, owned and fished this water in the 1930s. Better known now as a wild trout fishery than a salmon beat (Chain Pool and Blue Pool are the salmon lies), with trout over 2lb realistic. Banks are steep and overgrown in summer.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon, 1-trout limit. Half-price evening tickets from 1 May, fishing from 5pm.
Visit official site ↗Dan Y ParcMembers
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport) — named-rod syndicate
A mile and a half of double-bank water just downstream of Crickhowell, run as a small named-rod syndicate rather than an open day-ticket beat — part-time keeper, fishing huts, straightforward wading. The Fishing Passport occasionally lists a handful of membership vacancies here.
Membership-style access, not a walk-up day ticket — confirm current vacancies before planning a trip.
Visit official site ↗Crickhowell & Glanusk Estate · 2 beatsDay rods
Glanusk Estate Fishery, Gliffaes Country House Hotel water
The 2 beats
Glanusk Estate FisheryDay tickets
Glanusk Estate
Roughly 2.5km of double-bank water just above Crickhowell — six named beats (Below the Bridge, Above the Bridge, Llanwysg, Dufnant, Family Beat, Green Beat, plus an Island Beat on request) along a sequence of long salmon-holding pools that double as excellent dry-fly trout water. Bank access by vehicle along most of the beat in dry conditions.
Full catch-and-release for salmon and sea trout, no trebles, barbless preferred; fly only 3 March–31 May. Contributes to the Usk Fishing Association's river conservation work.
Visit official site ↗Gliffaes Country House Hotel waterGuide / lodge
Gliffaes Country House Hotel
Gliffaes Country House Hotel holds a private stretch of the Usk above Crickhowell — five salmon and trout beats reserved for hotel guests, with tuition, guides and flies arranged through the hotel.
Hotel-guest water — not open to day-ticket anglers.
Visit official site ↗Crickhowell and District Angling Society waterMembers
Crickhowell and District Angling Society controls nine miles of beats between Crickhowell and Usk (Crickhowell, Glangrwyney, Abergavenny and Gobion stretches) — one of the largest private fishery owners on the river.
Visit official site ↗Abergavenny · 2 beatsMixed
Abergavenny Town Water, Gwent Angling Society water
The 2 beats
Abergavenny Town WaterDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport) — club water
A mile of mostly double-bank club water below the Merthyr road bridge in Abergavenny — gravel bed makes for easy wading, with salmon pools and runs that fish well for trout on dry fly, spider or traditional downstream wet.
Catch-and-release for all species, fly only, professional guides not permitted, exclusivity not guaranteed.
Visit official site ↗Gwent Angling Society waterMembers
Gwent Angling Society
Gwent Angling Society holds seven beats and over ten miles of Usk fishing — salmon-hotspot water near Chainbridge on the lower/middle river, first-class trout beats near Gilwern and Abergavenny, and water on the scenic upper river above Brecon.
Members only, no day tickets, but the club sells guest tickets — contact the secretary via the club website.
Visit official site ↗Usk Town & the Lower River · 5 beatsMixed
Chainbridge, Old Clytha, Usk Town Water, Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance water…
The 5 beats
ChainbridgeDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A tightly exclusive stretch a few miles above Usk town — six named pools including the Rock Pool, the best of the salmon lies, plus the Upper Rocks and Wood Stream. Private car park at the water; gravel bed with some trickier bedrock sections.
Fly only for salmon until 16 June, catch-and-release for salmon at all times, 2-trout bag limit (min 9in). Half-price evening tickets from 1 May, fishing from 5pm.
Visit official site ↗Old ClythaDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
A short, quiet 400m left-bank beat between Usk town and Abergavenny — the Croy Pool is a noted salmon catch and lovely fly water, the rest suits an afternoon's trout fishing. Locally famous for blizzard grannom hatches in April.
Fly only for trout, catch-and-release for salmon, 2-trout bag limit (over 2lb must be returned).
Visit official site ↗Usk Town WaterDay tickets
Wye & Usk Foundation (Fishing Passport)
Two miles of double-bank water through Usk town itself, from Llanbadoc Church to the fields at Llancayo — consistently productive gravel-bed trout water, though busy with dog walkers on warm days near the bridges. Trout only — salmon on this stretch are privately fished.
No salmon or sea trout fishing; traditional (non-migratory) fly patterns only, max hook size 10; 4-trout bag limit; no night fishing; no dogs.
Visit official site ↗Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance waterMembers
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance
Merthyr Tydfil Angling Alliance owns roughly three miles of the Usk between Crickhowell and Abergavenny (Mardy, Ysbytty and Kemeys), alongside Taff and reservoir fishing further south.
Membership club; some of its Usk water is also let as day tickets through the Fishing Passport.
ISCA Angling Club waterMembers
ISCA Angling Club
ISCA Angling Club fishes club water on the lower Usk for both trout and salmon.
Members only — no day tickets on this water.
Usk Wild Streams — tributary permitsDay tickets
The Foundation's Wild Streams scheme opens genuinely remote upland tributary fishing across the Usk system — Upper and Middle Cilieni, Upper and Lower Grywne Fawr, Lower Crai, Lower Tarrell, Middle Bran, the Honddu and Parc Fishery — light-tackle, stalk-and-cast wild brown trout water best fished with a 6.
Visit official site ↗What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 6
River Usk in the Brecon Beacons River Usk at Brecon River Usk and Table Mountain River Usk cascade, Crickhowell River Usk at Usk town Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
- Ecology: Moderate
- Chemical: Unknown
EA (England) · UKGB109056040083
The full read · show the working · for Sea Trout · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightVery Low-3.4
Recent riseSmall Recent Rise+3.5
Falling after liftDropping Too Far Towards Low Clear+1.1
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+3.5
Time in seasonLate Season+1.9
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base9.0
Will they take?Neutralcaps the band
Taking mood is fair — clearing, stained water, very low flow.
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Salmon 1 February → 17 October
- Trout 3 March → 30 September
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — NRW At Risk classification. Usk sea trout (sewin) are present and fish can be taken on the daytime from June, but stocks are below historical levels. The Usk is primarily known as a salmon and brown-trout river; sea trout are a secondary quarry.
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 Usk has seen catastrophic salmon decline; agricultural pollution and warming a major factor.
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations
Boards & regulators