Spate · Mixed · County Durham

River Wear

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

Species

Decent — worth a look

Low and clear — careful approach country. Low water tactics — small singles, riffling hitch in the smooth glides.

50% confidence in this read
Water temperature for atlantic salmon
Cool — slow
6°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for atlantic salmon
  • Temperature2430% weight
  • Flow4525% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time1015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
6.3°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
8°C
Wind
SW 14 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1003 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
1.1 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for atlantic salmon
When
Morning into early afternoon.
Where
Pool tails, steadier runs, and any water with pace.
Method
Fish a sensible line-and-fly combination for the height and pace of water.
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
Fair conditions. Clarity is favourable (95), Feeding time is weakest (10).
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
Grayling seasonSeason
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
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
Directions
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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.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon1 February → 31 October
  • Sea trout3 April → 31 October
  • Trout22 March → 30 September
  • Grayling16 June → 14 March

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Other water nearby · 5
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