Winter carp on the fly is marginal — fish are lethargic and deep. Only worth trying on unusually mild, sunny days when carp push into warming shallows. Sight-fishing only. Polarised glasses essential.
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.
Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.
Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.
Hatch predictions
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Hatch predictions
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Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
As water cools through September and October, carp shift away from surface feeding and concentrate on building reserves before winter. They cruise subsurface along weed edges, dam faces and the deeper sections of margins, occasionally feeding on invertebrates. Bottom bugs and nymphs dropped precisely in the path of cruising fish work best. Surface flies become unreliable once water temperature drops below 12°C. Approach cautiously — autumn carp in clear water are easily spooked.
A good match for Bussow Reservoir — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.
Mirror and common carp to 32 lb, a handful over 30 and a good head of twenties, after more than a hundred carp from 3 to 25 lb were stocked in recent years. Mixed bags to 50 lb of rudd, roach and bream to 7 lb on pole, waggler and feeder; tench, perch and eels too. Twelve swims. Open all year, dawn to dusk. Run by South West Lakes Trust.
A peaceful 7-acre water a few miles from St Ives and Penzance, and the one SWLT lake where you can drive round and park behind your swim.
Winter carp on the fly is marginal — fish are lethargic and deep. Only worth trying on unusually mild, sunny days when carp push into warming shallows. Sight-fishing only. Polarised glasses essential.
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.
Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.
Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds as a supporter.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 4 as a supporter.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
As water cools through September and October, carp shift away from surface feeding and concentrate on building reserves before winter. They cruise subsurface along weed edges, dam faces and the deeper sections of margins, occasionally feeding on invertebrates. Bottom bugs and nymphs dropped precisely in the path of cruising fish work best. Surface flies become unreliable once water temperature drops below 12°C. Approach cautiously — autumn carp in clear water are easily spooked.
A good match for Bussow Reservoir — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.
Mirror and common carp to 32 lb, a handful over 30 and a good head of twenties, after more than a hundred carp from 3 to 25 lb were stocked in recent years. Mixed bags to 50 lb of rudd, roach and bream to 7 lb on pole, waggler and feeder; tench, perch and eels too. Twelve swims. Open all year, dawn to dusk. Run by South West Lakes Trust.
Bussow Reservoir is a reservoir in South West / Cornwall (St Ives), England. The catchment geology is recorded as slate, and the water sits at about 116 m above sea level. Species listed for this water: carp and perch. The coarse season is recorded as running from 1 January to 31 December. Best window recorded for anglers: May–October. Core methods listed: Carp on bottom baits; pole; waggler. Nearby waters in our listings include Treemeadow Trout Fishery at 9.0 km, Stithians Reservoir at 21 km and Argal Reservoir at 27 km.
