Stillwater · Mixed · Co. Antrim / Carrickfergus hills, GB-NIR

Lower South Woodburn Reservoir

Woodburn Lower South Reservoir near Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland -- a stocked trout fishery.

Lower South Woodburn is the smaller shore-fishing member of the Woodburn cluster.

Closed season · Rainbow
Perch Fry · 8–10 long shank
Closed season
Season reopens 1 March. Try elsewhere.
Closed — confidence not applicable today.

Lower South Woodburn Reservoir is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindSW 21 km/hModerate breeze · Gusts to 29 km/h
Today's fly
Perch Fry
Perch Fry8–10 long shank
Retrieve
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Moderate breeze · Gusts to 29 km/h
SW 21 km/h
N
SW
from the south-west
Wave40 cm chop
Water temp9.1°C
Air temp6°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1010 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

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

Head to
Wind driftS wind
Southern end

A southerly has held for 8 hours, running colder than the water (7°C air against 9°C water). The end it blows into is taking that chilled surface water, so try the sheltered southern 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.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
Current conditions suit Lower South Woodburn Reservoir well for winter tactics. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
Where
Start with Perch Fry (8–10 long shank) — 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 Perch Fry (8–10 long shank) — 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

Slow down everything. A booby on a fast-sinking line, left static, can pick up deep fish.

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 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 · November highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
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.

Buzzer team todayfor the conditions now
Point
Black buzzer, orange thorax
Not in this water's box
#10
How to fish it
Intermediate line · let the breeze drift the team, then hang it 15–30 s

Fly recommendations

Point fly shown — supporters see the whole team, sizes and why.

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Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
71%
Cloud50%
Wind65%
Temp100%

A good match for Lower South Woodburn Reservoir — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
  1. Woodburn Lower South Reservoir near Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland -- a stocked trout fishery.
    The eastern shore of Woodburn Lower South Reservoir, near Carrickfergus, County Antrim.
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Brown and rainbow trout, no boats, and straightforward DAERA access make it a useful local stillwater rather than a headline destination. It helps complete the east Antrim public-estate picture and makes most sense when viewed alongside the other Woodburn/Copeland waters.

  • Reservoir
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for winter fishing.
  • Reservoirs of this kind fish hard at this time of year.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 March → 31 October
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
At a glance

Lower South Woodburn Reservoir is a reservoir in Co. Antrim / Carrickfergus hills, Northern Ireland. It sits at about 161 m above sea level. Our data lists brown trout and rainbow trout here. The trout season is recorded as running from 1 March to 31 October. Best window recorded for anglers: March–October. Core methods listed: shore search fishing; small lures and wets; buzzers when fish patrol close in. Nearby waters in our listings include Middle South Woodburn Reservoir at 1.0 km, North Woodburn Reservoir at 2.0 km and Copeland Reservoir at 6.0 km.