Stillwater · Granite · Comunidad de Madrid / west (Río Alberche), ES

Embalse de San Juan

Embalse de San Juan — File:Pantano San Juan.jpg
Good · Pike
Foam Popper · 12–16
Goodlive now
Autumn pike — big fish, big flies
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
77% confidence

Seasonally this is the right time to be here, but today's conditions are not doing Embalse de San Juan many favours. It can still fish, but temper expectations.

What moved it
  • WindNW 5 km/hCalm
Today's fly
Foam Popper
Foam Popper12–16
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Calm
NW 5 km/h
N
NW
from the north-west
WaveRipple
Water temp11.2°C
Air temp16°C
CloudClear
Pressure1024 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Reservoir levelas of 5 Oct
┄ 46% 10-yr norm
52% full
About normal
▲+5 ptsvs seasonal norm
▼-8 ptsvs last year
▬—building 7-day trend
How to fish it · for Pike
When
Pike are feeding aggressively as water cools, building reserves for winter. Weed is dying back, concentrating both pike and prey fish into predictable holding areas.
Where
Autumn/winter pike on the fly — big fish season. Pike are putting on condition and take large flies confidently. Fish dropping weed edges, deep channels, and structure. Start with a sinking line and move to faster-sinking as the water cools. Biggest pike of the year come in this window.
The plan
Plan A

Autumn/winter pike on the fly — big fish season. Pike are putting on condition and take large flies confidently. Fish dropping weed edges, deep channels, and structure. Start with a sinking line and move to faster-sinking as the water cools. Biggest pike of the year come in this window.

Plan B

A fry-imitating pattern stripped through the margins can save a blank in autumn.

Watch for

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Either bank or boat

Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1

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

Ranked for today
Fly box · Pike
OS
Olive streamer
8–10 · Streamer
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
CP
Crayfish pattern
12–16 · Fly
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Comunidad de Madrid licence required
  • Leisure use is heavy — check permitted fishing zones, seasonal restrictions, and any temporary closures around the swimming/boating areas.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
66%
Cloud25%
Wind100%
Temp60%

A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 5
Embalse de Picadas
7.0 km
Black bass · Carp · Pike
Embalse de El Burguillo
22 km
Carp · Barbel
Río Alberche
28 km
Brown trout
Embalse de Valmayor
28 km
Carp · Pike · Barbel
Río Guadarrama
38 km
Brown trout
Gallery · 2
  1. Embalse de San Juan — File:Pantano San Juan.jpg
    File:Pantano San Juan.jpg
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
Related guides
Big Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatchThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
Booking & contacts