RiverFish

Stone loach · Barbatula barbatula

Stone loach in the River Wear

Largest measured stone loach: 25 cm

The largest stone loach measured in Environment Agency surveys of the River Wear was 25 cm, recorded at Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street on 10 August 2009.

Across 229 measured stone loach, the median measured length was 8.1 cm.

RiverFish uses Environment Agency survey measurements rather than rod-and-line angling records. These figures show fish measured during EA surveys of the River Wear.

See stone loach records across England →

Most recent observation9 September 2025River Wear at Harbour House Farm (c)
Largest measured stone loach
25 cm
Median length
8.1 cm
Fish measured
229
Survey locations
82

Individual EA measurements

Largest measured stone loach

The largest individual measurements in this river and species dataset. Equal measurements are retained as separate surveyed fish.

LengthSurvey dateSurvey locationSurvey ID
25 cm10 Aug 2009Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street121101
13.3 cm10 Aug 2009Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street121101
12.5 cm24 Sept 2008River Browney at Bear Park114785
12.3 cm10 Aug 2009Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street121101
12.2 cm10 Aug 2009Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street121101
12 cm10 Aug 2009Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street121101
12 cm10 Aug 2009Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street121101
11.8 cm10 Aug 2009Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street121101
11.7 cm10 Aug 2009Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street121101
11.7 cm10 Aug 2009Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street121101

Lengths are direct survey measurements. RiverFish does not estimate fish weights from length.

Explore the river

Where stone loach were found

Each point marks a survey location with at least one stone loach record.

Choose a point on the map to see what was recorded there.

Map points are approximate and don’t show fishing access. Check local permissions before visiting.

