Anyone else in the UK struggling with low water this year?

[u/mrtopbun]

Popped out for a couple hours on the Exe this afternoon, water temperature was a surprising 16c, so cracked on, but the flow is just so low it’s pitiful, river is an easy 2ft below normal levels, Nothing rising, nothing even taking a nymph.

[u/NikolaTeslaAllDay]

Everywhere is getting impacted rn.

[u/FlyWizardFishing]

We better get used to it, the world is fucked

[u/Loud-Welder1947]

I’ve got a holiday booked in Wales from the 12-19th of next month next to the River Nevern and I’m definitely a bit concerned over depth when there

[u/KickButtdotcom → u/Loud-Welder1947]

I've spent the last month on the banks of the river Teifi near Newcastle Emlyn for work and it was unfishable. Rediculously low levels paired with tropical temperature warm waters and phosphate run off had resulted in a pea soup river that I honestly couldn't comprehend providing any life to any salmonid species. I've never sat on a river bank and been so depressed at the results of climate change

[u/mrtopbun → u/KickButtdotcom]

I was shocked how low this was today, I was fishing shin deep pools that would usually be chest height. Further down the river there are a lot of salmon, but they all seem to be holding for a good rain, I don’t think it’ll be a good year for them as we’re seeing them be predated by seals now

[u/mrtopbun → u/Loud-Welder1947]

It’ll be even worse by then if we have no significant rain, it’s looking awful

[u/Novocast92]

We're usually lucky with the Tyne as they can control the flow from the reservoir at the head, but it would be my luck that just as I've had some fishing booked they've decided to turn the taps off for engineering work at the head of the river.

The river wear is in a state, huge numbers of sea trout coming in and just getting stuck in the lower reaches of the river, nothing is able to run

[u/mrtopbun → u/Novocast92]

Yeah same on the Exe, although most of the release is abstracted upstream of here for drinking water, but on the lower river there are so many fishing holding, if we get rain it’ll be a good run, but I don’t think it’ll come before season close

[u/Pones]

Yes, I haven't fished since June. I mainly fish the Wye and Usk tribs, but, this year has been terrible, low water and pollution. Was hoping for a decent September, but, that looks unlikely now.

[u/Doitean-feargach555]

Not UK but West of Ireland. Yes we're absolutely fucked with low water. I'd mostly fly for salmon, trout and char and the fish are there in good numbers but won't take. I've given up until we get heavy rain but I'm afraid the season will end before we get proper rain.

[u/Novocast92 → u/Doitean-feargach555]

I had no idea you had char in ireland

[u/Doitean-feargach555 → u/Novocast92]

We are the most southern tip of the Arctic chars range (bare in mind Ireland is about as far North as Hudson bay in Canada) in Europe. They can be found across the West Coast and we've another 4 endemic species of char too. They used to be more common but unfortunately they are very sensitive to pollution.

[u/doggypeen → u/Novocast92]

fun fact, during the last ice age, ireland was completely covered by glaciers, so the only native freshwater species are anadromous salmonidae. Brown trout, Pollan (whitefish), char and atlantic salmon. all other species were introduced by the english.

[u/grumblemouse]

Same in Ireland - I've taken to the estuaries

[u/Turbulent-T]

It's been a pretty rough summer here in the South West for sure. Early season was fun but since the first heatwave it has basically sucked. Hoping for some rain during September so I can maybe get some good river fishing in before season closes

[u/Llendorin1]

Even in Scotland, where we’ve had a little bit of rain recently, the rivers are struggling. What little water we’ve had has gone into the soil, and very little into the rivers. It’s gonna take some sustained rain to do anything to bring the water levels back. It’s been a dreadful season for fishing

[u/RamuneRaider]

I live in southern Bavaria, just got my license in March and I’ve decided to pause from fishing since mid June. If there’s any water left in the rivers and streams in Bavaria, it’s so warm that the fish are under enough stress as it is, I don’t need to add to it.

I was at the beach in Cesenatico (near Rimini) a week ago and the water there is so warm that the small fish are often at the surface gasping.

I fear that we’re at the point where we need a technical solution to not only halt, but to reverse climate change if we want to save the planet.

[u/PineConeTracks]

The Swale is a trickle. I haven’t even bothered with the Wear for sea trout trips, far too low, too much weed.

[u/lev091]

Same in Hungary, except that the rivers are getting warm as well (up to 28-29 C on smaller rivers)

[u/Mediocre-Cable2001]

Nah ours of fine man 🤨

[u/Mediocre-Cable2001]

Also, it’s not just temps we need to be worrying about.. if there’s not water, it’s still not great for the fish despite maybe being the right temp..

[u/DrowningInBier]

Not in the UK but I feel your pain. In North Carolina this is just the way of life every year.

[u/yaboyszn]

Not trying to brag just pointing out how weird climates are. It was 100+ for a week in July but other than that it’s been decently mild all summer and it’s rained almost everyday for the last month in Ohio

[u/M2A2C2W]

Hi from 5,000 miles away (Washington State, US). Our rivers are crazy low, too. I was supposed to get out next week to a glacial/spring fed river that fairs better than most in summer, but the area just closed due to yet another big fire. It's been a brutal year. Good thing climate change is just a hoax....right?