Stillwater · Granite · Comunidad de Madrid (west, ES

Embalse de Valmayor

Panoramic view of Embalse de Valmayor reservoir with the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains in the background

A close-in supply reservoir 40–55 minutes west of Madrid on the Aulencia / Guadarrama drainage.

Prime · Pike
Small carp bug · 14–16
Primelive now
Autumn pike — big fish, big flies
Good wave on — drift country. Drift the windward shore. Wet flies on the wave.
81% confidence

Seasonally this is the right time to be here, but today's conditions are not doing Embalse de Valmayor many favours. It can still fish, but temper expectations.

What moved it
  • WindNW 9 km/hLight breeze
Today's fly
SC
Small carp bug14–16
Search the runs and pockets, dead-drift near the bottom.
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Light breeze
NW 9 km/h
N
NW
from the north-west
WaveRipple
Water temp8.4°C
Air temp6°C
CloudClear
Pressure1026 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Reservoir levelas of 5 Oct
┄ 65% 10-yr norm
▬ Steady
68% full
About normal
▲+3 ptsvs seasonal norm
▼-14 ptsvs last year
▬0 ptsthis week
How to fish it · for Pike
When
Pike are feeding aggressively as water cools, building reserves for winter. Weed is dying back, concentrating both pike and prey fish into predictable holding areas.
Where
Autumn/winter pike on the fly — big fish season. Pike are putting on condition and take large flies confidently. Fish dropping weed edges, deep channels, and structure. Start with a sinking line and move to faster-sinking as the water cools. Biggest pike of the year come in this window.
The plan
Plan A

Autumn/winter pike on the fly — big fish season. Pike are putting on condition and take large flies confidently. Fish dropping weed edges, deep channels, and structure. Start with a sinking line and move to faster-sinking as the water cools. Biggest pike of the year come in this window.

Plan B

A fry-imitating pattern stripped through the margins can save a blank in autumn.

Watch for

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Either bank or boat

Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 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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Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1

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

Ranked for today
Pike fly box

A general southern European warmwater fly pack for barbel, carp and mixed exploratory venues built around slower rivers, canals, backwaters and marginal sight-fishing opportunities. Weighted nymphs, buggy worm patterns, crayfish flies and compact baitfish or leech-style flies matter more than surface trout logic.

SC
Small carp bugTop
14–16 · Nymph
Search the runs and pockets, dead-drift near the bottom.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Comunidad de Madrid licence required
  • Verify current access points and any temporary closures — Valmayor is a supply reservoir with managed shoreline access.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
66%
Cloud25%
Wind100%
Temp60%

A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
  1. Panoramic view of Embalse de Valmayor reservoir with the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains in the background
    Embalse de Valmayor, with the Sierra de Guadarrama beyond
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

A close-in supply reservoir 40–55 minutes west of Madrid on the Aulencia / Guadarrama drainage. Not a classic fly venue, but on the right day it fishes well for carp, barbel, and pike. Sight-fishing the margins for cruising carp is the most rewarding fly proposition; pike will take streamers in the cooler months. Trout logic doesn't apply here — read visibility, wind, water temperature, and recent pressure instead.

  • Reservoir
  • Granite
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
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