Spate · Mixed · Northumberland, GB-ENG

River Coquet

The River Coquet flowing through Rothbury, Northumberland

The Coquet rises high in the Cheviot Hills above Alwinton and runs east through Rothbury and Morwick to reach the North Sea at Warkworth.

Today · A good day — worth the effort
Black Gnat
Forecast · Today
A good day — worth the effort
A reliable day. Match the fly size to the water height and cover the lies.
50% projected
Today's fly
Black Gnat
Black Gnat
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Steady
2.24 m
Water temp12.0°C
ClarityClear
Weather13°C
WindN 31 km/h
Pressure1000 hPa
Rain · recent3.4 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

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

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Ideal
12°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Early morning and late evening are best by far. Low, clear water makes fish spooky in daylight. The first and last hour of light are worth more than the entire middle of the day.
Where
Fish are concentrated in the deeper pools and under any available cover. Focus on the deepest lies — pool hearts and tail croys. Approach very carefully, avoid silhouetting yourself against the sky. Dawn and dusk are your windows.
Method
Surface or just sub-surface. Consider a riffling hitch or Portland hitch to skate the fly across the surface — devastating in warm, low water. Alternatively, dead-drift a small fly upstream like a nymph.. Floating line. Tiny: size 12-16 singles or doubles, hitch tubes. Ultra-discreet presentation for spooky fish in warm, clear water.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Conditions are favourable — this is a day to be on the water. Late season — fish are beginning to colour up as spawning approaches. They become more territorial and can take aggressively. Autumnal colours (orange, copper, gold) work well. No historical catch data available for this river — prediction based on current conditions only.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am

12pm(now) — Heather Fly

Stage: Terrestrials on topApproach: Dry flyActivity: 95%
Also:Daddy Long Legs95%Autumn Needle Fly64%Autumn Dun51%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost12 food groups active

Peak activity at 6am — Daddy Long Legs (Daddy Long Legs)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

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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 · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Sea trout runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
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
Atlantic Salmon fly box

Ally's Shrimp variants — fished swing

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • EA Northumbria byelaws; mandatory C&R on salmon before 16 June
  • NAF day tickets cover most public water; some private beats
  • Confirm current EA salmon byelaw rules annually.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 4
River Tyne
38 km
50
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
River Teviot
46 km
74
Brown trout · Grayling · Atlantic salmon
Tweed
48 km
69
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Blackadder Water
57 km
Brown trout
Gallery · 2
  1. The River Coquet flowing through Rothbury, Northumberland
    River Coquet at Rothbury, Northumberland
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

The Coquet rises high in the Cheviot Hills above Alwinton and runs east through Rothbury and Morwick to reach the North Sea at Warkworth. Cheviot foothill spate water with mixed fast pools, gravel runs, and slower middle reaches. Atlantic salmon, sea trout and brown trout all present in fishable numbers — the Coquet is one of north-east England's better salmon rivers and is regularly stocked with smolts under the Coquet Hatchery programme. Mostly Northumberland Anglers' Federation water with day permits available; some beats private. Atlantic salmon are assessed by the Environment Agency against each river's Conservation Limit — many principal rivers are classed 'at risk' with mandatory catch-and-release byelaws; check current rules before fishing.

Sea trout here

Summer-autumn runs (June–September), nocturnal peak season pattern

  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
Water quality details
  • Dissolved oxygen: High
  • Ammonia (Phys-Chem): High
  • pH: High
  • Phosphate: High
  • Temperature: High
  • Physico-chemical quality elements: High
  • Chemical: Does not require assessment

EA (England) · GB103022076691

The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightVery Low-3.7
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftDropping Too Far Towards Low Clear+1.1
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+3.5
Time in seasonLate Season+0.6
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base3.9
Will they take?Neutralcaps the band

Taking mood is fair — clearing, stained water, very low flow.

Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 February → 31 October
  • Sea trout 1 April → 31 October
  • Trout 22 March → 30 September

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsYorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methodsTrout Near Londonaccess guide
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations