Spate · Mixed · County Durham, GB-ENG

River Wear

The River Wear flowing through open countryside near Wolsingham, Weardale, with tree-lined banks and rippling shallows.

North-East England spate river rising in the Pennines above Weardale, flowing east through Durham city to the coast at Sunderland.

Marginal · Atlantic Salmon
Ally's Shrimp · double / small tube
Marginallive now
Marginal — persistence required
Low and clear — careful approach country. Hard going on bright water. Favour cloud and shadow.
75% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.29 mLast reading 22h ago
  • Water temp13.6°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Ally's Shrimp
Ally's Shrimpdouble / small tube
River-specific pack, filled from the regional salmon default.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.29 m
Last reading 22h ago
Water temp13.6°C
ClarityClear
Weather13°C
WindS 7 km/h
Pressure1022 hPa
Rain · recent0.5 mm
Rain · ahead1.2 mm

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

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Ideal
14°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
All day is fishable. Peaks around mid-morning (10-12) and late afternoon (4-6pm). A change in light — cloud passing over the sun, or the first shadow reaching the water — can trigger a take.
Where
Fish are concentrated in the deeper pools and under any available cover. Focus on the deepest lies — pool hearts and tail croys. Approach very carefully, avoid silhouetting yourself against the sky. Dawn and dusk are your windows.
Method
Gentle swing or upstream dead-drift for nymph-style presentation. Consider a riffling hitch in smooth water — the surface wake can provoke aggressive takes from fish that refuse the conventional swing.. Floating line, possibly slow intermediate in deeper pools. Small: size 10-14 doubles or trebles, micro-tubes. Low water demands subtlety.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Conditions are tough, but salmon can always surprise you. Late season — fish are beginning to colour up as spawning approaches. They become more territorial and can take aggressively. Autumnal colours (orange, copper, gold) work well. September is a decent month for salmon here, though not the peak.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 2pm

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 12 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

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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)

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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
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
Grayling seasonSeason
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
CapererHatch
2
3
3
2
Heather FlyHatch
2
2
Autumn DunHatch
2
3
2

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

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box

A recovering north-eastern spate river with excellent wild trout and grayling in upper Weardale. Dry fly through the hatches, nymph between; the grayling keep you honest once the trout season shuts.

Local classics: Greenwell's Glory·Pheasant Tail Nymph·Red Tag
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
River Tees
34 km
Brown trout · Grayling · Salmon
River Tyne
35 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
River Balder
38 km
Brown trout · Grayling
River Lune (Teesdale)
47 km
Brown trout · Grayling
River Swale
50 km
Brown trout · Grayling
Gallery · 6
  1. The River Wear flowing through open countryside near Wolsingham, Weardale, with tree-lined banks and rippling shallows.
    River Wear near Wolsingham
  2. A wide, calm reach of the River Wear downstream from Wolsingham with wooded valley sides.
    River Wear downriver from Wolsingham
  3. The River Wear running through shallow gravel south of Frosterley under winter light.
    The River Wear south of Frosterley
  4. The River Wear sweeping through a broad meander downstream of Stanhope in low summer water.
    River Wear downstream from Stanhope
  5. The River Wear looking upstream from Newton Cap Bridge near Bishop Auckland, a broad pool with wooded banks in autumn.
    The River Wear from Newton Cap Bridge, Bishop Auckland
  6. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

North-East England spate river rising in the Pennines above Weardale, flowing east through Durham city to the coast at Sunderland. Upper Weardale is classic northern freestone — fast stony runs with wild brown trout. The middle river around Durham has recovering salmon and good grayling in the deeper pools below the weirs. Sea trout run from June. Fish counters at Framwellgate and Freemans Reach record upstream movement. Not as prolific as the Tyne for salmon but a genuine recovering system. Salmon peak Jul–Oct from counter data; the autumn run is notably later than the Tyne. Trout fishing in Weardale is the primary draw for most fly anglers. Through Durham city, the river is sensitive and largely held by Durham City Angling Club and other private rights — historic 'free fishing' references to Millburngate or Kepier Farm should not be relied on for current access. Contact DCAC before fishing the city stretch. Atlantic salmon are assessed by the Environment Agency against each river's Conservation Limit — many principal rivers are classed 'at risk' with mandatory catch-and-release byelaws; check current rules before fishing.

Sea trout here

Summer-autumn runs (June–September), nocturnal peak season pattern

  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
Water quality details
  • Dissolved oxygen: High
  • Ammonia (Phys-Chem): High
  • pH: High
  • Phosphate: Moderate
  • Temperature: Good

EA (England) · GB103024077621

The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightVery Low-3.7
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftNot Applicable0.0
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+3.5
Time in seasonLate Season+0.3
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base2.5
Will they take?Neutralcaps the band

Taking mood is fair — clearing, stained water, very low flow.

Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 February → 31 October
  • Sea trout 3 April → 31 October
  • Trout 22 March → 30 September
  • Grayling 16 June → 14 March

    Grayling present in the Wear, particularly upper Weardale. Statutory window is 16 June – 14 March; association water typically starts grayling from October. Check local DA rules.

    Legally open from 16 June, but access is typically sold from 1 October.

    Prime sport 1 October → 28 February

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsGrayling Playbookgrayling tacticsYorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methods
Casting instructors near here
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