Stillwater · Granite · South West / Cornwall

Colliford Lake

Colliford Lake venue image
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Cornwall's largest reservoir at 370 hectares — a wild, exposed moorland water on Bodmin Moor.

Good · Rainbow
Diawl Bach · 12-14
Goodlive now
Good summer conditions for Colliford Lake
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
65% confidence
What moved it
  • WindW 17 km/hGentle breeze
Today’s fly
Diawl Bach
Diawl Bach12-14
Washing-line, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Gentle breeze
W 17 km/h
N
W
from the west
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp
Air temp14°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1024 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for rainbow
When
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Colliford Lake. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
Where
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.
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 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

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
54%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp25%

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

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Cornwall's largest reservoir at 370 hectares — a wild, exposed moorland water on Bodmin Moor. Bank fishing only (no boats). The granite-bowl water is clear and acidic; browns and rainbows are stocked. The exposed position means wind is a constant factor. Buzzer fishing from April; the reservoir's isolation gives genuine solitude. Managed by South West Lakes Trust.

  • Reservoir
  • Granite
Why this score
  • Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 April → 30 September
Related guides
Booking & contacts