Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow22°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Spring fish February–May (large flies on sink tips); summer grilse and autumn fish from June onwards (small doubles, floating line). Fish the falling spate.
Where
Fish The Exe / RETA water on the middle river is the practical salmon access. Cover the pools systematically — heads, throats and tails — and move on. Conservation-sensitive fishery.
Method
Spring: large tubes (Cascade or Willie Gunn) on sink-tip, fished slow and deep. Summer: small doubles (Stoat's Tail #10) on floating line, classic across-and-down swing. All salmon returned. No trebles. Barbless or closed-barb only.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander for spring; 12 ft #8 or 10 ft single by mid-summer. Sink-tip plus floater. 12 to 15 lb fluoro. Knotless landing net.
Why this works
Water at 22°C. This is the line where catch-and-release kills atlantic salmon. Do not fish for them today.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am
Hatch predictions
Today's headline hatch shown — see all 3 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
See the full sub-surface read with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence
Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.
Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
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
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box
Local classics: Half Stone·Beacon Beige·Pheasant Tail Nymph
Beats · 4
Upper Exe, Little Exe, Barle & HaddeoAccess varies
Exmoor small-river fly water — primarily wild brown trout, with grayling, salmon and occasional sea trout also present.
Middle Exe — Fish The Exe beatsAccess varies
Fish The Exe is a collaboration between RETA, the Environment Agency and Dulverton AA that opens selected fly beats to visiting and local anglers.
Lower Exe — Exeter & District AAAccess varies
EDAA holds a range of waters on the lower Exe and its tributaries.
Countess Wear (tidal Exe)Access varies
A productive tidal coarse fishery for match and pleasure anglers.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Cooler water nearby · 3
Probably above the Atlantic Salmon safety line — these are likely cooler, but carry a thermometer.
Gallery · 2
River Exe — image via Wikipedia (River Exe) Terrain map
Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
- Temperature030% weight
- Flow6025% weight
- Clarity9520% weight
- Feeding Time8015% weight
- Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Salmon 14 February → 30 September
- Trout 15 March → 30 September
- Grayling 16 June → 14 March
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)
Salmon: At risk or probably at risk (2026)
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations
Other
- Dulverton Angling AssociationControls Exmoor beats on the Exe, Barle and Haddeo. Wild brown trout primary, with grayling, salmon and occasional sea trout. Works with the Wild Trout Trust on habitat.
- RETA — River Exe & Tributaries AssociationFounded 1993. RETA promotes conservation, habitat and a voluntary high-release ethic on the Exe; the Fish The Exe scheme is the visiting-angler access route.
- Exeter & District Angling AssociationControls a range of lower Exe and tributary stretches. Countess Wear is the headline EDAA Exe water and is a tidal coarse fishery — not fly-game water.
- Westcountry Rivers TrustRegional rivers trust covering the Westcountry catchments including the Exe. Useful conservation and habitat context.
River Exe
Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow22°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Spring fish February–May (large flies on sink tips); summer grilse and autumn fish from June onwards (small doubles, floating line). Fish the falling spate.
Where
Fish The Exe / RETA water on the middle river is the practical salmon access. Cover the pools systematically — heads, throats and tails — and move on. Conservation-sensitive fishery.
Method
Spring: large tubes (Cascade or Willie Gunn) on sink-tip, fished slow and deep. Summer: small doubles (Stoat's Tail #10) on floating line, classic across-and-down swing. All salmon returned. No trebles. Barbless or closed-barb only.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander for spring; 12 ft #8 or 10 ft single by mid-summer. Sink-tip plus floater. 12 to 15 lb fluoro. Knotless landing net.
Why this works
Water at 22°C. This is the line where catch-and-release kills atlantic salmon. Do not fish for them today.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am
Hatch predictions
Today's headline hatch shown — see all 3 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
See the full sub-surface read with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence
Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.
Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
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
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box
Local classics: Half Stone·Beacon Beige·Pheasant Tail Nymph
Beats · 4
Upper Exe, Little Exe, Barle & HaddeoAccess varies
Exmoor small-river fly water — primarily wild brown trout, with grayling, salmon and occasional sea trout also present.
Middle Exe — Fish The Exe beatsAccess varies
Fish The Exe is a collaboration between RETA, the Environment Agency and Dulverton AA that opens selected fly beats to visiting and local anglers.
Lower Exe — Exeter & District AAAccess varies
EDAA holds a range of waters on the lower Exe and its tributaries.
Countess Wear (tidal Exe)Access varies
A productive tidal coarse fishery for match and pleasure anglers.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Cooler water nearby · 3
Probably above the Atlantic Salmon safety line — these are likely cooler, but carry a thermometer.
Gallery · 2
River Exe — image via Wikipedia (River Exe) Terrain map
Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
- Temperature030% weight
- Flow6025% weight
- Clarity9520% weight
- Feeding Time8015% weight
- Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Salmon 14 February → 30 September
- Trout 15 March → 30 September
- Grayling 16 June → 14 March
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)
Salmon: At risk or probably at risk (2026)
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations
Other
- Dulverton Angling AssociationControls Exmoor beats on the Exe, Barle and Haddeo. Wild brown trout primary, with grayling, salmon and occasional sea trout. Works with the Wild Trout Trust on habitat.
- RETA — River Exe & Tributaries AssociationFounded 1993. RETA promotes conservation, habitat and a voluntary high-release ethic on the Exe; the Fish The Exe scheme is the visiting-angler access route.
- Exeter & District Angling AssociationControls a range of lower Exe and tributary stretches. Countess Wear is the headline EDAA Exe water and is a tidal coarse fishery — not fly-game water.
- Westcountry Rivers TrustRegional rivers trust covering the Westcountry catchments including the Exe. Useful conservation and habitat context.