Freestone · Limestone · Navarra

Río Irati

rio IRATI venue image
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Navarra's most celebrated trout river.

Species

Slow going — pick your moments

River lifting fast on the rain. Take your time — read the water before you cast.

40% confidence — limited data
Water temperature for brown trout
Cool — slow
6°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature3028% weight
  • Flow5522% weight
  • Clarity1518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Prey Activity1312% weight
Conditions
Level
0.59 m
Water temp
5.6°C
Estimated
Clarity
Very coloured
Colouring up
Air temp
3°C
Wind
NE 9 km/h
Light breeze
Pressure
1019 hPa
Rain · 48h
2.6 mm
Light rain
Rain · ahead
5.2 mm
Light rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

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.
Why this works
Poor conditions. Pressure is favourable (80), Prey activity is weakest (13).
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
1
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
Iron BlueHatch
1
2
2
1

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

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Gobierno de Navarra fishing licence required
  • The Irati should be planned by exact tramo and permit category, not just by river name, because coto and daily-permit logic varies by section.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Navarra's most celebrated trout river. The Irati rises in limestone karst near Pic d'Anie and flows southwest through the Selva de Irati UNESCO primeval beech forest before joining the Aragón and ultimately the Ebro (Mediterranean drainage — no Atlantic salmon access). Clear, alkaline freestone with dramatic canyons, transparent pools, and technical pocket runs. This is arguably Spain's finest dry-fly river — the limestone clarity and prolific upwing hatches (Baetis, Rhithrogena, Ecdyonurus) create surface-feeding windows from late April through July that reward delicate presentation with 4x–5x tippet and size 16–20 dries. Brown trout fishing is the primary draw — wild fish of exceptional quality averaging 25–35 cm, with occasional specimens to 45 cm in the deeper canyon pools. Upper valley accessible via Orbaitzeta; lower sections have private cotos. Dry fly and short-line nymphing dominate.

  • Limestone
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 May → 30 June
Other water nearby · 5
Booking & contacts