Stillwater · Granite · South West / Cornwall, GB-ENG

Siblyback Lake

Siblyback Lake — Siblyback

A Bodmin Moor reservoir at the edge of the moor, smaller and more sheltered than Colliford but with genuine upland character — clear granite-filtered water, a population of resident wild browns alongside the stocked rainbows, and a landscape that rewards the visit as much as the fishing.

Marginal · Rainbow
Minkie · 6-10
A patient day, if you fancy it
Glassy and bright — hard work without a breeze. A flat lough is a quiet lough — wait for the breeze.
40% confidence
limited data

Seasonally this is the right time to be here, but today's conditions are not doing Siblyback Lake many favours. It can still fish, but temper expectations.

What moved it
  • WindS 37 km/hFresh breeze
Today's fly
Minkie
Minkie6-10
Retrieve, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Fresh breeze
S 37 km/h
N
S
from the south
Wave80 cm wave
Water temp17.7°C
Air temp18°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1005 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

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

Head to
Wind driftSE wind
South-eastern end

A southeasterly has held for most of a day, running colder than the water (15°C air against 18°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.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Siblyback Lake.
Where
Start with Viva (10-12) on a figure-of-eight with occasional strip. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. Drop the droppers and fish a single fly in this wind — tangles cost more time than a second pattern catches.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Viva (10-12) on a figure-of-eight with occasional strip. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. Drop the droppers and fish a single fly in this wind — tangles cost more time than a second pattern catches.

Plan B

If the daddy is being refused, drop to a hopper or a single foam beetle and cover rising fish individually.

Watch for

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Bank, sheltered shores

Strong wind makes boat fishing difficult — sheltered bank spots near lee shores will fish best.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 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 · 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
45%
Cloud50%
Wind30%
Temp60%

Conditions are away from Siblyback Lake's sweet spot — it usually fishes best in ripple wind with cloud skies.

Other water nearby · 5
Colliford Lake
6.0 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Temple Trout Fishery
9.0 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Crowdy Reservoir
9.0 km
Brown trout
Rose Park Fishery
10 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Grayling
Innis Fly Fishery
24 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Gallery · 3
  1. Siblyback Lake — Siblyback
    Siblyback
  2. Siblyback Lake — Siblyback
    Siblyback
  3. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

A Bodmin Moor reservoir at the edge of the moor, smaller and more sheltered than Colliford but with genuine upland character — clear granite-filtered water, a population of resident wild browns alongside the stocked rainbows, and a landscape that rewards the visit as much as the fishing. May and June bring a reliable beetle fall onto the surface; pre-book a Coulam boat by 3pm the day before to cover the drift lines the bank can't reach. Stocked and managed by South West Lakes Trust.

  • Reservoir
  • Granite
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (strong) are not ideal for this water.
  • Daddy Longlegs are in their seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
  • Reservoirs of this kind fish well at this time of year.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 April → 30 September
Related guides
Big Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatchThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts