Stillwater · Granite · Castilla y León / Salamanca–Zamora, ES

Embalse de Almendra

Embalse de Almendra — Embalse de Almendra - reservoir with the highest dam in Spain

The largest reservoir in Castilla y León — a vast, deep impoundment on the lower Tormes just before the river plunges into the Arribes canyon, feeding the Villarino hydroelectric station.

Poor · Pike
Large pike streamer / baitfish (2/0–4) · 8–10
Not the day for it
Good wave on — drift country. Not much stacked in your favour today. Worth an hour if you are nearby, not worth the special trip.
5% confidence
low-confidence read — verify locally

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

What moved it
  • WindNW 6 km/hCalm
Today's fly
LP
Large pike streamer / baitfish (2/0–4)8–10
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Calm
NW 6 km/h
N
NW
from the north-west
WaveRipple
Water temp22.2°C
Air temp31°C
CloudClear
Pressure1020 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

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

Reservoir levelas of 31 Aug
┄ 60% 10-yr norm
▬ Steady
69% full
About normal
▲+9 ptsvs seasonal norm
▼-11 ptsvs last year
▼-1 ptsthis week
How to fish it · for Pike
When
Pike here are a non-native invasive. High summer fishes poorly, and where catch-and-release is legal warm-water release mortality is high; elsewhere the official advice is to remove any pike caught from the water rather than return it. Defer until water cools below 19°C.
Where
Water at 22.2°C — too warm to target pike today: poor sport, and where catch-and-release is legal (designated pre-2007 waters) warm water makes released fish die. Where it isn't, the official advice is to remove any fish caught from the water rather than return it. Either way, wait for cooler water.
The plan
Plan A

Water at 22.2°C — too warm to target pike today: poor sport, and where catch-and-release is legal (designated pre-2007 waters) warm water makes released fish die. Where it isn't, the official advice is to remove any fish caught from the water rather than return it. Either way, wait for cooler water.

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

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

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Through the year
0–3 scale · September 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
Pike fly box
LP
Large pike streamer / baitfish (2/0–4)Top
8–10 · Streamer
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
CW
Clouser / weighted minnow (2–6)
8–10 · Streamer
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
OB
Olive/brown woolly bugger (8–10)
8–10 · Streamer
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Castilla y León licence required; reservoir sits under the Confederación Hidrográfica del Duero
  • Barbel, boga and cacho are protected during spawning — check current dates
  • Zander is a non-native predator with specific handling/retention rules in the Duero basin; confirm before fishing.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
55%
Cloud25%
Wind100%
Temp25%

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

Other water nearby · 2
Embalse de Aldeadávila
41 km
Barbel · Carp · Pike
Embalse de Saucelle
50 km
Barbel · Carp · Pike
Gallery · 2
  1. Embalse de Almendra — Embalse de Almendra - reservoir with the highest dam in Spain
    Embalse de Almendra - reservoir with the highest dam in Spain
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

The largest reservoir in Castilla y León — a vast, deep impoundment on the lower Tormes just before the river plunges into the Arribes canyon, feeding the Villarino hydroelectric station. This is big, serious water: hundreds of feet deep against the dam, with long flooded arms reaching back up the Tormes valley. It is best known as zander (lucioperca) country, with pike holding over the drop-offs and barbel and carp working the shallower upper arms and inflows. The scale rewards a boat and a plan rather than blind bank fishing. Heavy summer drawdown for power generation exposes wide margins and concentrates fish toward the deeper basin and the dam end.

  • Reservoir
  • Granite
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • High temperatures may push fish deeper and reduce surface activity.
Related guides
Big Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatchThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
Booking & contacts