Spate · Granite · North West / Donegal, IE

Clady (Gweedore)

The Clady River flowing through moorland near Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland.
Fair · Atlantic Salmon
Cascade · 8-10
Fairlive now
Decent — worth a look
Low and clear — careful approach country. Low water tactics — small singles, riffling hitch in the smooth glides.
75% confidence
What moved it
  • LevelProxyvia River Finn
  • Water temp12.2°C
  • ClarityClearClearing
Today's fly
Cascade
Cascade8-10
Regional salmon default — river-specific evidence is thin.
Conditions on the water
Proxy gauge
Level
Falling
Proxy
via River Finn
Water temp12.2°C
ClarityClear
Weather12°C
WindSE 26 km/h
Pressure1016 hPa
Rain · recent12.7 mm
Rain · ahead4.5 mm

No gauge on this water — conditions are inferred from River Finn. The trend transfers, the absolute level does not.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Ideal
12°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 the full pool systematically — start at the head, two steps between each cast, work through to the tail. Pay special attention to the classic taking lies: pool heads where current enters, tails where it shallows, and seams alongside faster water.
Method
Medium-paced swing, fly fishing just below the surface. Fish are willing to move — a steady broadside presentation across the current is ideal. Vary speed through the swing.. Floating line, possibly slow intermediate in deeper pools. Small-medium: size 8-12 doubles, small tubes. Fish are willing to move — let them come to the fly.
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
Very few salmon are historically caught on this river in September (based on guide reports and fishery knowledge). Current conditions matter, but expectations should be modest. Conditions are reasonable, though not ideal. 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.
Likely species
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 14h

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 2 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 as a supporter.

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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
1
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
Fly box · Atlantic Salmon
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • IFI rod licence (RoI)
  • Public access to most of river
  • Granite geology means water clears quickly — fish windows are brief but productive
  • 2026 brown-tag scheme: any angler harvesting salmon or sea trout over 40cm must hold a brown tag.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
  1. The Clady River flowing through moorland near Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland.
    The Clady River near Gweedore, County Donegal.
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Unknown
  • Chemical: Unknown
The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightMedium Ideal+2.3
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftDropping Too Far Towards Low Clear+1.1
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+3.5
Time in seasonLate Season+0.4
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base9.7
Will they take?Willingcaps the band

Fish should be willing to take — clearing, stained water.

Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowproxy via River Finnproxy
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 April → 30 SeptemberC&R
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts