Stillwater · Limestone · South West / Somerset

Chew Valley Lake

Aerial view of Chew Valley Lake, Somerset, showing the full expanse of the reservoir.
Contributor photo

Chew Valley Lake

Adam Cli - CC BY-SA 4.0

A 490-hectare reservoir in the Mendip foothills with a justified reputation for exceptional wild brown trout — some of the biggest in England.

Good · Rainbow
Diawl Bach · 12-14
Goodlive now
Good summer conditions for Chew Valley Lake
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
70% confidence

Peak season here starts around September — worth planning ahead.

What moved it
  • WindW 12 km/hLight breeze
Today’s fly
Diawl Bach
Diawl Bach12-14
Washing-line, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Light breeze
W 12 km/h
N
W
from the west
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp—
Air temp14°C
CloudClear
Pressure1022 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for rainbow
When
Buzzers from April; mayfly late May into June where the cover allows; daphnia mid-summer; back-end on lures October into November before the close.
Where
Stockton Lodge area, Heron's Green Bay, and the open water boat marks. Weed beds are significant on Chew — fish on and around them.
Method
Floater with buzzers under indicator in spring; midge-tip and team of three through summer dressed to suggest sedges and damsels.
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 Booby (8-10) on a fast strip on floating line or static on sinking. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely. In the ripple, a bushy searching dry (Hopper, Shipman's, Elk Hair Caddis) outperforms flush emergers — it stays visible and holds the surface tension.

Plan B

If the daddy is being refused, drop to a hopper or a single foam beetle and cover rising fish individually.

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.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July 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
Blagdon Lake
6.0 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Barrow Tanks
9.0 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Jacklands Fishing Lakes
16 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
River Brue
28 km
Brown trout
Little Avon River
37 km
Brown trout · Grayling · Chub
Gallery · 5
  1. Aerial view of Chew Valley Lake, Somerset, showing the full expanse of the reservoir.
    Chew Valley Lake
  2. Wide view of Chew Valley Lake from Nunnery Point with Woodford Lodge on the far bank and open water.
    Chew Valley Lake and Woodford Lodge from Nunnery Point
  3. Open water at Wick Green Point on Chew Valley Lake with reedy shoreline and calm surface to the horizon.
    Chew Valley Lake at Wick Green Point
  4. North shore of Chew Valley Lake in summer with open water and the low Mendip fringe behind.
    North shore of Chew Valley Lake
  5. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

A 490-hectare reservoir in the Mendip foothills with a justified reputation for exceptional wild brown trout — some of the biggest in England. The limestone geology produces rich feeding and prolific hatches: buzzer, mayfly (late May–June), caenis, sedge, and terrestrials all feature strongly. Expect a two-day lag between significant weather and noticeable changes in fishing conditions. Boat and bank fishing; Herriott's Bridge, Villice Bay, and Stratford Bay are classic marks. The wild browns are the prize — fish of 5 lb+ are taken regularly, with doubles a genuine possibility. Managed by Bristol Water; day tickets, boats, and season permits from Woodford Lodge.

  • Reservoir
  • Limestone
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • Terrestrials are in their seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 April → 30 September
Related guides
Big Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatchThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
Booking & contacts