A northwesterly has held for 6 hours, running colder than the water (5°C air against 8°C water). The end it blows into is taking that chilled surface water, so try the sheltered north-western end instead — off the back of the wind, where the undertow returns food along the bottom. That chill sits in the top of the water, though, and the bed is slower to feel it — on a bottom bait it is the undertow, not the temperature, that puts you at this end. Treat it as a tiebreaker between good swims rather than an override — features and angling pressure usually count for more.
Start with Pheasant Tail Nymph (14–16) — on the point — slow figure-of-eight retrieve. 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.
Slow down everything. A booby on a fast-sinking line, left static, can pick up deep fish.
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.
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Hatch predictions
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Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Fly recommendations
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Spider-heavy and practical. Strong tradition of North Country soft hackles, useful nymphing, and simple dry flies when fish rise properly.
A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.
The rainbows cruise in pods, following the food and the wind lanes, and the browns keep their own counsel near the deeper features. Wind, which beginners curse, is the friend here: it stacks the buzzers along the windward shore and puts a ripple on the surface that gives a fish the confidence to come up. On a flat-calm bright afternoon the place can feel empty. Wait for cloud and a chop and it transforms. Best read by wind, light and water temperature.
Carsington is a big Severn Trent reservoir set in the Derbyshire hills, and it fishes like proper reservoir water — open, wind-shaped, demanding that you read the day rather than just turn up and cast.
A northwesterly has held for 6 hours, running colder than the water (5°C air against 8°C water). The end it blows into is taking that chilled surface water, so try the sheltered north-western end instead — off the back of the wind, where the undertow returns food along the bottom. That chill sits in the top of the water, though, and the bed is slower to feel it — on a bottom bait it is the undertow, not the temperature, that puts you at this end. Treat it as a tiebreaker between good swims rather than an override — features and angling pressure usually count for more.
Start with Pheasant Tail Nymph (14–16) — on the point — slow figure-of-eight retrieve. 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.
Slow down everything. A booby on a fast-sinking line, left static, can pick up deep fish.
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 5 as a supporter.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Fly recommendations
Point fly shown — supporters see the whole team, sizes and why.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Spider-heavy and practical. Strong tradition of North Country soft hackles, useful nymphing, and simple dry flies when fish rise properly.
A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.
The rainbows cruise in pods, following the food and the wind lanes, and the browns keep their own counsel near the deeper features. Wind, which beginners curse, is the friend here: it stacks the buzzers along the windward shore and puts a ripple on the surface that gives a fish the confidence to come up. On a flat-calm bright afternoon the place can feel empty. Wait for cloud and a chop and it transforms. Best read by wind, light and water temperature.
Carsington Water is a reservoir in East Midlands, England. It sits at about 200 m above sea level. Species listed for this water: rainbow trout and brown trout. Best window recorded for anglers: Late spring buzzer peak; autumn fry-feeding; dawn and dusk in high summer. Core methods listed: Boat drifting with teams of wet flies; Static buzzer fishing on a floating line; Bank fishing the windward drop-offs. Nearby waters in our listings include River Dove at 10 km, Derbyshire Wye at 15 km and Ogston Reservoir (Fisherman's Carpark) at 15 km.
