Stillwater · Mixed · North West / Lancashire-Yorkshire border

Stocks Reservoir

Stocks Reservoir terrain map

A remote moorland reservoir in the Forest of Bowland — 66 hectares of exposed water at altitude.

Fair · Rainbow
Marabou Damsel · 8-12
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Water temperature is the limiting factor today, not the wave. Fish dawn or dusk if you go at all, and handle everything with extra care.
49% confidence
limited data

Stocks Reservoir is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindE 8 km/hLight breeze
Today's fly
MD
Marabou Damsel8-12
Retrieve, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Light breeze
E 8 km/h
N
E
from the east
WaveRipple
Water temp
Air temp23°C
CloudClear
Pressure1022 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Stocks Reservoir. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently. Very warm conditions — trout have a narrower safe zone of cool, oxygen-rich water. Fish only at first light or last light, use barbless hooks, keep fish in the water during release, and stop if fish struggle to recover. Evening can bring a surface rise — have a dry fly or emerger ready.
Where
Start with Marabou Damsel (8-12) — on the point. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Marabou Damsel (8-12) — on the point. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses.

Plan B

Fish early and late, try deeper during the heat of the day with a fast-sinking line.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

Either bank or boat

Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
55%
Cloud25%
Wind100%
Temp25%

A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 5
About this water

A remote moorland reservoir in the Forest of Bowland — 66 hectares of exposed water at altitude. Boat and bank; the exposed position means wind dictates tactics. Stocked with rainbows and browns. The Bowland setting provides genuine wilderness fishing. Managed by United Utilities.

  • Reservoir
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • Silverhorn is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 April30 September
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations