Autumn/winter pike on the fly — big fish season. Pike are putting on condition and take large flies confidently. Fish dropping weed edges, deep channels, and structure. Start with a sinking line and move to faster-sinking as the water cools. Biggest pike of the year come in this window.
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.
Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.
Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.
Hatch predictions
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Hatch predictions
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Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Probably the best pike fly fishing window of the year. Cooling water activates pike metabolism and baitfish shoal up before winter, concentrating the predators. Fish are aggressive feeders moving to windward banks, dropoffs, and points where baitfish are pushed. Large profile baitfish streamers on intermediate lines retrieved at medium pace, with pauses at structure edges. Count-down retrieves to find the active depth. Fish move — cover ground rather than working one spot.
Conditions are ideal for Lower Slade Reservoir — wind, cloud and temperature all line up.
Mirror and common carp to 27 lb, bream to 8 lb, perch over 4 lb, roach to 3 lb and pike to 27 lb; tench, rudd and eels too. The deep tree-lined margins put fish under the rod tip, and weed at the dam end hides carp and pike. Twenty swims. Open all year, dawn to dusk; pike fishing 1 October to the end of February only. Run by South West Lakes Trust.
A long, narrow 6-acre reservoir in the hills behind Ilfracombe, good for the all-round angler.
Autumn/winter pike on the fly — big fish season. Pike are putting on condition and take large flies confidently. Fish dropping weed edges, deep channels, and structure. Start with a sinking line and move to faster-sinking as the water cools. Biggest pike of the year come in this window.
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.
Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.
Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds as a supporter.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 4 as a supporter.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Probably the best pike fly fishing window of the year. Cooling water activates pike metabolism and baitfish shoal up before winter, concentrating the predators. Fish are aggressive feeders moving to windward banks, dropoffs, and points where baitfish are pushed. Large profile baitfish streamers on intermediate lines retrieved at medium pace, with pauses at structure edges. Count-down retrieves to find the active depth. Fish move — cover ground rather than working one spot.
Conditions are ideal for Lower Slade Reservoir — wind, cloud and temperature all line up.
Mirror and common carp to 27 lb, bream to 8 lb, perch over 4 lb, roach to 3 lb and pike to 27 lb; tench, rudd and eels too. The deep tree-lined margins put fish under the rod tip, and weed at the dam end hides carp and pike. Twenty swims. Open all year, dawn to dusk; pike fishing 1 October to the end of February only. Run by South West Lakes Trust.
Lower Slade Reservoir is a reservoir in South West / North Devon (Ilfracombe), England. The catchment geology is recorded as slate, and the water sits at about 118 m above sea level. Species listed for this water: carp, pike and perch. The coarse season is recorded as running from 1 January to 31 December. The pike season is recorded as running from 1 October to 28 February. Best window recorded for anglers: Carp May–October; pike October–February. Core methods listed: Margin fishing; carp by the dam-end weed; pike in winter. Nearby waters in our listings include Blakewell Trout Farm and Smokery at 10 km, Wistlandpound Reservoir at 14 km and Bulldog Fisheries at 14 km.
