A walkable-from-Balerno Pentlands reservoir sitting inside Edinburgh's city boundary — which still seems implausible the first time you stand on the bank. Scottish Water-managed, mixed wild and stocked brown and rainbow trout, fly only. The water is smaller and shallower than Glencorse, the weed growth more generous, and the trout accordingly better educated. Buzzer and dry-fly fishing dominate from May onwards; in September the bank hoppers start coming down and the fishing turns into the sort of thing you could do forever if the light held. The walk out from the Red Moss car park takes twenty minutes and is most of the reason people come — bringing a rod is really just a formality.
Good late spring conditions for Threipmuir Reservoir
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Threipmuir Reservoir. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
66% confidence in this read
Live now
Conditions on the water
Trends shown where the gauge supports them
Wind
SW 16 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
20 cm ripple
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
8°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
—
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
How to fish · for brown trout
The brief
When · where · method · kit
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Threipmuir Reservoir. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
Where
Start with Buzzer (14-16) on a slow figure-of-eight or hang under indicator. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely. In the ripple, a bushy searching dry (Hopper, Shipman's, Elk Hair Caddis) outperforms flush emergers — it stays visible and holds the surface tension.
Method
Method not yet authored.
Kit
Kit not yet authored.
Today's tactical plan
The plan
Plan A · Plan B · what to watch · bank or boat
The plan
Plan A
Start with Buzzer (14-16) on a slow figure-of-eight or hang under indicator. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely. In the ripple, a bushy searching dry (Hopper, Shipman's, Elk Hair Caddis) outperforms flush emergers — it stays visible and holds the surface tension.
Plan B
If fish refuse on top, drop to a buzzer under an indicator at different depths.
Watch for
Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.
Either bank or boat
Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.
Hatches & runs
What's on, when
Twelve months at a glance
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
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
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Today's fly · curated pack
Top pattern + the box
6 patterns from this venue's curated pack
Evidence
Why today scores what it does
The factors driving today's verdict
Why this score
- Hawthorn Fly is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Detail · next 12h
Precipitation
The reading most likely to move tomorrow's verdict
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Threipmuir Reservoir · profile
Who this water suits
Strengths · watch-outs · best for
About this water
Threipmuir Reservoir, on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedThreipmuir Reservoir · about
What this water is
Background · character · contributors
About this water
A walkable-from-Balerno Pentlands reservoir sitting inside Edinburgh's city boundary — which still seems implausible the first time you stand on the bank. Scottish Water-managed, mixed wild and stocked brown and rainbow trout, fly only. The water is smaller and shallower than Glencorse, the weed growth more generous, and the trout accordingly better educated. Buzzer and dry-fly fishing dominate from May onwards; in September the bank hoppers start coming down and the fishing turns into the sort of thing you could do forever if the light held. The walk out from the Red Moss car park takes twenty minutes and is most of the reason people come — bringing a rod is really just a formality.
- Reservoir
- Peat
Threipmuir Reservoir · directions
How to get to the water
Directions
Threipmuir Reservoir · zones
Where the rules change
Seasons · zones · per-species rules
Seasons & zones
- Trout1 April → 31 October
Threipmuir Reservoir
Google Places
A walkable-from-Balerno Pentlands reservoir sitting inside Edinburgh's city boundary — which still seems implausible the first time you stand on the bank.
Species
Good late spring conditions for Threipmuir Reservoir
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Threipmuir Reservoir. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
66% confidence in this read
Conditions
Wind
SW 16 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
20 cm ripple
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
8°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
—
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
Condition match
65%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp60%
A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Threipmuir Reservoir. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
Where
Start with Buzzer (14-16) on a slow figure-of-eight or hang under indicator. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely. In the ripple, a bushy searching dry (Hopper, Shipman's, Elk Hair Caddis) outperforms flush emergers — it stays visible and holds the surface tension.
Method
Method not yet authored.
Kit
Kit not yet authored.
The plan
Plan A
Start with Buzzer (14-16) on a slow figure-of-eight or hang under indicator. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely. In the ripple, a bushy searching dry (Hopper, Shipman's, Elk Hair Caddis) outperforms flush emergers — it stays visible and holds the surface tension.
Plan B
If fish refuse on top, drop to a buzzer under an indicator at different depths.
Watch for
Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.
Either bank or boat
Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.
Why this score
- Hawthorn Fly is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
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
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Gallery · 1
Terrain map
Directions
About this water
A walkable-from-Balerno Pentlands reservoir sitting inside Edinburgh's city boundary — which still seems implausible the first time you stand on the bank. Scottish Water-managed, mixed wild and stocked brown and rainbow trout, fly only. The water is smaller and shallower than Glencorse, the weed growth more generous, and the trout accordingly better educated. Buzzer and dry-fly fishing dominate from May onwards; in September the bank hoppers start coming down and the fishing turns into the sort of thing you could do forever if the light held. The walk out from the Red Moss car park takes twenty minutes and is most of the reason people come — bringing a rod is really just a formality.
- Reservoir
- Peat
Seasons & zones
- Trout1 April → 31 October
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
A walkable-from-Balerno Pentlands reservoir sitting inside Edinburgh's city boundary — which still seems implausible the first time you stand on the bank. Scottish Water-managed, mixed wild and stocked brown and rainbow trout, fly only. The water is smaller and shallower than Glencorse, the weed growth more generous, and the trout accordingly better educated. Buzzer and dry-fly fishing dominate from May onwards; in September the bank hoppers start coming down and the fishing turns into the sort of thing you could do forever if the light held. The walk out from the Red Moss car park takes twenty minutes and is most of the reason people come — bringing a rod is really just a formality.
Other water nearby · 5