Spate · Slate · North Wales / Conwy

Conwy

Conwy venue image
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North Wales spate river draining Snowdonia to Conwy Bay.

Species

Slow going — better windows ahead

River dropping into shape after a lift. Cover the water properly, fish each lie once.

55% confidence in this read
Water temperature for sea trout
Cool — slow
7°C est.ideal 8–15°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for sea trout
  • Temperature6928% weight
  • Flow9522% weight
  • Clarity1018% weight
  • Feeding Time9513% weight
  • Pressure857% weight
  • Prey Activity2412% weight
Conditions
Level
1.26 m
Water temp
6.9°C
Estimated
Clarity
Unfishable
Colouring up
Air temp
10°C
Wind
SW 14 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1006 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.1 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
20.2 mm
Moderate rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for sea trout
When
June through September; July into August prime. Night fishing from full dark when water rises above 13°C. NRW classifies the sewin stock 'At Risk' across Wales — fish carefully if at all, treat C&R as a default. Run timing is highly rain-dependent; windows after summer spates are the practical time.
Where
Lower Conwy pool tails through to the Conwy estuary tidal limit.
Method
Across-and-down on a floating line with small wets — Medicine, Teal Blue and Silver, Stoat's Tail. Steady swing through the tail-outs, never hurry.
Kit
10 ft #6/7, floating line, 8 to 10 lb fluoro tippet. Spare leader on a wrist spool. Headlamp sparingly; let your eyes adjust.
Why this works
Poor conditions. Flow is favourable (95), Clarity is weakest (10). ⏰ Sea trout become most active after dark, but this stretch closes at 20:53 — before that window fully opens. Fish hard in the last legal hour: overcast skies and warm evenings can bring fish on early even in fading light.
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2
Yellow SallyHatch
2
3
2

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

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
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About this water

North Wales spate river draining Snowdonia to Conwy Bay. Fast response (4 hours) to rain; fish it on the rise and falling water. Salmon (spring and autumn) and sea trout. Dark peaty water in spate favors darker flies and bolder presentation. Fish sinking-tip with medium tubes for salmon, smaller wets for sea trout. Tight timing window when conditions are right; patience and planning reward.

  • Slate
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon20 March → 17 October
  • Trout3 March → 30 September

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — NRW At Risk classification. North Wales spate river with sea trout present but stocks in decline. Run timing is highly rain-dependent; windows after summer spates are the productive periods.

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 Conwy holds North Wales salmon interest but stocks are at risk.

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