Spate · Limestone · Lancashire / Yorkshire Dales, GB-ENG

River Ribble

The River Ribble flowing through open countryside at Settle with a stony riverbed in low summer water.

Fine Lancashire spate river rising in the Yorkshire Dales near Ribblehead — classic northern character with limestone substrate, fast riffles, and excellent hatches (March Browns, olives, sedges, grannom caddis in April).

Prime · Sea Trout
Black & Silver Tube · 1-2 inch
Primelive now
Prime conditions — go now
River high but settled. Heavy water — fish big and slow.
80% confidence
What moved it
  • Level1.91 mLifting fast
  • Water temp15.5°C
  • ClarityUnfishableColouring up
Today's fly
BS
Black & Silver Tube1-2 inch
In deep pools and dark water, silhouette and contrast do the work colour cannot. A fly that reads as black against depth is enough. Fish it broadside, hold the swing, let it hang at the dangle — that is when the best fish take.
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Rising
1.91 m
Lifting fast
Water temp15.5°C
ClarityUnfishable
Weather17°C
WindN 20 km/h
Pressure1008 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

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

Water temperature for Sea Trout
Warm — slow
16°C est.ideal 8–15°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Sea Trout
When
Night fishing from full dark when water rises above 13°C. June through September. Settled overcast nights are classic; stocks variable through recent decades.
Where
Lower Ribble pool tails and glides below Mitton. Walk the water in daylight before fishing it at night.
Method
Across-and-down on a floating line with a small wet — Medicine, Teal Blue and Silver, Stoat's Tail. Steady swing through the tail-outs, never hurry.
Kit
10 ft #6/7, floating line, 8 to 10 lb fluoro tippet. Spare leader on a wrist spool. Headlamp sparingly.
Why this works
Excellent — conditions well-balanced, with time of day particularly in your favour.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am

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 3 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
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
Sea Trout fly box

A proper northern spate river — it fishes best on the drop, as it clears after rain. The upper river above Settle has a limestone edge and cracking March Brown and olive hatches; dry when they're on, nymph when they're not.

Local classics: March Brown·Waterhen Bloa·Pheasant Tail Nymph
BS
Black & Silver TubeTop
1-2 inch · Tube
In deep pools and dark water, silhouette and contrast do the work colour cannot. A fly that reads as black against depth is enough. Fish it broadside, hold the swing, let it hang at the dangle — that is when the best fish take.
Medicine Fly
Medicine Fly
8-12 · Streamer
Slim and mobile — fished sunk through the pool when surface work is not producing. Consistently takes fish that will not come to the surface.
SF
Snake Fly (Black)
2-4 inch · Streamer
A mobile eel-like profile that undulates through deep pools — effective when sea trout are lying deep and not responding to conventional wets.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 3
River Hodder
7.0 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
River Lune
44 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
River Wharfe
47 km
Brown trout · Grayling
Gallery · 6
  1. The River Ribble flowing through open countryside at Settle with a stony riverbed in low summer water.
    The River Ribble at Settle
  2. Wide view of the River Ribble at Ribchester showing gravelly shallows and summer low-water riffles.
    The River Ribble, Ribchester
  3. The River Ribble running over limestone ledges and shingle at Settle with the Dales skyline behind.
    The River Ribble at Settle
  4. Clear limestone-green pool and exposed bedrock at Queen's Rock on the River Ribble above Settle.
    Queen's Rock, River Ribble, Settle
  5. The River Ribble in full spate with brown peaty flood water over boulders near Settle.
    The River Ribble in spate, Settle
  6. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Fine Lancashire spate river rising in the Yorkshire Dales near Ribblehead — classic northern character with limestone substrate, fast riffles, and excellent hatches (March Browns, olives, sedges, grannom caddis in April). The upper Ribble above Settle is superb wild brown trout and grayling water. Salmon and sea trout run middle and lower reaches (significant recovery in recent years). Fish as it drops after rain — the Ribble responds quickly and produces best on falling water. Dry fly is productive when hatches are on; nymphing standard between. Long Ribble Fisheries Association and local clubs manage access; day tickets available. 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

  • Limestone
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
  • Chemical: Unknown

EA (England) · UKGB112071065614

Why this score · for Sea Trout
  • Temperature8828% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time10013% weight
  • Pressure857% weight
  • Insect activity8112% weight
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

    Statutory window is 16 June – 14 March. Ribble Trust Mitton beat separates game angling (15 March – 31 October) from coarse and grayling (1 November – 14 March). Treat November to mid-March as the working access default on association water.

    Fished once the trout season is over — access typically from 1 November.

    Prime sport 1 November → 28 February

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Salmon: Negligible (2026) — EA 2024 Salmon Stocks Assessment classifies this river 'at risk' — egg deposition below Conservation Limit. Conservation priority; not a salmon fishing destination. Ribble salmon catches collapsed through the 2020s.

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