When to Fish the River Tyne: A Month-by-Month Salmon Season Guide
The River Tyne runs its salmon season from February to the end of October, and in a good year something like thirty thousand migratory fish push through the system. That makes it England's most prolific salmon river — but numbers alone don't put a fish on the bank. Knowing when the fish are there, and what they're doing, is what turns a day out into a fish caught. Here's how the season unfolds, month by month.
Spring (February to April): the underrated run
The Tyne's spring run is badly underrated, and Bywell in particular has a name for it — we've taken the first fish of the season three years running. The reason is worth understanding. The fish pass at Riding Mill acts as a temperature-linked barrier: until the water warms enough, fresh fish won't run up through it, so they stack up in the lower and middle beats below. That's exactly why your best chance of an early-season fish is on the lower water — the fish are held there, waiting. These cold-water springers are the freshest, hardest-fighting fish of the year, and they're worth every frozen finger.
Late spring (May): the first run pushes through
As the water warms through spring, the fish pass effectively opens and the first run pushes on through, spreading fish up the system. May can be a genuinely excellent month, with fish moving and fresh ones still coming behind them. It's a lovely time to be on the river — the fish are running, the swing is fishing, and the whole valley is waking up.
The early-summer lull
Between the spring push and the arrival of the main summer run there's often a quieter spell. It's highly dependent on water temperature and flow, both of which fluctuate this time of year, and it can switch back on the moment a spate freshens the river. Don't write it off — but do keep an eye on the weather and be ready to move when the water comes.
Summer (June to July): the strongest run and the sea trout
Summer brings the strongest run of the year, and with it the sea trout — the sea-run brown trout that make the Tyne such a special river after dark. With the river low, clear and warm, everything scales down: single-handed and switch rods, fine leaders, small flies, and fishing the cool early mornings and the last of the light. The sea trout in particular are a night game, and they're worth losing sleep over. Adjust your tackle and your timing to the run and you'll stay in touch with fish right through the warm months.
Autumn and the back-end (August to October): fresh fish to the last day
The back-end is the Tyne at its very best. A late run keeps pushing right up to the final day of the season, and fresh silver fish keep appearing through the low beats even as coloured fish get ready to spawn. The general rule is simple: fish later in the season for the sheer numbers of fish stacking up, and fish earlier in the run for the freshest of them. But the beauty of Bywell is that there's always a chance of a spanking-fresh fish, straight from the tide, right to the very end — for as long as fish are running, we keep picking up brand-new ones. Bring the colour and the confidence, and enjoy the best salmon fishing of the year.
Planning your trip
The single best thing you can do is plan around water and weather, and lean on local knowledge. If you want to understand how to read the water once you're on it, or you'd like a guide to put you in the right place at the right time, come and fish with us at Bywell.
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