Spate · Limestone · County Durham / North Yorkshire

River Tees

River Tees venue image
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Powerful Pennine spate river rising at Cross Fell — wild, dramatic water that demands respect.

Species

A side-water session, not the main event

Low and clear — careful approach country. Long leader, small flies, slower casts.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Cool — slow
7°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature5128% weight
  • Flow6022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Prey Activity2612% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
7.1°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
8°C
Wind
S 16 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1004 hPa
Rain · 48h
1.8 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
2.0 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
Olives April through May afternoons; Mayfly late May where it shows; sedges through summer; small dark flies into October.
Where
Upper Tees through Teesdale is classic Pennine pocket water; below Barnard Castle the river widens into longer pools. High Force sets the upper limit.
Method
Upstream dry to risers when olives or sedges are off; North Country spider on the swing in cooler water — Snipe and Purple, Partridge and Orange, Waterhen Bloa. Move upstream slowly, fish each lie properly.
Kit
9 ft #4 — Yorkshire freestone default. Floating line, 9 to 12 ft leader to 4 to 5 lb fluoro. Studded boots for slick stones.
Why this works
Good conditions. Clarity is favourable (95), Prey activity is weakest (26).
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Sea trout runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2
Yellow SallyHatch
2
3
2

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

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
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About this water

Powerful Pennine spate river rising at Cross Fell — wild, dramatic water that demands respect. Upper Tees above High Force is spectacular: fast boulder-strewn runs with muscular wild trout that feed aggressively. Below Barnard Castle the river calms into longer pools with good grayling and recovering salmon. Nymphing (particularly stonefly) is often more effective than dry fly in the heavy water; when hatches are on, trout respond to big, bushy dry flies that float well in turbulence. Heavy tippet and wading confidence matter more than delicate presentation. Wild brown trout fishing is the main draw; salmon and grayling secondary.

  • Limestone
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon1 February → 31 October
  • Sea trout3 April → 31 October
  • Trout22 March → 30 September

Salmon: Negligible (2026) — Recovering after Tees Barrage improvements but still marginal. Not a reliable salmon fishing destination.

Other water nearby · 5
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