Stillwater · Mixed · South East / Essex

Hanningfield Reservoir

Hanningfield Reservoir on a summer day showing the open water surface and surrounding landscape.
Contributor photo

Hanningfield Reservoir in August

Theactivistuk - CC BY-SA 4.0

A 364-hectare Essex reservoir whose concrete-walled banks break every rule in the stillwater textbook.

Good · Rainbow
Diawl Bach · 12-14
Goodlive now
Evening session looks promising at Hanningfield Reservoir
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
67% confidence

Peak season here starts around September — worth planning ahead.

What moved it
  • WindW 15 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 15 km/h
N
W
from the west
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp—
Air temp19°C
CloudBroken
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

Head to
Wind shiftWind shift
West BankMiddlemeadHall Point

The wind has shifted to a W today, but 2 days of a SW wind has loaded food into West Bank, Middlemead and Hall Point. Fish haven't had time to redistribute — start there before following the new direction.

How to fish it · for rainbow
When
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Hanningfield Reservoir. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently. Evening can bring a surface rise — have a dry fly or emerger ready.
Where
Start with Marabou Damsel (8-12) — on the point. 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.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Marabou Damsel (8-12) — on the point. 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.

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
65%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp60%

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

Other water nearby · 5
Chigboro Fisheries
17 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Chigborough Farm & Fisheries
17 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Norton Fishery
25 km
Rainbow trout
Thornwood Springs Trout Fishery
29 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Walthamstow Reservoirs
39 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Gallery · 5
  1. Hanningfield Reservoir on a summer day showing the open water surface and surrounding landscape.
    Hanningfield Reservoir in August
  2. Open water of Hanningfield Reservoir whipped into waves on a windy autumn day, flat Essex landscape beyond.
    Hanningfield Reservoir
  3. Hanningfield Reservoir viewed from the Hawkswood Road Dam showing open water and the wooded shoreline.
    Hanningfield Reservoir from the Hawkswood Road Dam
  4. The jetty and harbour area at Hanningfield Reservoir with open water beyond.
    Hanningfield Reservoir harbour
  5. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

A 364-hectare Essex reservoir whose concrete-walled banks break every rule in the stillwater textbook. The lee-shore-mud penalty simply does not apply here — wind-behind the angler outfishes wind-in-face, established over decades. Daphnia drives almost everything; the water stays clear even in a blow because there is no silt to lift. In a cold north-easterly that shuts down natural-bank reservoirs across the country, Hanningfield's Main Dam centre fishes on while the wind shelters the rod against the wall. West Bank, Goldfish Bowl, and Hall Point keep fish through the season; evening rises over Middlemead Bay in late spring are worth planning around. Managed by Essex & Suffolk Water.

  • Reservoir
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • Buzzer is in its 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