Builth Wells — Groe Park & Irfon Angling Club

River level

The lowdown

• GPIAC controls more than two miles of River Wye fishing, with both double-bank and single-bank sections in the mix.
• The Wye water runs alongside The Groe, then continues on the opposite bank for roughly 1.5 miles towards the Power Station Pool area.
• There’s about a mile of Irfon fishing too, joining the Wye at Aber Pool. So, plenty of water to have a mooch around.
• The riverbed is rock and gravel, with the character changing from deeper rocky pools to shallower gravel flats and quicker runs.
• The Groe is handy for access, and dogs can accompany anglers there. Elsewhere, stick to field and hedgerow edges and watch the fences and livestock.
• Named Wye sections are fly-only from 1 March to 30 September. Spinning for trout is banned all year, so check the rules before reaching for anything else.
• Maggots are out before 1 October and after 14 March. Worm fishing is also not allowed on the Irfon during the trout open season.
• There’s a proper mix of coarse and game fishing. The club names salmon, trout, grayling and chub, with shad and sea lamprey also mentioned in the Irfon system.
• Wading needs care, especially around the rocky ground and slips. The club warns the current gets dangerous when the Builth gauge is above 1.5 metres.
• The Groe car park is right beside the Wye and is a public long-stay pay-and-display car park. Mobile signal can be poor, so don’t rely on your phone for everything.

Methods: Fly fishing suits the named Wye sections in season, while the deeper pools and gravelly runs offer scope for sensible coarse approaches where permitted. Keep it tidy, barbless and matched to the conditions.

Access & tickets

Permits are sold by Nibletts, The Ironmongers, High Street, Builth Wells, and Conti’s Newsagents, High Street, Builth Wells. The map showing boundaries and fly-only stretches is available from the permit sellers and the club website.

Fish the club names

carp, trout, chub, perch

Named by Groe Park and Irfon Angling Club across its waters, not for this stretch on its own.

Key rules

• An EA/NRW rod licence and a club permit are required.
• Barbless or debarbed hooks are mandatory for all species.
• All salmon must be returned.
• Trout under 10 inches must be returned.
• No more than two trout or grayling may be taken in one day, subject to applicable rules.
• Named Wye sections are fly-only from 1 March to 30 September.
• Spinning for trout is prohibited at all times.
• Maggots are prohibited before 1 October and after 14 March.
• Worm fishing is not allowed on the Irfon during the trout open season.
• Fishing from bridges is prohibited.

Where it is