Stillwater · Limestone · South West / Somerset, GB-ENG

Barrow Tanks

Barrow Gurney reservoir, known locally as Barrow Tanks, a popular fishing lake near Bristol, North Somerset

Three small concrete-walled drinking-water reservoirs at Barrow Gurney, twenty minutes from Bristol — the practical after-work fly water and, by some weeks, the first reservoir of the year.

Good · Rainbow
Daddy Long Legs · 10-12
Goodlive now
Reasonable autumn fishing likely at Barrow Tanks
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
69% confidence

Barrow Tanks is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindNW 14 km/hGentle breeze · Gusts to 28 km/h
Today's fly
Daddy Long Legs
Daddy Long Legs10-12
Upstream dry, on top
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Gentle breeze · Gusts to 28 km/h
NW 14 km/h
N
NW
from the north-west
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp14.2°C
Air temp11°C
CloudClear
Pressure1023 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Head to
Wind shiftWind shift
East bank

The wind has gone round to a northwesterly within the last hour, but a day of a westerly has loaded food into East bank. The fish haven't had time to move on — start there before following the new wind direction.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
The buzzer is on at Barrow Tanks. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
Where
Start with Diawl Bach (12-14) — on the bob / top dropper — slow figure-of-eight retrieve. 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.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Diawl Bach (12-14) — on the bob / top dropper — slow figure-of-eight retrieve. 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

If the main plan stalls, drop to a size 14–16 midge — switch to a washing-line or suspender rig and change drift line before you change food group.

Watch for

Caperer should come on through the afternoon as the water warms.

Bank

Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 as a supporter.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Reservoir BuzzerHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
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
52%
Cloud25%
Wind65%
Temp60%

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

Other water nearby · 5
Jacklands Fishing Lakes
8.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Chew Valley Lake
9.0 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Blagdon Lake
9.0 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Little Avon River
31 km
Brown trout · Grayling · Chub
River Brue
36 km
Brown trout
Gallery · 2
  1. Barrow Gurney reservoir, known locally as Barrow Tanks, a popular fishing lake near Bristol, North Somerset
    Barrow Gurney reservoir ("Barrow Tanks"), a popular fishing lake near Bristol
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Three small concrete-walled drinking-water reservoirs at Barrow Gurney, twenty minutes from Bristol — the practical after-work fly water and, by some weeks, the first reservoir of the year. Tank No. 3 is the fly-only trout reservoir, stocked with rainbow and brown trout by Bristol Water; No. 1 is the coarse water. The fishing is short-session in character: a square, exposed sheet of water that swings hard on wind direction and water temperature, with fish that move through the day. Day permits and season permits through Bristol Water Fisheries; opens in late February, ahead of both Chew and Blagdon. Not the romantic option — but the right answer when you have three hours, no urge to spend two of them in the car, and a need to feel a trout pull line.

  • Reservoir
  • Limestone
Why this score
  • Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
  • Reservoirs of this kind fish well at this time of year.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout late February → mid-November
Related guides
Big Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatchThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts