Stillwater · Sandstone · East Midlands, GB-ENG

Ogston Reservoir (Fisherman's Carpark)

Wide view across Ogston Reservoir with surrounding Derbyshire countryside under an open sky.

Ogston is a sandstone-country reservoir in the Amber valley of Derbyshire, a well-established trout water with a faithful following and a reputation for fishing honestly.

Fair · Rainbow
Partridge and Orange · 14-16
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Worth a session if the wind holds.
49% confidence
limited data
What moved it
  • WindS 30 km/hFresh breeze
Today's fly
Partridge and Orange
Partridge and Orange14-16
Upstream, in the film
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Fresh breeze
S 30 km/h
N
S
from the south
Wave60 cm wave
Water temp14.9°C
Air temp18°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure—
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Ogston Reservoir (Fisherman's Carpark).
Where
Start with Pheasant Tail Nymph (14-16) — on the point — slow figure-of-eight retrieve. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Pheasant Tail Nymph (14-16) — on the point — slow figure-of-eight retrieve. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses.

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

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Bank

Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 4 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 as a supporter.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Reservoir BuzzerHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
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

Spider-heavy and practical. Strong tradition of North Country soft hackles, useful nymphing, and simple dry flies when fish rise properly.

What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
45%
Cloud50%
Wind30%
Temp60%

Conditions are away from Ogston Reservoir (Fisherman's Carpark)'s sweet spot — it usually fishes best in ripple wind with cloud skies.

Fishing better nearby · 5
Derbyshire Wye
16 km
85
Brown trout · Rainbow trout · Grayling
Press Manor Fishing Lakes
4.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Brook trout
Carsington Water
15 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Barlow Country Club Fishery
16 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
River Derwent (Derbyshire)
17 km
Brown trout · Grayling
Gallery · 2
  1. Wide view across Ogston Reservoir with surrounding Derbyshire countryside under an open sky.
    Ogston Reservoir viewed from Wet Lane, Higham, Derbyshire.
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Ogston is a sandstone-country reservoir in the Amber valley of Derbyshire, a well-established trout water with a faithful following and a reputation for fishing honestly. Sandstone catchments give softer, slightly coloured water rather than the gin-clear flow off limestone — no bad thing for the angler, since a tinge of colour gives a fish confidence. The rainbows cruise and the browns hold near the dam and the deeper margins. Like all open reservoirs, it lives and dies by the wind: a steady breeze pushing onto a bank stacks the food and the fish, while a flat calm can leave you casting at water that looks beautiful and holds nothing willing. Best read by wind, light and water temperature.

  • Reservoir
  • Sandstone
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (windy) are not ideal for this water.
  • Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
  • Reservoirs of this kind fish hard at this time of year.
Related guides
Big Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatchThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts