News, data and association updates from the RFCA | April 2026
Spring has arrived on the Ribble catchment and with recent rainfall putting some much-needed water into the system, conditions have been in place to encourage fresh fish movement. However, at the time of writing, reports of actual catches remain very quiet. Those out on the banks will know the feeling — the water looks right, the season is underway, but the fish are keeping their own counsel.
Spring Fishing On The Lower RibbleSalmon
The spring salmon season is now underway. Recent spates have provided the kind of water that should be drawing fish up from the estuary, but so far catches across the catchment are thin on the ground. It is still early, and there is every reason for cautious optimism as the season develops.
Hen’s teeth they may be, but when a Ribble springer finds its way to the net it’s still one of angling’s great moments. Here’s hoping spring 2026 delivers a few more.Trout Season – Mixed Signals
As the coarse season closed, the trout season began and the early picture is a mixed one. Some beats are reporting catches and encouraging signs of fish activity, but other sections of the river are worryingly quiet. Water temperatures remain below 10°C (50°F) with a cold wind persisting, which will be suppressing insect activity and fish feeding. But the silence in some areas is prompting a harder question among anglers and riparian owners: is winter predation having a more serious and lasting impact on fish stocks than has previously been acknowledged?“Some sections are highlighting a real fear that winter predation is having a profound impact on stocks. Cormorant numbers remain high for this time of year, and there are increasing reports of goosanders across the catchment.”The predation picture is concerning. While cormorant numbers typically reduce as the season progresses, they remain elevated. More notably, goosander sightings are being reported with increasing frequency — a species that feeds heavily on juvenile fish and parr, and whose impact on salmonid populations is well documented. RFCA continues to monitor this closely. If you spot large concentrations of cormorants or goosanders on your stretch, please record and report them — every sighting counts. This data directly strengthens the case for maintaining and extending the predation licence for the Ribble catchment. The quickest way to report is through the RFCA App – tap the link below or scan the QR code to go straight to the reporting section:
Scan to open the RFCA reporting app Report a sighting: https://eu.jotform.com/app/220816310892352Catch Returns 2025
The 2025 catch returns, collated by C.D. Hinks from individual club submissions, tell a more positive story than some had feared. Below is a summary of what was recorded across the catchment. Note that one club does not submit returns, so figures are slightly understated.| Species | Ribble | Hodder | Total | Killed |
| Salmon | 210 | 13 | 223 | 1 (99.5% C&R) |
| Sea Trout | 286 | 330 | 616 | 5 (99.1% C&R) |
| Brown Trout | 2,396 | 923 | 4,285* | — |
| Grayling | 925 | 1,928 | 3,564* | — |
Year-on-Year Comparison
| Season | Salmon | Sea Trout | vs Previous Year | Notes |
| 2023 | 182 | 434 | — | Incl. missing club |
| 2024 | 251 | 383 | Salmon ↑ / Sea Trout ↓ | Excl. missing club |
| 2025 | 223 | 616 | Salmon ↓ / Sea Trout ↑↑ | Excl. missing club |
Waddow Fish Counter
The Waddow fish counter, operated by the Environment Agency, is located in the fish pass at Waddow Weir on the River Ribble. It records fish movement both upstream and downstream, categorised by body length. The data gives RFCA and the EA a valuable — if imperfect — picture of migratory fish activity through one of the key structures on the river.
Click Here To View – Waddow Counter Data 24-26
The tables below show the overall upstream, downstream, and net upstream figures for 2024 and 2025.
What does the data tell us?
In 2024, 1,873 fish were recorded moving upstream — the vast majority in the June to October window, peaking in July (412). The net upstream figure of 1,710 suggests a healthy proportion of fish successfully ascending the pass. In 2025, upstream numbers were slightly lower at 1,789, with a net of 1,587. June dominated again with 634 movements — the highest single-month total across both years. However, the December figure shows a small negative net (-8), which may partly reflect counter issues rather than a genuine downstream movement. Crucially, both datasets must be read with caution. Counter reliability has been an ongoing concern — highlighted clearly at the Waddow Weir Site Meeting in April 2026 (see below). The sensor strips were found to be heavily fouled, and camera verification has been requested.Meeting with the Environment Agency
Waddow Weir Site Meeting — 6 April 2026
The most recent engagement took the form of a site inspection at Waddow Weir on 6 April 2026 — a structure RFCA has been working hard to protect and improve, as detailed in our recent post Waddow Fish Pass & Channel – Working Together for Migratory Fish. While the meeting was described as somewhat disjointed, it allowed for a direct examination of the structure and a frank discussion of several long-standing concerns:
Waddow Weir at Clitheroe : River Ribble
SSTAG / NWATFCC — Salmon Byelaws & National Work
Through RFCA’s involvement with SSTAG (Salmon & Sea Trout Advisory Group to the Angling Trust Board) and NWATFCC (North West Angling Trust Fisheries Consultative Council), the association was invited to take part in a preliminary consultation on proposed new salmon fishing byelaws.
The Consultation Process
To develop a considered position, RFCA ran an online survey and convened a specific meeting before submitting responses via SSTAG, NWATFCC and directly to the EA. The North West’s collective submission was the largest in the country, comprising over 400 representations.The EA formally congratulated the North West on the professionalism of its response — the first time such a coordinated regional exercise had been undertaken. As a result, the EA has revised its proposals, which will now go to full public consultation later in 2026.
Salmon Manifesto
RFCA also contributed to the development of the Salmon Manifesto, which was launched at the Houses of Parliament as part of the wider national effort to secure better protections for the species.Smolt Production Work — Andy Hurst
Andy Hurst has continued his highly regarded work on the River Lune, developing schemes to increase smolt production. The results have been sufficiently impressive that Andy has been invited to present his findings to fishery interests and bodies across the UK. His work is directly relevant to the Ribble catchment and RFCA continues to support and follow it closely.Officer Changes
David Hinks — President
It is with great respect and appreciation that RFCA acknowledges the retirement of David Hinks as President of the Association. At 83, and after many years of dedicated service to RFCA and to angling on the Ribble, David has decided to step down. Several members made personal appeals for him to reconsider, but his mind was made up. The Association owes David a considerable debt of gratitude for his long contribution, and we wish him many more years of enjoyment on the riverbank.Treasurer — Nigel Geary
A replacement for Nigel Geary as Treasurer had been identified and agreed, but has had to withdraw due to other commitments. Nigel will continue in the role for the time being. The search for a successor will resume in due course — if you know of anyone with the right skills and commitment to the Association, please make contact.Ribble Fisheries Consultative Association | ribblefisheriesca.co.uk |
Compiled by John Whitham with contributions as indicated.