Freestone · Mixed · Alps / Savoie, FR

Isère (Combe de Savoie)

A wide alpine river flowing past tree-lined banks, with misty mountains in the background near Montmelian, Savoie.

The Isère in Combe de Savoie is big alpine water — 1st-category from Pont Royal to Pontcharra.

Today · Closed season
Coch-y-bonddu
Forecast · Today
Closed season
Out of season. Try elsewhere.
80% projected
Today's fly
Coch-y-bonddu
Coch-y-bonddu
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Rising
1.08 m
Lifting fast
Water temp18.1°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather19°C
WindN 3 km/h
Pressure1023 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead5.6 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
Warm — slow
18°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Through the open trout season. Late spring once snowmelt drops; sedges through summer; small dark flies into autumn close.
Where
Pool tails and the seams behind boulders through the Combe de Savoie. The Isère is bigger water than most Alpine tributaries — wadeable but demanding.
Method
Upstream dry to risers; dry-dropper through the riffles. The water reads clear — long leader, fine tippet. Move slowly, cast accurately.
Kit
9 ft #4 — French freestone default. Floating line, 12 ft leader to 4 to 5 lb fluoro. Studded boots.
Why this works
Water at 18.5°C — above the brown trout caution line (18°C). Fish dawn or dusk only. Land it fast, wet hands, no air shots.
Likely species
Caddisflies
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6pm

12pm(now) — Reed Smut

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 32%
Also:Flying Ants29%Cinnamon Sedge21%
Peak emergence window6 food groups active

Peak activity at 6pm — Evening Sedge (Evening Sedge, Weather boost)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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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
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Grayling seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
1
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Alpine RhithrogenaHatch
1
2
2
1
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
Iron BlueHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1

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

Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box

French nymph-first water. Fast current, technical presentation, weighted nymphs and emergers, with dry flies when fish rise.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • AAPPMA permits.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Cooler water nearby · 2
Water here around 19°C — probably warm enough to stress Brown Trout . These are likely cooler.
Lac d'Aiguebelette
30 km
~17°C
Brown trout · Char
Lac d'Annecy
34 km
~18°C
Brown trout · Char
Gallery · 2
  1. A wide alpine river flowing past tree-lined banks, with misty mountains in the background near Montmelian, Savoie.
    Isere @ Pont Morens @ Montmelian
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

The Isère in Combe de Savoie is big alpine water — 1st-category from Pont Royal to Pontcharra. Snowmelt character with improving conditions as summer progresses and water clears. Technical at high water, more accessible as levels drop. Fly-fishing opportunity. Check Savoie regulations for access and restrictions.

Hatches & food

In true Alpine headwaters, trout feeding is squeezed into a short high-summer slot, with mountain olives and other mayflies following snowmelt, daytime stoneflies over rough, bouldery water, evening caddis on the warmest settled nights, and small buzzers keeping fish interested before, between and after the main up-wing and caddis hatches.

  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown

WFD classification · FRDR527A

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 80%
How the 0 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature32 × 28%9.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time75 × 13%9.8
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity62 × 12%7.4
Conditions total= 67
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
What would change the calculation
Cooler water — back toward the 10–16 °C ideal band — would lift the score and ease welfare.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 2nd Saturday of March → 3rd Sunday of September
  • Grayling 3rd Saturday of May → 3rd Sunday of September

    France national rule: grayling opens 3rd Saturday of May in all waters. In 1st category (salmonid) rivers, grayling closes with the trout season on the 3rd Sunday of September. Departmental regulations may impose additional restrictions. Always check the relevant département's 2026 arrêté préfectoral.

Related guides
Grayling Playbookgrayling tacticsPyrenees PlaybookFrench riversEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts