Stillwater · Sandstone · West Midlands / Shropshire, GB-ENG

Hurst Farm Holiday Cottages (Hurst Farm Lakes)

A tree-lined fishing pool at Hurst Farm Holiday Cottages in Shropshire, with still water reflecting the sky

Small spring-fed fly-only trout lake (reinstated 2003, mainly rainbow with a few browns) on a 150-200 acre working farm near Bridgnorth/Morville, Shropshire, alongside two coarse lakes and self-catering holiday cottages.

Fair · Rainbow
Daddy Long Legs · 10-12
Fairlive now
Reasonable autumn fishing likely at Hurst Farm Holiday Cottages (Hurst Farm Lakes)
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Worth a session if the wind holds.
59% confidence

Hurst Farm Holiday Cottages (Hurst Farm Lakes) is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindSW 14 km/hGentle breeze
Today's fly
Daddy Long Legs
Daddy Long Legs10-12
Upstream dry, on top
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Gentle breeze
SW 14 km/h
N
SW
from the south-west
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp14.7°C
Air temp18°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1014 hPa
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 Hurst Farm Holiday Cottages (Hurst Farm Lakes). The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
Where
Start with Viva (10-12) on a figure-of-eight with occasional strip. 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. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Viva (10-12) on a figure-of-eight with occasional strip. 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. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.

Plan B

A fry-imitating pattern stripped through the margins can save a blank in autumn.

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 2 guilds with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
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
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
59%
Cloud50%
Wind65%
Temp60%

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

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
  1. A tree-lined fishing pool at Hurst Farm Holiday Cottages in Shropshire, with still water reflecting the sky
    A fishing pool at Hurst Farm
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Small spring-fed fly-only trout lake (reinstated 2003, mainly rainbow with a few browns) on a 150-200 acre working farm near Bridgnorth/Morville, Shropshire, alongside two coarse lakes and self-catering holiday cottages. Fishing free to cottage guests; day tickets available.

  • Fishery
  • Sandstone
Why this score
  • autumn conditions with overcast skies and breezy wind.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 April30 September
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Permits & access
Clubs & associations