Stillwater · Granite · Castilla y León / Salamanca–Zamora

Embalse de Almendra

Embalse de Almendra — Embalse de Almendra - reservoir with the highest dam in Spain
Contributor photo

Embalse de Almendra - reservoir with the highest dam in Spain

VicunaR (https://www.flickr.com/photos/144510328@N03) - CC BY-SA

The largest reservoir in Castilla y León — a vast, deep impoundment on the lower Tormes just before the river plunges into the Arribes canyon, feeding the Villarino hydroelectric station.

Good · Pike
Large pike streamer / baitfish (2/0–4) · 8–10
Goodlive now
Summer pike — dawn and dusk topwater
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
77% confidence
What moved it
  • WindSW 8 km/hLight breeze
Today’s fly
LP
Large pike streamer / baitfish (2/0–4)8–10
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Light breeze
SW 8 km/h
N
SW
from the south-west
WaveRipple
Water temp—
Air temp17°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1018 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

Reservoir levelas of 13 Jul
┄ 67% 10-yr norm
▬ Steady
83% full
High & steady
▲+16 ptsvs seasonal norm
▼-6 ptsvs last year
▼-2 ptsthis week
Reservoir near full — settled fish across plenty of holding water.
How to fish it · for pike
When
Pike are ambush-feeding from weed cover. Fry and small perch concentrate in the warm shallows, drawing pike in during low-light periods. Mid-day pike retreat to deeper weed channels.
Where
Summer pike on the fly. Fish early (first light) and late (last hour) when pike push shallow to feed. Topwater is king — poppers and gurglers over weed beds. Mid-day fish hold deep in weed channels. Take a break during the heat of the day. Use a 9-10wt rod with a stiff butt for turning big fish away from weed.
The plan
Plan A

Summer pike on the fly. Fish early (first light) and late (last hour) when pike push shallow to feed. Topwater is king — poppers and gurglers over weed beds. Mid-day fish hold deep in weed channels. Take a break during the heat of the day. Use a 9-10wt rod with a stiff butt for turning big fish away from weed.

Plan B

Fish early and late, try deeper during the heat of the day with a fast-sinking line.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

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

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

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Through the year
0–3 scale · July 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
Reservoir BuzzerHatch
2
3
3
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
LP
Large pike streamer / baitfish (2/0–4)Top
8–10 · Streamer
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
CW
Clouser / weighted minnow (2–6)
8–10 · Streamer
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
OB
Olive/brown woolly bugger (8–10)
8–10 · Streamer
Strip it for fish chasing fry or in coloured water.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Castilla y León licence required; reservoir sits under the Confederación Hidrográfica del Duero
  • Barbel, boga and cacho are protected during spawning — check current dates
  • Zander is a non-native predator with specific handling/retention rules in the Duero basin; confirm before fishing.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
85%
Cloud50%
Wind100%
Temp100%

Conditions are ideal for Embalse de Almendra — wind, cloud and temperature all line up.

Other water nearby · 2
Embalse de Aldeadávila
41 km
Barbel · Carp · Pike
Embalse de Saucelle
50 km
Barbel · Carp · Pike
Gallery · 2
  1. Embalse de Almendra — Embalse de Almendra - reservoir with the highest dam in Spain
    Embalse de Almendra - reservoir with the highest dam in Spain
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

The largest reservoir in Castilla y León — a vast, deep impoundment on the lower Tormes just before the river plunges into the Arribes canyon, feeding the Villarino hydroelectric station. This is big, serious water: hundreds of feet deep against the dam, with long flooded arms reaching back up the Tormes valley. It is best known as zander (lucioperca) country, with pike holding over the drop-offs and barbel and carp working the shallower upper arms and inflows. The scale rewards a boat and a plan rather than blind bank fishing. Heavy summer drawdown for power generation exposes wide margins and concentrates fish toward the deeper basin and the dam end.

  • Reservoir
  • Granite
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
  • Reservoir near full — settled fish across plenty of holding water.
Related guides
Big Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatchThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
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