Place surveyedFirst recordedLast recordedVisits finding stone loach
River Wear at Harbour House Farm (c)8 Jun 20059 Sept 20253
River Wear at Harbour House28 Aug 20079 Sept 20252
River Wear at Shincliffe Bridge (c)14 Oct 20244 Sept 20252
River Wear at Durham21 Aug 20134 Sept 20252
River Wear at Jubilee Bridge24 Jun 20033 Sept 20255
River Wear at Gaunless Conf.8 Oct 20243 Sept 20252
River Wear at Escomb #22 Sept 20252 Sept 20251
River Wear at Escomb2 Sept 20252 Sept 20251
River Wear at Witton Bridge1 Sept 20251 Sept 20251
River Wear at Low Harperley18 Sept 20131 Sept 20252
Beechburn Beck Farm31 Aug 200718 Aug 20254
Croxdale Beck at Mill House7 Oct 200314 Aug 20253
Stockley Beck at Weardale Way10 Sept 20077 Aug 20253
Croxdale Beck at Tursdale House17 Aug 20067 Aug 20254
River Wear at Stanhope Ford15 Sept 199523 Jul 202510
River Wear at Landieu18 Sept 199523 Jul 20256
River Wear Downstream Kingfisher Caravan Bridge4 Oct 202423 Jul 20252
River Wear at Hagbridge6 Aug 199722 Jul 20255
Westernhope Burn3 Oct 200321 Jul 20253
River Wear at Finchale Priory (c)14 Oct 202412 Jun 20252
Houselop Beck4 Oct 20039 Jun 20254
River Wear at Page Bank6 Sept 200129 Oct 202412
Stanhope Burn at Stanhope18 Sept 199510 Sept 202412
River Wear at Windy Nook15 Aug 199718 Oct 202313
River Deerness at Langley Moor27 Sept 200311 Oct 20234
River Browney at Holliday Park18 Sept 200711 Oct 20236
River Wear at The Batts7 Aug 19977 Sept 202213
River Wear at Croxdale17 Aug 20067 Sept 20227
River Browney at Wall Nook27 Aug 200311 Jul 20226
Stockerly Burn at Coal Yard29 Aug 201729 Aug 20171
The Sands18 Jul 201417 Jul 20172
River Browney at Malton Picnic Site19 Sept 199517 Jul 20174
Cong Burn at Chester-le-Street27 Aug 200316 Jul 20176
River Wear at Finchale Priory28 Aug 200711 Oct 20132
Holywell Beck10 Aug 20073 Sept 20132
Linburn Beck at Witton Castle13 Aug 20072 Sept 20134
River Wear at McNeils19 Sept 199531 Aug 20135
River Wear at Chester-le-street Sewage Works20 Aug 201320 Aug 20131
River Wear at Kepier11 Sept 200715 Aug 20125
Pan burn at Partridge Close9 Sept 200213 Aug 20122
Gordon Beck at Ramshaw22 Aug 201122 Aug 20111
River Deerness at Eshwinning13 Jul 201113 Jul 20111
River Browney at Square House12 Jul 201112 Jul 20111
River Browney at Bear Park17 Sept 200319 Aug 20094
Houselop Beck at Bradley28 Sept 200311 Aug 20092
River Browney at Hythe9 Sept 20026 Aug 20097
River Browney at Partridge Close12 Sept 20017 Aug 20086
Beechburn Beck at Low Wadsworth Farm16 Jul 200816 Jul 20081
River Wear at Spring Wood12 Sept 200712 Sept 20071
River Wear at Shincliffe Bridge24 Jun 200311 Sept 20073
River Wear at Stanhope Weir8 Oct 20068 Oct 20061
River Wear at Linburn Beck11 Aug 200611 Aug 20061
River Wear at Eastgate Caravan Site11 Aug 200611 Aug 20061
River Wear at Westgate Station15 Aug 199710 Aug 20065
River Deerness at Ushaw Moor bridge13 Sept 20014 Aug 20066
Pan Burn at East Bloomshiels4 Aug 20064 Aug 20061
River Wear at Wolsingham (WFD Site)27 Sept 200527 Sept 20051
River Wear at Wadsworth (c)22 Jun 200522 Jun 20051
River Wear at Escomb Weir (c)22 Jun 200522 Jun 20051
River Wear at Willington (c)9 Jun 20059 Jun 20051
River Wear at Bishop Auckland (c)9 Jun 20059 Jun 20051
River Wear at Durham City (c)8 Jun 20058 Jun 20051
River Wear at Chester Le Street (c)8 Jun 20058 Jun 20051
River Wear at Springwood (c)7 Jun 20057 Jun 20051
River Browney at Honest Lawyer Hotel (c)6 Jun 20056 Jun 20051
River Browney at Burnigill Farm (c)6 Jun 20056 Jun 20051
River Wear at Sunderland Bridge7 Oct 20037 Oct 20031
River Wear at North Wood7 Oct 20037 Oct 20031
River Wear at Ciscorn Bog7 Oct 20037 Oct 20031
Tunstall Burn4 Oct 20034 Oct 20031
River Wear at Harbour House Farm25 Jun 20023 Oct 20033
River Wear at Finchale Abbey26 Jun 20023 Oct 20032
River Wear at Black Banks15 Aug 199728 Sept 20032
Linburn Beck at Diddridge Farm28 Sept 200328 Sept 20031
Smallhope Burn at Lanchester27 Sept 200327 Sept 20031
River Browney at Witton Gilbert27 Aug 200327 Aug 20031
River Wear at Springwood2 Jul 200225 Jun 20032
River Wear at Kepier farm26 Jun 200225 Jun 20032
River Wear at Bishop Auckland28 Aug 200124 Jun 20033
River Wear At Chester-le Street16 Jun 200316 Jun 20031
Shincliffe - Fry Survey25 Sept 19968 Oct 19972
River Wear at Wearhead15 Sept 199515 Sept 19951

Choose a point or table row to see the location. More survey visits can mean more records, but not necessarily more fish.

1995–2025

Survey records by year

Each bar shows how many survey visits recorded stone loach that year.

Fish measured by surveyors

Measured length distribution

See how the 229 measured fish were spread across different length ranges.

Smallest
3.1 cm
Lower quarter
7 cm
Median
8.1 cm
Upper quarter
9.1 cm
Largest
25 cm

Lengths are direct survey measurements rather than anglers’ catches.

More fish in this river

Explore the River Wear

Compare other species with enough survey and measurement data for a detailed page.

Brown / sea trout Bullhead Minnow Atlantic salmon European eel 3-spined stickleback

Before you fish

Good to know

These are past survey records, so the fish present today may be different. Map points are approximate—check local access, permissions and fishing rules before visiting.

Learn how RiverFish uses the data →