Coast & Countryside

The river Tywi (Towy) and its tributary the Cothi

The Salmon and sea trout, or sewin as it is known in Wales, enter Carmarthen Bay on their return to their spawning grounds in the River Tywi and its tributaries. Three rivers empty into the estuary: the Taf, the Tywi and the Gwendraeth, and are overlooked by St Ishmael’s church. A rocky escarpment runs over two hundred yards out into this estuary, splitting the mouth of the Tywi & Gwendraeth and is known locally as 'Salmon Scar'.

The Tywi, largest by far of these 3 rivers, meanders through marshy lowland pastures. The migratory fish, moving upstream for 10 miles, swim past the market town of Carmarthen, situated on the banks of the Tywi. The only real obstacle on these lower reaches to their migration upstream are the three commercial seine nets; very little rod fishing takes place on this section of river. Coracle netsmen still operate, as issued and managed by the Environment Agency.

The lower reaches of the Tywi lie between the village of Nantgaredig and downstream to Carmarthen town, where this powerful river winds through rich agricultural land with broad racing glides and deep pools ideal holding water for both salmon and sea trout. A large percentage of this water is owned, leased and managed by local angling clubs, which in most cases issue permits to fish for visiting anglers both on a daily/nightly or weekly basis. These lower reaches can fish extremely well for sea trout fresh off the tides from early in the season through into the summer months, when river flows are very low and the weather settled. Salmon fishing is particularly productive into the late summer and early autumn.

From the picturesque market town of Llandeilo downstream to Nantgaredig are the middle reaches of the Tywi, regarded by many anglers as some of the most productive sea trout waters on the river system, particularly for fly fishing at night. A powerful fly rod rated to a seven or eight weight line is ideal tackle for night fly fishing, but don’t be tempted too fine a leader: 10lb breaking strain is a sensible minimum, there are some very large sea trout in the Tywi, well into double figures!

The majority of the middle reaches belong to Abercothi and Golden Grove Estates (pictured above), totalling nearly 15 miles of double-bank fishing on this prime section of the River Tywi, describes as 'The Best in Britain' by Trout & Salmon magazine. There are also angling club stretches on this middle reach of the Tywi, which is also the confluence of the Tywi and its main tributary the River Cothi, regarded by many anglers as, in its own right, one of the major sea trout and salmon rivers within Wales. The river has many stretches available to the visiting angler, both on club and private water; it runs through some of the most beautiful and unspoilt countryside in Carmarthenshire, and is characterised by rocky gorges and tree-lines pools. Some of the best sport comes at night during late May, June, July and August on these middle beats of the Tywi. The sewin will have made their way up from the lower waters and are now spread throughout the river system with fresh fish arriving on the tides all through these months. Salmon will be well established in September and October throughout the lower and middle reaches of the Tywi.

North of Llandeilo there are some beautiful and exciting stretches of water, particularly for the fly-fisherman, with reasonable flows in the summer months; sea trout will be found throughout these upper reaches from Llandeilo to north of Llandovery. The Tywi rises high in the Cambrian Mountains and travels 60 miles before emptying into Carmarthen Bay. It offers the local and visiting angler super sea trout fishing both in the day and night from the lower reaches to the upper reaches through April to September. Salmon are found throughout the river from early in the season, but the best fishing is generally from August to October.

(Fishing Map »)