A southerly has held for 6 hours, running warmer than the water (22°C air against 18°C water). Expect fish at the northern end — the bank it is blowing into — where the drift piles food, colour and warmth together. This reads the upper water, though — a bottom bait at range feels it far less than a floater or a fish in the margins. Treat it as a tiebreaker between good swims rather than an override — features and angling pressure usually count for more.
Start with Floating Fry (8-10) on a Fish as a single fly. 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.
A fry-imitating pattern stripped through the margins can save a blank in autumn.
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.
A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.
1.5-acre spring-fed lake in 5 acres of landscaped ground on the edge of Winchester (Headbourne Worthy); fly-only, stocked with triploid rainbows plus some browns and blues from 2lb to double figures, with an on-site trout smokery and tuition. Limited rods, booking advised.
1.
A southerly has held for 6 hours, running warmer than the water (22°C air against 18°C water). Expect fish at the northern end — the bank it is blowing into — where the drift piles food, colour and warmth together. This reads the upper water, though — a bottom bait at range feels it far less than a floater or a fish in the margins. Treat it as a tiebreaker between good swims rather than an override — features and angling pressure usually count for more.
Start with Floating Fry (8-10) on a Fish as a single fly. 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.
A fry-imitating pattern stripped through the margins can save a blank in autumn.
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 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.
1.5-acre spring-fed lake in 5 acres of landscaped ground on the edge of Winchester (Headbourne Worthy); fly-only, stocked with triploid rainbows plus some browns and blues from 2lb to double figures, with an on-site trout smokery and tuition. Limited rods, booking advised.
