Spate · Limestone · Asturias, Spain

Río Sella

Río Sella fishing venue photo
Poor · Atlantic Salmon
Closed season
Out of season. File this water for the right month.
Closed — confidence not applicable today.
What moved it
  • Level1.23 mLast reading 7h ago
  • Water temp14.6°C
  • ClarityClear
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
1.23 m
lowspate
Water temp14.6°C
ClarityClear
Weather17°C
WindS 9 km/h
Pressure1023 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.8 mm

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

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Ideal
15°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Spring run from third Saturday of April. Peak May into June. Take the rising water on the second day after rain, then the dropping water through the next forty-eight hours.
Where
Heads, tails, and the long glides within your assigned coto. When low and clear, the Sella is a sight river — a salmon you can see is a fish you can plan a cast for.
Method
Spring spate: 1 to 1.5 inch tube, sinking line, Spey-cast deep across the head. Low summer: half-inch tube, floating line, riffling hitch through smooth pool tails. Single barbless from 16 June. Cupo one per day, one per season as kill.
Kit
13 ft #8 double-hander in the spate; 10 ft #8 single when it drops. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12 to 15 lb fluoro tippet.
Likely species
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 9 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Salmon run timing
2025 season

24 salmon declared to 15 July · 18.5% of regional total · trend: moderate

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
Late March BrownHatch
2
3
2
Large Brook DunHatch
2
3
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2

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

Beats · 12
Golondrosu · 0.9 kmSorteo
First sorteo coto downstream of Cangas de Onís. Long limestone glides, classic taking water once the river drops into shape.
Beat detail
Sorteo (lottery) permit required
Upstream: Campo de fútbol de Cangas de Onís
Downstream: Finca Lagaron, 50 m aguas abajo riega los azules
Golondrosu beat map
Brezu · 0.6 kmSorteo
Sorteo coto immediately above the Capitán pool — short stretch, fish hold against the right bank in low water.
Beat detail
Sorteo (lottery) permit required
Upstream: Finca Lagaron
Downstream: Cabecera del pozo del Capitán
Brezu beat map
El Capitán · 0.7 kmSorteo
One of the most famous Sella sorteo pools. Holds taking salmon once the spate drops.
Beat detail
Sorteo (lottery) permit required
Upstream: Cabecera del pozo del Capitán
Downstream: Puente del parador
Parcial del 2 de abril al 1 de mayo (sáb, dom)
El Capitán beat map
El Aliso · 2.6 kmFree Tue/Wed/Sat
Free-day coto (Tue/Wed/Sat). Mid-river stretch with productive seams along the deeper bank.
Beat detail
Free on Tue/Wed/Sat, sorteo on other days
Upstream: Puente las Rozas
Downstream: Cabecera del pozo Rozaones
El Aliso beat map
Rozaones · 0.5 kmFree Tue/Wed/Sat
Free-day coto. Pairs with El Aliso to cover a long pool-riffle sequence between Cangas and Arriondas.
Beat detail
Free on Tue/Wed/Sat, sorteo on other days
Upstream: Cabecera del pozo Rozaones
Downstream: Antigua pasarela de Santianes
Rozaones beat map
El Barco de Arriondas · 1.5 kmFree Tue/Wed/Sat
Free-day coto in the heart of Arriondas. Public access from the town bridges; busy on free days.
Beat detail
Free on Tue/Wed/Sat, sorteo on other days
Upstream: Puente de Arriondas
Downstream: 150 m aguas arriba de la desembocadura arroyo de Bode
El Barco de Arriondas beat map
Ricao · 0.3 kmC&R
Sorteo C&R coto. All fish returned regardless of regime year. Long limestone glide, careful approach country.
Beat detail
Sorteo permit, all fish returned
Upstream: 150 m aguas abajo arroyo de Bode
Downstream: Cabecera del Pozín de Leo
Ricao beat map
Pocín De Leo · 1.0 kmFree Tue/Wed/Sat
Free-day coto downstream of Arriondas. Deep pool below the road bridge — bank fishing for the head, wading the tail in low water only.
Beat detail
Free on Tue/Wed/Sat, sorteo on other days
Upstream: Cabecera del Pozín de Leo
Downstream: 200 m aguas arriba de la antigua pasarela de Los Llaos
Pocín De Leo beat map
Los Llaos · 0.5 kmSorteo
Refugio (closed reserve) — fishing prohibited. Listed for orientation only; the next fishable coto is upstream.
Beat detail
Sorteo (lottery) permit required
Upstream: 200 m aguas arriba de la antigua pasarela de Los Llaos
Downstream: 100 m aguas abajo del refugio de pescadores de los Llaos
Los Llaos beat map
Los Espigones · 1.2 kmFree Tue/Wed/Sat
Free-day coto. Long mid-lower stretch with productive tail-outs as the river broadens toward the estuary.
Beat detail
Free on Tue/Wed/Sat, sorteo on other days
Upstream: 100 m aguas abajo del refugio de pescadores de los Llaos
Downstream: Pasarela de Fuentes
Los Espigones beat map
El Arco · 1.1 kmSorteo
Sorteo coto in the lower Sella. Bigger water, slower glides, late-season holding fish.
Beat detail
Sorteo (lottery) permit required
Upstream: Pasarela de Fuentes
Downstream: Cola del pozo La Curvona
El Arco beat map
Toraño · 1.3 kmFree Tue/Wed/Sat
Free-day coto in the lower Sella, paired with El Arco. Tidal influence noticeable on spring tides.
Beat detail
Free on Tue/Wed/Sat, sorteo on other days
Upstream: 50 m aguas arriba del arroyo de La Granda
Downstream: 200 m aguas abajo puente Toraño
Toraño beat map
Beat map
Illustration · Studio Daisy
Beat map — illustrated schematic
Schematic guide to the main salmon cotos, pools and access sections. Verify against current coto details before fishing.
Permits & access
Day permit · price varies by zone
Sorteo
Allocated by annual lottery — visiting anglers should target free-day cotos (Tue/Wed/Sat) or club permits.
  • Sorteo (lottery) beat allocation via Federación Asturiana de Pesca
  • Licencia de pesca + permiso de coto required
  • For 2026, salmon cupo is 1 fish per day and 1 per season, of which only 1 may be killed
  • Check river-specific coto rules, vedados, and tackle restrictions before fishing.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Río Güeña
1.0 km
Brown trout
Río Dobra
9.0 km
Brown trout
Río Bedón
15 km
Brown trout · Sea trout
Río Ponga
17 km
Brown trout
Río Libardón
18 km
Brown trout
Gallery · 11
  1. Venue photo
  2. Mr Trout
    Mr Trout
  3. Sella at Arriondas
    Sella at Arriondas
  4. Sella at Arriondas
    Sella at Arriondas
  5. The beautiful upper Sella
    The beautiful upper Sella
  6. The Río Sella at Cangas de Onís looking upstream toward the Picos de Europa.
    Río Sella at Cangas de Onís
  7. The Río Sella in full summer flow through a green valley in Asturias.
    River Sella, Asturias
  8. The Río Sella flowing through riparian forest in Asturias.
    Río Sella
  9. The Río Sella passing through Arriondas, Asturias, with wooded banks.
    Río Sella at Arriondas
  10. A wide downstream view of the Río Sella through the Arriondas reach.
    Río Sella at Arriondas
  11. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown

