Spate · Mixed · Cumbria, GB-ENG

River Cocker

A tree-canopied stretch of the River Cocker in Cumbria, calm clear water flanked by dense green foliage.

The Cocker is a Lake District trout river — a Derwent tributary running from the Buttermere/Crummock Water valley through the Lorton Vale to join the Derwent at Cockermouth.

Poor · Brown Trout
Partridge and Orange · 14-16
Closed season
Out of season. Try elsewhere.
Closed — confidence not applicable today.
What moved it
  • Level0.47 m
  • Water temp12.7°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Partridge and Orange
Partridge and Orange14-16
Upstream, in the film
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.47 m
Water temp12.7°C
ClarityClear
Weather15°C
WindSW 30 km/h
Pressure1019 hPa
Rain · recent7.3 mm
Rain · ahead15.1 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Ideal
13°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Likely species
Stoneflies
Caddisflies
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 11am

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 12 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 4 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Supporters see what else is on the menu.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
CapererHatch
2
3
3
2
Heather FlyHatch
2
2
Autumn DunHatch
2
3
2

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

Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box

Spider-heavy and practical. Strong tradition of North Country soft hackles, useful nymphing, and simple dry flies when fish rise properly.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Penrith AA / private.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Gilcrux Springs Trout Farm Fishery
8.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Ennerdale Water
15 km
Brown trout
River Ehen
18 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Ullswater
32 km
Brown trout
Annan
37 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Gallery · 2
  1. A tree-canopied stretch of the River Cocker in Cumbria, calm clear water flanked by dense green foliage.
    River Cocker
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

The Cocker is a Lake District trout river — a Derwent tributary running from the Buttermere/Crummock Water valley through the Lorton Vale to join the Derwent at Cockermouth. Lake-fed flows from Crummock give it some stability; lower freestone character. Wild brown trout, no salmon. Penrith Angling Association covers some water.

  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
Water quality details
  • Dissolved oxygen: High
  • Ammonia (Phys-Chem): High
  • pH: High
  • Phosphate: High
  • Temperature: High

EA (England) · GB112075070400

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 0 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time55 × 13%7.2
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity64 × 12%7.7
Conditions total= 83
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
What would change the calculation
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 22 March → 30 September
Related guides
Yorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methodsTrout Near Londonaccess guideEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts