Spate · Mixed · South Wales / Neath Port Talbot

Neath

The River Neath flowing through a wooded valley near the Ynysbwllog Aqueduct, South Wales.
Contributor photo

The River Neath looking upstream from the Ynysbwllog Aqueduct in the Vale of Neath.

David Tyers, CC BY-SA 2.0

Out of the Brecon Beacons through Glynneath and down past the town of Neath to Baglan Bay — accessible South Wales sewin and salmon water with one of the steadier club traditions in the region.

Poor · Atlantic Salmon
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
  • Level0.22 mLast reading 19h ago
  • Water temp21.6°C
  • ClarityClear
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.22 m
Last reading 19h ago
Water temp21.6°C
ClarityClear
Weather24°C
WindS 5 km/h
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

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

Water temperature for atlantic salmon
Warm — slow
22°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for atlantic salmon
When
Summer through autumn. Fish on the drop after rain — the Neath is not a spring salmon river.
Where
Middle and lower Neath pools above the tidal limit. Neath & Dulais AA named beats.
Method
Small doubles 10 to 12 across-and-down on a floating line; small tubes on a sink-tip in spring water. Cover the pools methodically. Mandatory catch-and-release under NRW byelaw — every salmon goes back.
Kit
12 ft #7/8 double-hander or 11 ft switch. Floating line plus light sink-tip. 10 to 12 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
⛔ Water at 21.6°C. This is the line where catch-and-release kills atlantic salmon. Do not fish for them today.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 5 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalModerate confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July 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.

Beats · 1
Glynneath & District AA — day ticket via Fishing PassportAccess varies
Seventeen miles of the upper Neath Valley fishing held by Glynneath & DAA.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Cooler water nearby · 1
Probably above the atlantic salmon safety line — these are likely cooler, but carry a thermometer.
Tawe
16 km
~17°C
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Gallery · 2
  1. The River Neath flowing through a wooded valley near the Ynysbwllog Aqueduct, South Wales.
    The River Neath looking upstream from the Ynysbwllog Aqueduct in the Vale of Neath.
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Out of the Brecon Beacons through Glynneath and down past the town of Neath to Baglan Bay — accessible South Wales sewin and salmon water with one of the steadier club traditions in the region. Fishing Wales names the Neath specifically as a starting point for a first Welsh sea trout, and the Neath & Dulais Association ticket gives genuine access. The lower catchment is industrial in character; the proper fishing is in the middle and upper river. Atlantic salmon are under serious conservation pressure — Natural Resources Wales mandates catch-and-release for salmon on all rivers, so all fish must be returned.

  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

NRW WFD Cycle 3 — Neath (conf Nedd Fechan & Mellte to tidal limit): Moderate ecological status. Status corrected 2026-06-18 (was recorded Good). Source: NRW DataMapWales classification layer.

NRW (Wales) · UKGB110058032430

Why this score · for atlantic salmon
  • Temperature030% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time9515% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon1 May → 17 October
  • Sea trout3 March → 17 October
  • Trout3 March → 30 September

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — Accessible South Wales sewin river with a long club tradition. All-Wales At Risk picture applies. Pre-1 May C&R rule for sea trout is specific to the Neath.

Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsYorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methodsEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts