A southeasterly has held for most of a day, running colder than the water (12°C air against 16°C water). The end it blows into is taking that chilled surface water, so try the sheltered south-eastern 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.
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. Drop the droppers and fish a single fly in this wind — tangles cost more time than a second pattern catches.
If the daddy is being refused, drop to a hopper or a single foam beetle and cover rising fish individually.
Watch for Murrough towards evening — this could be the best window of the day.
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.
Conditions are away from Middle South Woodburn Reservoir's sweet spot — it usually fishes best in ripple wind with cloud skies.
Middle South Woodburn is the largest of the Woodburn reservoirs and DAERA notes that its good water quality helps stocked fish put on condition after acclimatisation. That gives it a little more character than a generic map dot. It still belongs in the accessible public-estate reservoir category rather than the wild stillwater category, and it makes most sense as part of the wider Woodburn/Copeland cluster.
Middle South Woodburn is the largest of the Woodburn reservoirs and DAERA notes that its good water quality helps stocked fish put on condition after acclimatisation.
A southeasterly has held for most of a day, running colder than the water (12°C air against 16°C water). The end it blows into is taking that chilled surface water, so try the sheltered south-eastern 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.
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. Drop the droppers and fish a single fly in this wind — tangles cost more time than a second pattern catches.
If the daddy is being refused, drop to a hopper or a single foam beetle and cover rising fish individually.
Watch for Murrough towards evening — this could be the best window of the day.
Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 4 guilds as a supporter.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 5 as a supporter.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Conditions are away from Middle South Woodburn Reservoir's sweet spot — it usually fishes best in ripple wind with cloud skies.
Middle South Woodburn is the largest of the Woodburn reservoirs and DAERA notes that its good water quality helps stocked fish put on condition after acclimatisation. That gives it a little more character than a generic map dot. It still belongs in the accessible public-estate reservoir category rather than the wild stillwater category, and it makes most sense as part of the wider Woodburn/Copeland cluster.
