Freestone · Mixed · Mid Wales / Powys-Herefordshire

Wye

Wye terrain map
Terrain map

One of Britain's great salmon rivers — straddles Wales and England with spring salmon (February–May), grilse (summer–autumn), and strong back-end runs.

Species

Decent — worth a look

River dropping into shape after a lift. Cover the heads and tails before the river drops away.

50% 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
  • Temperature6428% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity4518% weight
  • Feeding Time5513% weight
  • Pressure857% weight
  • Prey Activity1412% weight
Conditions
Level
0.70 m
Water temp
6.7°C
Estimated
Clarity
Very coloured
Colouring up
Air temp
8°C
Wind
W 13 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1008 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.2 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
18.8 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
Sewin run May through September across the Wye system. Upper river fishes daytime in the limestone-enriched water; lower river drops to night-fishing tradition through Herefordshire. Variable-seasonal stock status.
Where
Upper Wye around Builth Wells fishes daytime — sewin in the trout water. Lower Wye through Herefordshire and into the tidal beats fishes the canonical UK night pattern.
Method
Upper river daytime: small wets (Teal Blue, Silver Stoat) on a slow swing through pools and glides — same drift as the trout. Lower river at night: across-and-down floating line, recover slow, never hurry the swing.
Kit
10 ft #6, floating line, 8 lb fluoro. Carry a headlamp for the lower beats. Daytime needs nothing the trout angler doesn't have.
Why this works
Fair conditions. Pressure is favourable (85), Prey activity is weakest (14). ⏰ Sea trout become most active after dark, but this stretch closes at 20:46 — 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
Grayling seasonSeason
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
Iron BlueHatch
1
2
2
1

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

Directions
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About this water

One of Britain's great salmon rivers — straddles Wales and England with spring salmon (February–May), grilse (summer–autumn), and strong back-end runs. Major river with long response (12 hours) — plan ahead, wait for suitable conditions. The Wye at Builth Wells and Hay-on-Wye is superb. World-class grayling fishing in the middle reaches (winter fishing October–March). Fish salmon with sinking-tip line and medium tubes in spring, smaller doubles through summer. A river teaching patience and the long view.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon3 March → 17 October
  • Trout3 March → 30 September
  • Grayling16 June → 14 March

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — NRW At Risk classification applies to the Welsh sections. Sea trout are present and taken through the Wye system but the river is primarily salmon-focused; sea trout are a secondary quarry. Condition-sensitive across both Welsh and English beats.

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 Wye salmon collapse is among the most severe in Europe; conservation-critical.

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