WFD classification · ES018MSPFES144MAR000820

Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature10030% weight
  • Flow3025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time1015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon Troisième Saturday de April → 15 July

    2026 season: opens 18 April. Bag limit reduced to 1 fish per angler per year (was 2 per season). 60 minutes less daily fishing time. Cupo: 1 salmon per day, 1 per season (kill limit). Check river-specific coto rules, vedados, and tackle restrictions before fishing. Sella-Piloña basin quota for 2026: 52 salmon total (max 21 in zona libre).

  • Trout Troisième Sunday de March → 15 August
6 zones — different rules apply
  • Coto salmonero

    Lower salmon cotos: main Sella beats below refuges (El Capitán, Brezo, Sierra, Remolina, Los Llaos, El Arco, etc.)

    • Salmon: Troisième Saturday de April → 15 July · 1 per day, 2 per year (only 1 killable)
    • Sea trout: follows Trout
  • Coto salmonero

    Upper salmon cotos: beats above refuges (Mecedura de Ponga, La Vara, La Cruz, Tempranas, Golondrosu)

    • Salmon: Troisième Saturday de April → 15 June · 1 per day, 2 per year (only 1 killable)
    • Sea trout: follows Trout
    • Trout: Troisième Sunday de May → 15 August
  • Coto parcial

    Mixed-access cotos with lottery + free days (Dámaso, Corigos, El Bollu, La Barca, Puente Romano, El Aliso, etc.)

    • Salmon: Troisième Saturday de April → 15 July · 0 (catch and release since 2019)
    • Sea trout: follows Trout
    • Trout: Troisième Sunday de May → 15 August
    TodayTuesday, Wednesday, Saturday: free access — no lottery permit neededFree accessFree
  • Zona libre

    Lower river below Ribadesella to estuary — free access stretches

    • Sea trout: follows Trout
    • Trout: Troisième Sunday de March → 15 August
  • Zona libre sin muerte

    No-kill free stretches (Arrudo, Estayos, Ricao — 3 sin muerte cotos)

    • Sea trout: follows Trout
    • Trout: Troisième Sunday de March → 15 October
  • Desembocadura

    Tidal estuary at Ribadesella

    • Sea trout: follows Trout
    • Trout: Troisième Sunday de March → 15 August
    • Lubina: Deuxième Sunday de April → 30 June
    • Mugil: Deuxième Sunday de April → 30 September

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — The Sella is Asturias's most celebrated reo (sea trout) river — a fast, clean spate system where reo run from June into September on rising water. Catch-and-release applies on designated cotos. Night fishing is restricted in Asturias: regional regulations set clock-time windows from the monthly_schedule, closing before civil twilight in some months. Reo are present and genuinely targeted but timing and water are everything.

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