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.

Poor · Grayling
Pink Grayling Bug · Hook 16
Closed season
Out of season. Try elsewhere.
Closed — confidence not applicable today.
What moved it
  • Level1.12 mDropping in the last 6h
  • Water temp9.8°C
  • ClarityClearClearing
Today's fly
Pink Grayling Bug
Pink Grayling BugHook 16
in season · all-rounder
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Falling
1.12 m
Dropping in the last 6h
Water temp9.8°C
ClarityClear
Weather12°C
WindE 6 km/h
Pressure1017 hPa
Rain · recent31.8 mm
Rain · ahead24.4 mm

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

Water temperature for Grayling
Ideal
10°C est.ideal 4–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Grayling
When
Autumn through November prime.
Where
Faster gravel runs and the heads of riffles through the Combe de Savoie.
Method
Euro-nymphing through the deeper pockets; switch to dries when sedges or olives come off in autumn afternoons.
Kit
10 ft #3 nymphing rod for the deep pockets; 9 ft #4 for dries. 4 to 5 lb fluoro tippet, 12 ft leader.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 6 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Supporters see what else is on the menu.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · November 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
Grayling fly box

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

Small Perdigón
Small Perdigón
Hook 14–18 · Fly
in season
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • AAPPMA permits.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Gelon
11 km
0
Brown trout · Grayling
Guiers
37 km
0
Brown trout · Grayling
Lac d'Aiguebelette
30 km
Brown trout · Char
Lac du Bourget
32 km
Brown trout · Char
Lac d'Annecy
34 km
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

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 Grayling · confidence 90%
How the 0 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow95 × 22%20.9
Clarity85 × 18%15.3
Feeding Time95 × 13%12.4
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity56 × 12%6.7
Conditions total= 89
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
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
At a glance

Isère (Combe de Savoie) is a freestone river in Alps / Savoie, France. It sits at about 356 m above sea level. The river is described as roughly 286 km long. Our data lists brown trout and grayling here. The trout season is recorded as running from 2nd Saturday of March to 3rd Sunday of September. The grayling season is recorded as running from 3rd Saturday of May to 3rd Sunday of September. Best window recorded for anglers: June–September. Core methods listed: Nymphing; dry fly. Level and flow data for this water is linked from 1 gauge. Its Water Framework Directive ecological status is recorded as good. Access is recorded as day tickets through the local AAPPMA (angling association). Nearby waters in our listings include Gelon at 11 km, Lac d'Aiguebelette at 30 km and Lac du Bourget at 32 km.