A small Somerset commercial fishery on the slopes of the Quantock Hills, run separately from nearby Hawkridge Reservoir. The species list is the longest of any trout water in England: rainbow, brown, blue, tiger, golden, and sparctic — Hawkridge was the first water in the UK to stock sparctic hybrids in 2018, and the surprise doubles that show up from any of these crosses are the appeal. Quiet, intimate, and reliably stocked. The kind of place where the fish you don't expect is the one you remember.
Rules at a glance
- Free fishing
Good late spring conditions for Hawkridge Fishery
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Fishable ripple — drift the productive shore.
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Hawkridge Fishery.
65% confidence in this read
Live now
Conditions on the water
Trends shown where the gauge supports them
Wind
W 23 km/h
Moderate breeze
Wave
40 cm chop
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
8°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
—
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
How to fish · for rainbow trout
The brief
When · where · method · kit
How to fish it · for rainbow trout
When
Year-round
Where
Start with Pheasant Tail Nymph (12-16) — 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.
Method
Method not yet authored.
Kit
Kit not yet authored.
Today's tactical plan
The plan
Plan A · Plan B · what to watch · bank or boat
The plan
Plan A
Start with Pheasant Tail Nymph (12-16) — 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.
Plan B
If fish refuse on top, drop to a buzzer under an indicator at different depths.
Watch for
Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.
Bank
Bank fishing near inflows, dam walls, and weed beds. Move to find feeding fish.
Hatches & runs
What's on, when
Twelve months at a glance
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
March BrownHatch
1
2
1
Iron BlueHatch
1
2
2
1
Blue Winged OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Today's fly · curated pack
Top pattern + the box
5 patterns from this venue's curated pack
Evidence
Why today scores what it does
The factors driving today's verdict
Why this score
- Wind conditions (windy) are not ideal for this water.
Detail · next 12h
Precipitation
The reading most likely to move tomorrow's verdict
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Hawkridge Fishery · profile
Who this water suits
Strengths · watch-outs · best for
About this water
Hawkridge Fishery, on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedHawkridge Fishery · about
What this water is
Background · character · contributors
About this water
A small Somerset commercial fishery on the slopes of the Quantock Hills, run separately from nearby Hawkridge Reservoir. The species list is the longest of any trout water in England: rainbow, brown, blue, tiger, golden, and sparctic — Hawkridge was the first water in the UK to stock sparctic hybrids in 2018, and the surprise doubles that show up from any of these crosses are the appeal. Quiet, intimate, and reliably stocked. The kind of place where the fish you don't expect is the one you remember.
- Fishery
- Sandstone
Hawkridge Fishery · directions
How to get to the water
Directions
Hawkridge Fishery · zones
Where the rules change
Seasons · zones · per-species rules
Seasons & zones
- Trout1 April → 30 September
Hawkridge Fishery
Terrain map
A small Somerset commercial fishery on the slopes of the Quantock Hills, run separately from nearby Hawkridge Reservoir.
Species
Good late spring conditions for Hawkridge Fishery
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Fishable ripple — drift the productive shore.
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Hawkridge Fishery.
65% confidence in this read
Conditions
Wind
W 23 km/h
Moderate breeze
Wave
40 cm chop
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
8°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
—
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
Condition match
51%
Cloud70%
Wind30%
Temp60%
A reasonable day here, though wind isn't quite in the sweet spot.
How to fish it · for rainbow trout
When
Year-round
Where
Start with Pheasant Tail Nymph (12-16) — 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.
Method
Method not yet authored.
Kit
Kit not yet authored.
The plan
Plan A
Start with Pheasant Tail Nymph (12-16) — 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.
Plan B
If fish refuse on top, drop to a buzzer under an indicator at different depths.
Watch for
Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.
Bank
Bank fishing near inflows, dam walls, and weed beds. Move to find feeding fish.
Why this score
- Wind conditions (windy) are not ideal for this water.
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
March BrownHatch
1
2
1
Iron BlueHatch
1
2
2
1
Blue Winged OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Directions
About this water
A small Somerset commercial fishery on the slopes of the Quantock Hills, run separately from nearby Hawkridge Reservoir. The species list is the longest of any trout water in England: rainbow, brown, blue, tiger, golden, and sparctic — Hawkridge was the first water in the UK to stock sparctic hybrids in 2018, and the surprise doubles that show up from any of these crosses are the appeal. Quiet, intimate, and reliably stocked. The kind of place where the fish you don't expect is the one you remember.
- Fishery
- Sandstone
Seasons & zones
- Trout1 April → 30 September
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
A small Somerset commercial fishery on the slopes of the Quantock Hills, run separately from nearby Hawkridge Reservoir. The species list is the longest of any trout water in England: rainbow, brown, blue, tiger, golden, and sparctic — Hawkridge was the first water in the UK to stock sparctic hybrids in 2018, and the surprise doubles that show up from any of these crosses are the appeal. Quiet, intimate, and reliably stocked. The kind of place where the fish you don't expect is the one you remember.
Other water nearby · 5
Booking & contacts