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RiverDay ticket

River Wharfe at Ilkley

A cracking, scenic mile of the River Wharfe at Ilkley, running from the old packhorse bridge downstream to the noticeboard below Ben Rhydding stepping stones. It’s characterful water with pools, glides and rapids, and fishing on both banks for most or all of the stretch.

Run by Ilkley Angling Association · checked 9 Oct 2026

River level

Measured — Environment Agency

Ilkley gauge

Nearest EA gauge we've matched — it isn't on this stretch, so levels on your peg will differ.

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We don't publish an "ideal level" — nobody can promise one. Flood water is dangerous: if it's up and coloured, stay well back from the edge. Open River Ready

The lowdown

  • This is proper attractive Wharfe water, with a nice mix of pools, glides and quicker rapids to keep things interesting.
  • The stretch is about a mile long, starting at Ilkley old packhorse bridge and finishing at the noticeboard below the Ben Rhydding stepping stones.
  • Wading is mostly easy, so you can get about and cover different bits of the river without too much faff.
  • There’s enough width for fly casting, and fly fishing is the main game here. The pools and glides should give you plenty of water to work through.
  • Bait fishing with worm and maggots is allowed, subject to the association’s rules. Handy when the fly isn’t playing ball.
  • Wild brown trout are the headline fish, with fish reported to grow beyond 4lb. There are grayling too, reported to around 2lb, plus chub and eel on the official list.
  • Trout day-ticket fishing runs from 25 March to 30 September. Grayling fishing is available from 16 June to 14 March, with the river closed altogether from 15 to 24 March inclusive.
  • Visitors can fish from 8:00am to 10:00pm. No spinning, no keep nets, and every grayling must go back alive.
  • You can fish both banks for most or all of the stretch, but don’t fish from the Ben Rhydding stepping stones. Barbless, microbarbed or debarbed hooks only, so get your tackle bob on before heading down.

Methods: Fly fishing is the main approach, working the pools, glides and rapids. Worm and maggot fishing is allowed under the rules, but spinning is not.

Access & tickets

Adult day permit

Day ticket for visitors and Ilkley residents

£11 (as listed 9 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Junior under-16 and invalidity day permit

Day ticket

£5.50 (as listed 9 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Senior-citizen day permit

Day ticket

£7.15 (as listed 9 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Adult week permit

Week permit

£50 (as listed 9 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Senior-citizen week permit

Week permit

£33 (as listed 9 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Day tickets are available to visitors and Ilkley residents. Buy online through the Ilkley Angling Association website, or from the Riverside Hotel and bar, Ilkley Town Hall visitor information office or Otley Angling Centre.

Fish the club names

trout, barbel, chub, eel

Key rules

  • An Environment Agency fishing rod licence is required.
  • Visitors may fish from 8:00am to 10:00pm.
  • Trout day-ticket fishing is available from 25 March to 30 September.
  • Grayling fishing is available from 16 June to 14 March. The river is closed to all fishing from 15 March to 24 March inclusive.
  • No spinning is allowed.
  • No keep nets may be used.
  • All grayling must be returned alive.
  • A maximum of two trout may be killed per day. Takeable trout must be at least 10 inches and no more than 14 inches long.
  • No person may fish from the Ben Rhydding stepping stones.
  • Barbless, microbarbed or debarbed hooks only are allowed.

Coarse fishing on English rivers is closed from 15 March to 15 June inclusive. That's the law for coarse fish on rivers — it's not a club rule, and game-fishing seasons work differently.

GOV.UK — Freshwater rod fishing rules: when and where you can fish

Where it is

Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.

Community reported

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