Spate · Mixed · County Durham

River Wear

The River Wear flowing through open countryside near Wolsingham, Weardale, with tree-lined banks and rippling shallows.

North-East England spate river rising in the Pennines above Weardale, flowing east through Durham city to the coast at Sunderland.

Poor · Atlantic Salmon
Ally's Shrimp · double / small tube
Poorlive now
Slow going — better windows ahead
Low and clear — careful approach country. Stale fish in low clear water spook easily — pick your hour.
90% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.28 mLast reading 2h ago
  • Water temp22.0°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Ally's Shrimp
Ally's Shrimpdouble / small tube
River-specific pack, filled from the regional salmon default.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.28 m
Last reading 2h ago
Water temp22.0°C
ClarityClear
Weather22°C
WindNW 13 km/h
Pressure1018 hPa
Rain · recent0.7 mm
Rain · ahead0.3 mm

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

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow
22°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Fish early morning (first light to 9am) and late evening (7pm to dark) only. Midday heat stresses fish — stop fishing and rest pools when the sun is high. This is welfare-critical above 20°C.
Where
Fish are concentrated in the deeper pools and under any available cover. Focus on the deepest lies — pool hearts and tail croys. Approach very carefully, avoid silhouetting yourself against the sky. Dawn and dusk are your windows.
Method
Surface or just sub-surface. Consider a riffling hitch or Portland hitch to skate the fly across the surface — devastating in warm, low water. Alternatively, dead-drift a small fly upstream like a nymph.. Floating line. Tiny: size 12-16 singles or doubles, hitch tubes. Ultra-discreet presentation for spooky fish in warm, clear water.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Conditions are reasonable, though not ideal. Peak summer — grilse and summer salmon are active and willing. Small flies, lightly dressed, fished with purpose. August is a decent month for salmon here, though not the peak.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 3 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.

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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 · August 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
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

A recovering north-eastern spate river with excellent wild trout and grayling in upper Weardale. Dry fly through the hatches, nymph between; the grayling keep you honest once the trout season shuts.

Local classics: Greenwell's Glory·Pheasant Tail Nymph·Red Tag
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Cooler water nearby · 2
Probably above the Atlantic Salmon safety line — these are likely cooler, but carry a thermometer.
River Balder
38 km
~18°C
Brown trout · Grayling
River Tees
34 km
~20°C
Brown trout · Grayling · Salmon
Gallery · 6
  1. The River Wear flowing through open countryside near Wolsingham, Weardale, with tree-lined banks and rippling shallows.
    River Wear near Wolsingham
  2. A wide, calm reach of the River Wear downstream from Wolsingham with wooded valley sides.
    River Wear downriver from Wolsingham
  3. The River Wear running through shallow gravel south of Frosterley under winter light.
    The River Wear south of Frosterley
  4. The River Wear sweeping through a broad meander downstream of Stanhope in low summer water.
    River Wear downstream from Stanhope
  5. The River Wear looking upstream from Newton Cap Bridge near Bishop Auckland, a broad pool with wooded banks in autumn.
    The River Wear from Newton Cap Bridge, Bishop Auckland
  6. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

North-East England spate river rising in the Pennines above Weardale, flowing east through Durham city to the coast at Sunderland. Upper Weardale is classic northern freestone — fast stony runs with wild brown trout. The middle river around Durham has recovering salmon and good grayling in the deeper pools below the weirs. Sea trout run from June. Fish counters at Framwellgate and Freemans Reach record upstream movement. Not as prolific as the Tyne for salmon but a genuine recovering system. Salmon peak Jul–Oct from counter data; the autumn run is notably later than the Tyne. Trout fishing in Weardale is the primary draw for most fly anglers. Through Durham city, the river is sensitive and largely held by Durham City Angling Club and other private rights — historic 'free fishing' references to Millburngate or Kepier Farm should not be relied on for current access. Contact DCAC before fishing the city stretch. 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

  • Mixed
The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 90%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightVery Low-3.7
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftDropping Too Far Towards Low Clear+1.1
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+3.5
Time in seasonSummer Peak Window+1.9
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base5.2
Will they take?Neutralcaps the band

Taking mood is fair — clearing, stained water, very low flow.

Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
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

    Grayling present in the Wear, particularly upper Weardale. Statutory window is 16 June – 14 March; association water typically starts grayling from October. Check local DA rules.

    Legally open from 16 June, but access is typically sold from 1 October.

    Prime sport 1 October → 28 February

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsGrayling Playbookgrayling tacticsYorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methods
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations