Swinton Salmon Fishing
The Swinton Estate has 1.5 miles of attractive single bank fishing on the River Ure. The price varies throughout the season from £15 - £45 depending on the time of year with 4 rods available per day. Historically the beat has been known to produce the highest number of catches from mid-end season. Please park in the lay-by and walk across the field to the hut. Please beware of the sheep, do not let dogs off leads.
The beat has 9 pools and is split into two sections. The first 5 pools has easy-moderate wading and good access. Pools 6 to 9 has easy-moderate wading but difficult access. You can either park at Hackfall car park and walk down the steep hill (remember you'll need to walk back up), or you can walk from Nutwith Farm down through the woods.
Please take care when descending down through the woods to ‘Top Pool’ and use the steps and rope to ensure safety.
Pool descriptions:
1. Top Pool - moderate-difficult wading - large boulders, stay as close to the bank as possible and use a wading stick
2. Madge's Pool - easy-moderate wading - the top of the pool has some small boulders that can catch you out, be safe and slow
3. Stony Pool - easy-moderate wading - it hasn't got it name for no reason! Lots of small boulders so take it easy.
4. Roman Ford - easy-moderate wading - Same as above but gets easier through the middle section. The tail gets deeper and drops off suddenly, so please stay close to the bank
5. Dovecote Pool - easy-moderate wading - narrow pool so no wading is required, please fish from the bank to avoid spooking the fish
6. Nutwith Wood Pool - can be dangerous wading - bed rock is visible in low water, if it's coloured and you can't see the bedrock please don't wade
7. Folly Pool - easy wading but adventurous hike
8. Hackfall Pool - easy wading but adventurous hike
9. Bottom Pool - easy wading but adventurous hike
48 Miles from the tide and optimum gauge height for salmon fishing is 0.4-1.0m. Trout starting from 0.3m
Double Handed Rods:
A switch or 12ft rod in low level conditions and a 13ft in mid-high-level conditions.
Single Handed Rods:
A 9ft 8wt single-handed rod with a floating line, this setup is great in the summer when water levels are low.
ALL SALMON MUST BE RELEASED**
Swinton Trout Fishing:
This stretch of the River Ure on the Swinton Estate, downstream from Masham, is a typical “freestone” Dales river and medium sized with good hatches of fly right through the season. There are beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and nine pools to choose from. Fish can be caught on wide variety of fly-fishing styles. The most famous fly-fishing style in these parts is the use of traditional Yorkshire Spiders. However, other methods such as dry fly, wet fly, upstream nymph and Czech nymphing can all be used to great effect.
ALL TROUT OVER 25cms MUST BE RELEASED**
Recommended tackle : 9ft 5wt fly rod. Wet flies: Snipe & Purple, Hare Lugg, Partridge & Orange. Dry Flies: Elk Hair, Klinkhammers, Olives, Hawthorns, Double Badger, Griffith's Gnat, Caddis Greenwell’s Glory, Iron Blue Dunn, March Brown. Nymphs: Hare's Ear, Pheasant Tail, French Nymph, Peeping Caddis, Black Montana Stonefly, Perdigon, Durracell.
Accommodation available on the Swinton Estate includes the Swinton Park Hotel, self-catered cottages and glamping in yurts and tree lodges at Swinton Bivouac. There is also The Terrace restaurant and coffee shop nearby at the Swinton Country Club & Spa which serves refreshments and light meals throughout the day. Picnics are available and can be delivered to your pool of choice.
Swinton Grayling Fishing:
Grayling fly fishing on the River Ure at Swinton is both rewarding and accessible, particularly during the cooler months when these elegant fish are most active. To maximise success, anglers should come prepared with a selection of effective fly patterns. Nymphs such as the Pink Shrimp, Pheasant Tail Nymph, and Hare's Ear are reliable choices for subsurface fishing, especially when weighted to get down to the feeding zone in faster currents. For dry fly enthusiasts, patterns like the Grayling F-Fly, Klinkhammer, and CDC Emerger can be particularly effective during hatches. A French leader or Euro-nymphing setup can be advantageous for precise presentation in deeper pools or riffles. Pay attention to the river’s flow and structure; grayling often hold in the seams or at the tail end of runs. Adjust your approach based on water clarity and weather, and always keep a variety of sizes and colors on hand to match the conditions.