Spate · Sandstone · North York Moors / Whitby, GB-ENG

River Esk (North Yorkshire Moors)

The River Esk flowing through a wooded valley below Glaisdale on the North Yorkshire Moors

Moorland spate river where you might catch a trout on a Snipe & Purple in the morning and a sea trout at dusk — versatility is the game.

Good · Sea Trout
Black & Silver Tube · 1-2 inch
Goodlive now
A good day — worth the effort
Low and clear — careful approach country. Small, sparse flies, long leader, careful approach.
75% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.07 m
  • Water temp15.8°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
BS
Black & Silver Tube1-2 inch
In deep pools and dark water, silhouette and contrast do the work colour cannot. A fly that reads as black against depth is enough. Fish it broadside, hold the swing, let it hang at the dangle — that is when the best fish take.
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.07 m
Water temp15.8°C
ClarityClear
Weather19°C
WindN 24 km/h
Pressure1008 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.3 mm

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

Water temperature for Sea Trout
Warm — slow
16°C est.ideal 8–15°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Sea Trout
When
Night fishing from full dark when water rises above 13°C. June through September. The Esk's sea trout run hard in late summer — settled overcast nights are classic.
Where
Lower Esk pool tails and glides below Egton. Walk the water in daylight before fishing it at night — the river is small and lies are obvious.
Method
Across-and-down on a floating line with small wets — Medicine, Teal Blue and Silver. The Esk's small scale rewards short casts and careful approach.
Kit
9 to 10 ft #6, floating line, 8 lb fluoro. Spare leader on a wrist spool.
Why this works
Good — water clarity is right today, though time of day could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
Stoneflies
Caddisflies
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am

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 2 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 as a supporter.

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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
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
Sea Trout fly box
North Country spider water

A moorland river of two minds — a trout on a spider by morning, a sea trout at dusk. The peat stain forgives a heavier hand and rewards a darker fly.

Local classics: Snipe & Purple·Partridge & Orange·Waterhen Bloa
BS
Black & Silver TubeTop
1-2 inch · Tube
In deep pools and dark water, silhouette and contrast do the work colour cannot. A fly that reads as black against depth is enough. Fish it broadside, hold the swing, let it hang at the dangle — that is when the best fish take.
Medicine Fly
Medicine Fly
8-12 · Streamer
Slim and mobile — fished sunk through the pool when surface work is not producing. Consistently takes fish that will not come to the surface.
SF
Snake Fly (Black)
2-4 inch · Streamer
A mobile eel-like profile that undulates through deep pools — effective when sea trout are lying deep and not responding to conventional wets.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 3
Costa Beck
33 km
Brown trout
River Rye
38 km
Brown trout · Grayling · Sea trout
River Derwent (Yorkshire)
48 km
Brown trout · Grayling
Gallery · 2
  1. The River Esk flowing through a wooded valley below Glaisdale on the North Yorkshire Moors
    The River Esk below Glaisdale, North Yorkshire Moors
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Moorland spate river where you might catch a trout on a Snipe & Purple in the morning and a sea trout at dusk — versatility is the game. Fast response (4 hours) and broken water suit darker flies and bolder presentation than chalk streams. The water often carries peat stain after rain — fish darker spiders and bigger wets when conditions darken. Salmon and sea trout run April–October; brown trout throughout. Flexible access via local ticketing (Danby, Egton Bridge, Ruswarp) — contact ahead for best options. The Esk Fishery Association controls roughly eight miles of named beats including Lealholm, Glaisdale, Limber Hill and Sleights; membership has a joining fee, an annual subscription and (for adults) a waiting list. Visitor day tickets are available only on a limited stretch via boat hire at Ruswarp. Sandstone freestone bedrock underlies this river. 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

  • Sandstone
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Fail
Water quality details
  • Dissolved oxygen: Good
  • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): Moderate
  • Ammonia (Phys-Chem): High
  • pH: High
  • Phosphate: High
  • Temperature: Good
  • Physico-chemical quality elements: Good
  • Chemical: Does not require assessment
What this classification means

EA waterbody 'Esk from Sleddale Beck to Ruswarp' (GB104027068150) — the lowest non-tidal main stem of the North York Moors Esk (Sleights/Grosmont down to the Ruswarp tidal limit above Whitby). Latest EA data (Cycle 3, 2022): Good ecological status. Chemical 'Fail' reflects the England-wide ubiquitous-substance failure (mercury and PBDE in biota); the 2022 cycle itself records chemical as 'does not require assessment'. Corrected 2026-06-18 from GB104027068710, which is East Row Beck (a separate coastal beck), not the Esk.

EA (England) · GB104027068150

Why this score · for Sea Trout
  • Temperature8328% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure857% weight
  • Insect activity6012% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 March → 31 October

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Salmon: Negligible (2026) — EA 2024 Salmon Stocks Assessment classifies this river 'at risk' — egg deposition below Conservation Limit. Conservation priority; not a salmon fishing destination.

Related guides
Yorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methodsTrout Near Londonaccess guideEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
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