After an exceptionally hot and very dry summer, autumn is finally beginning to make its presence felt across Wales.

For anglers, the change in conditions is very welcome. Cooler air temperatures, falling water temperatures and the return of rain are already beginning to transform our rivers, lakes and fisheries.

After what has been a challenging summer for many freshwater anglers, the prospects for autumn fishing are looking considerably brighter.

Game Fishing

Autumn is one of the most exciting periods in the Welsh fishing calendar, particularly for our game anglers.

RIVER FISHING

The cooler weather and increased rainfall brings renewed life to our rivers. Higher water levels encourage salmon and sea trout to move upstream, while brown trout become much more active after the stress of a long, hot summer.

The autumn rains are particularly important following this year’s exceptionally dry conditions. A good flush of water can transform a river, bringing fish out of their summer lies and creating opportunities that simply haven’t been available during the hottest spells.

Before river fishing, a good tip is to check the level of your local river – Natural Resources Wales provide a river level monitoring service with individual locations on almost all rivers in Wales. (We wrote a blog on how to use this resource HERE)

River brown trout fishing continues until 30^th September, so we have a month of ‘prime time’ fishing to make up for the lack of activity this summer.  The combination of cooler temperatures, autumn rain and shortening days can produce some excellent late-season sport.

Below: River Usk brown trout.

Salmon and sea trout fishing continues into the autumn, with the season for migratory fish running until October 17th on many Welsh rivers. Rivers including the Teifi, Towy, Usk, Wye, Dee Conwy and Mawddach can all offer late-season opportunities when conditions are right.

As always, anglers should check and adhere to the regulations. All salmon must be released, and many fisheries and clubs have additional requirements for sea trout, such as mandatory C&R up until the seasons end.

Below: Rob Redman with a cracking North Wales sea trout.

After such a prolonged dry spell the improvement in conditions should be particularly noticeable this year. The fish have had a difficult few months, so a return to cooler water and more natural river levels should provide much better fishing.

STILLWATER TROUT

Our many stocked trout fisheries, reservoirs and stillwaters are also entering one of their most productive periods after what has been a tough summer.

Rainbow trout thrive in cooler water, and the drop in temperatures following the summer heat allows fish to feed more confidently and spread through the water column.

Provided water temperatures continue to drop, September and October can be among the best months of the year on many Welsh trout fisheries.

Large reservoirs such as Llyn Clywedog, Llyn Brenig and Trawsfynydd can offer excellent late-season sport, while numerous smaller trout fisheries across Wales will be re-stocking once again and should produce some hard-fighting rainbows and other types of trout.

Below: Worlds Team member Kyle Cheshire, with a Clywedog rainbow.

Our many natural upland lakes and reservoirs that hold wild brown trout can also provide some superb late-season fishing, with the majority remaining open until October 17th. The beauty of these places is hard to beat, with these venues offering adventure fishing off the beaten track.

Below: A wild trout from Teifi Pools.

So, if you haven’t been out fishing much during the heat, autumn is a great time to dust off the fly rod and get back out on the water in Wales.

FIND PLACES TO GO GAME FISHING HERE

Coarse Fishing

Autumn is arguably one of the best times of year for coarse fishing in Wales.

The rain and cooler weather should also provide a welcome change after the prolonged summer heat and as water temperatures fall, many species become increasingly active as they feed hard ahead of winter. 

The River Wye is particularly worth considering, once levels have risen. Barbel and chub fishing can be excellent in autumn, with fresh water often encouraging fish to feed.

The Wye Fishing Passport beats and angling club waters* provide plenty of opportunities for anglers wanting to experience this superb river. (*Note: check if beats are open with the controlling club)

Below: Wye barbel.

Carp fishing can also be excellent through September and into October. Cooler nights, low pressure and autumn weather systems can trigger carp to feed heavily, making this a particularly exciting time to target them, especially the specimen fish.

The change in season also brings grayling fishing to the fore. These beautiful river fish thrive in cool, clean water and Wales is fortunate to have several excellent grayling rivers. The upper Wye and its tributaries, the River Dee, Severn, Taff, Rhymney and other rivers can all provide excellent sport for grayling once water temperatures have cooled off.

On stillwaters, expect plenty of action from coarse species such as roach, bream, rudd and tench, which are still very active and feeding hard. Simple float or feeder fishing with maggot hook bait can often produce huge bags.

Predator fishing also becomes increasingly attractive. As the water cools, perch and pike become more active, providing opportunities for lure anglers and those fishing traditional deadbait methods, where permitted.

A ‘Pike season’ that starts on October 1^st is an unwritten rule for many conservation minded pike anglers; a date when water temperatures are usually much more suitable for targetting this fragile species.

After the heat of summer, the arrival of autumn can therefore bring a real change of pace for coarse anglers – it’s a fantastic time to get out on the bank.

FIND PLACES TO GO COARSE FISHING HERE

Sea Fishing

The cooler autumn weather is also good news for Welsh sea anglers.

The change from long, settled periods of bright summer weather to more Atlantic-influenced conditions can stir up the coastline and encourage many species to feed.

Bass remain a major target during September and into autumn, particularly after a period of rougher weather. 

Bait fishing from the shore can become particularly effective for bass when there is some colour and movement in the water, while boat lure anglers can continue to find fish offshore.

Autumn also sees Welsh ‘big game’ bluefin tuna and shark fishing, in the still warm oceanic waters, especially off the Celtic Deeps.

Bonito tuna have also arrived on the South West Wales coasts, offering a new sporting species for lure anglers offshore, with bonito being seen and caught along the Gower and Pembrokeshire coastlines.

Below: Darren Jackson with a Welsh Bonito

Estuaries will also become increasingly interesting as autumn progresses, with flounder beginning to feature more prominently alongside bass and mullet.

Other species to look out for include smoothhound, rays, huss, conger, pollack and pouting, depending on where you are fishing.

Below: Autumn ray fishing on Tuskar 3 charter.

As the season moves towards October and November, attention increasingly turns towards the classic autumn and winter species, with codling and whiting becoming more prevalent around parts of the Welsh coast.

The autumn storms can sometimes make sea fishing challenging, but they can also create some of the best opportunities of the year when they stir up our marine fish.

FIND PLACES TO GO SEA FISHING HERE

A much-needed change of conditions

There is no doubt that summer 2026 has really tested Welsh anglers.

The prolonged heat and lack of rain made freshwater fishing particularly challenging, with high water temperatures affecting rivers, lakes and stillwaters.

In some cases, anglers and fisheries had to restrict or temporarily suspend fishing to protect fish welfare.

Now, however, the weather is changing.

The Met Office is forecasting a more unsettled start to September, with showers and longer spells of rain becoming more likely, while temperatures are expected to be closer to seasonal averages.

For fishing, this is exactly the sort of change we have been waiting for.

Cooler water, rising river levels and more typical autumn weather should bring our fish back into their natural rhythms. Rivers will hopefully gain some much-needed flow, trout and grayling will become more active, migratory fish will have opportunities to move upstream and stillwater trout will relish the cooler conditions.

So, if the summer heat kept you away from the riverbank, lake or fishery, now is the time to buy a rod licence and start planning your autumn fishing trips.

Wales has an enormous variety of fishing on offer, and the best of the 2026 season may yet be to come.

Llinellau Tynn – Tight Lines! 🏴🎣