Stillwater · Limestone · South West / Somerset

Blagdon Lake

Aerial photograph of the western half of Blagdon Lake including the dam, Somerset.
Fair · Rainbow
Marabou Damsel · 8-12
Fairlive now
Reasonable summer fishing likely at Blagdon Lake
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.
55% confidence

Peak season here starts around September — worth planning ahead.

What moved it
  • WindSE 11 km/hLight breeze
Today's fly
MD
Marabou Damsel8-12
Retrieve, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Light breeze
SE 11 km/h
N
SE
from the south-east
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp—
Air temp31°C
CloudClear
Pressure—
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

Head to
Heat refugeHeat refuge
Cheddar WaterPolish Water

At 31.3°C, fish have moved off the surface into cooler water — the aerator at Cheddar Water is the place to start.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
Buzzers from April; sedges and damsels through summer evenings; back-end blob and booby work October before close. Blagdon is more intimate than Chew — pace yourself.
Where
Lugg Bay and the open boat marks on the western end. Drift lines through the middle hold fish in spring and summer.
Method
Floater with buzzers under indicator in spring; midge-tip and team of three through summer. Drift broadside; the lake is small enough to read each lane carefully.
Kit
10 ft #7 boat rod; floating, intermediate and fast-intermediate lines; 6 to 8 lb fluoro. Drogue and a long-handled net.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Marabou Damsel (8-12) — on the point. Early in the day, try buzzers on a slow figure-of-eight or a booby on a fast-sink line near the bottom. 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.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

See the full sub-surface read with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 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
69%
Cloud70%
Wind100%
Temp25%

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

Other water nearby · 5
Chew Valley Lake
6.0 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Barrow Tanks
9.0 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Jacklands Fishing Lakes
12 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
River Brue
31 km
Brown trout
Hawkridge Reservoir
38 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Gallery · 6
  1. Aerial photograph of the western half of Blagdon Lake including the dam, Somerset.
    Blagdon Lake
  2. Broad daylight view across Blagdon Lake reservoir from the northern shore.
    Blagdon Lake
  3. Fly-fishing boats spread across the open water of Blagdon Lake on a busy fishing day.
    Finding some space on Blagdon Lake
  4. Wide landscape view across Blagdon Lake and the surrounding Mendip valley from elevated ground.
    Blagdon Lake
  5. The Victorian pumping station on the shore of Blagdon Lake with open reservoir water behind it.
    Pumping station on Blagdon Lake
  6. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • High temperatures may push fish deeper and reduce surface activity.
  • Damsel Nymph is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 April → 30 September
Related guides
Big Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatchThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations