Freestone · Limestone · Trentino-Alto Adige

Sarca

Photo of Sarca
Marginal · Brown Trout
Elk Hair Caddis · 12-16
Marginallive now
Slow going — pick your moments
River temperature is the limiting factor today, not the flow. Fish dawn or dusk if you go at all, and handle everything with extra care.
80% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.23 m
  • Water temp19.0°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Elk Hair Caddis
Elk Hair Caddis12-16
Upstream dry, on top
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.23 m
Water temp19.0°C
ClarityClear
Weather24°C
WindS 7 km/h
Pressure1020 hPa
Rain · recent24.6 mm
Rain · ahead2.3 mm

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

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow
19°C est.ideal 1016°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Through the Italian trout season — afternoon hatches in spring; dawn and dusk in summer warm; Mayfly late May where it shows. The Sarca is glacial-influenced; flows track meltwater.
Where
Pool tails, the heads of riffles, and the deeper edges of pockets. The middle Sarca through the gorges is classic Alpine pocket water.
Method
Upstream nymph through the broken water; dry to risers in the glides. Italian No-Kill stretches mandate single barbless — comply or fish elsewhere.
Kit
9 to 10 ft #4 for medium freestone with Alpine clarity. Floating line, 12 ft leader to 4 to 5 lb fluoro. Studded boots — Alpine cobble runs slick.
Why this works
Water at 19°C — above the brown trout caution line (18°C). Fish dawn or dusk only. Land it fast, wet hands, no air shots.
Likely species
Mayflies
  • Blue-winged oliveMost likely
    #16–18 · Dun
    Duns are up; a sherry spinner fall may follow.
  • Anglers curse mayfliesAlso possibleLower confidence
    #20–22 · Spinner
    Go tiny: 20-22 spent spinner, single fly, long tippet.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 6 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 with Pro.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalModerate 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
Alpine RhithrogenaHatch
2
3
3
2
Sculpin / Baitfish (Rivers)Hatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2

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

Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
FC
Foam Caddis / Sedge Hog
12-16 · Pattern
Upstream dry, on top
Gammarus Scud (Olive)
Gammarus Scud (Olive)
12-16 · Gammarus Scud
Dead-drift, sub-surface
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Italian fishing license (permesso di pesca) varies by provincia (province)
  • Barbless hooks often required on protected waters
  • Catch limits may apply.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Water here around 19°C. Nothing cooler within range — carry a thermometer.
Gallery · 2
  1. Photo of Sarca
    Sarca
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • EcologyModerate
  • ChemicalUnknown

WFD classification · IT22E100000000100TN

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 80%
How the 34 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature39 × 28%10.9
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time55 × 13%7.2
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity66 × 12%7.9
Conditions total= 66
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
What would change the calculation
Cooler water — back toward the 10–16 °C ideal band — would lift the score and ease welfare.
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 2026-02-152026-10-07
  • Grayling varies_by_watervaries_by_water

    Alto Sarca 2026 regulations (English rules published) explicitly prohibit grayling retention — grayling is present but no-retention (catch-and-release only or entirely protected). Sarca fishing requires the Alto Sarca Fishing Association permit. Check the English 2026 rules at campigliodolomiti.it before fishing grayling here.

    All grayling must be returned — retention is prohibited here.

  • Marble trout 2026-03-012026-09-30
Related guides
Booking & contacts