Stillwater · Granite · South West / Devon (Dartmoor)

Venford Reservoir

Venford Reservoir — Brook

Venford is the most sheltered of the wild Dartmoor reservoirs — thirty-three acres tucked into broadleaf woodland with a footpath that runs all the way round in just over a mile.

Fair · Trout
Diawl Bach · 12-14
Fairlive now
Reasonable summer fishing likely at Venford Reservoir
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
60% confidence
What moved it
  • WindNE 16 km/hGentle breeze
Today's fly
Diawl Bach
Diawl Bach12-14
Washing-line, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Gentle breeze
NE 16 km/h
N
NE
from the north-east
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp
Air temp17°C
CloudClear
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
April–June; late evenings July–September
Where
Start with Peeping Caddis (10-12) — on the point. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Peeping Caddis (10-12) — on the point. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely.

Plan B

Fish early and late, try deeper during the heat of the day with a fast-sinking line.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

Either bank or boat

Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

See the full sub-surface read with Pro.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
2
3
2
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Trout fly box
Gammarus Scud (Olive)
Gammarus Scud (Olive)
10-14 · Gammarus Scud
Washing-line, sub-surface
Bays & launches · 1
Free wild brown trout fishingAccess varies
Free bank fishing for rod-licence holders.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
64%
Cloud25%
Wind65%
Temp100%

A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
  1. Venford Reservoir — Brook
    Brook
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Venford is the most sheltered of the wild Dartmoor reservoirs — thirty-three acres tucked into broadleaf woodland with a footpath that runs all the way round in just over a mile. Wild brown trout, clear granite-filtered water, and the kind of stillness you get when the wind dies and the only sound is a wood pigeon making an opinion about something a mile away. Bank fishing only. There's no permit and no fee; an EA non-migratory rod licence is the only paperwork. Most of the path is stable, with five steps halfway round and a couple of stretches that won't suit wheelchairs or pushchairs. A good place to fish a small dry through a summer evening when the bigger moorland waters are getting roughed up by the wind.

  • Reservoir
  • Granite
Why this score
  • Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
  • Damsel Nymph is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout15 March12 October
Related guides
Booking & contacts