Stillwater · Mixed · London / Waltham Forest, GB-ENG

Walthamstow Reservoirs

Walthamstow Reservoirs venue image

London’s most significant fly fishing venue — a chain of Victorian reservoirs in the Lee Valley managed by Thames Water.

Good · Rainbow
Minkie · 6-10
Goodlive now
Reasonable autumn fishing likely at Walthamstow Reservoirs
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
69% confidence
What moved it
  • WindNE 7 km/hLight breeze
Today's fly
Minkie
Minkie6-10
Retrieve, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Light breeze
NE 7 km/h
N
NE
from the north-east
WaveRipple
Water temp13.8°C
Air temp16°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

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

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
The buzzer is on at Walthamstow Reservoirs. Pond Olive may also come into play as the day develops. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
Where
Start with Minkie (6-10) — on the point. Early in the day, try buzzers on a slow figure-of-eight or a booby on a fast-sink line near the bottom. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Minkie (6-10) — on the point. Early in the day, try buzzers on a slow figure-of-eight or a booby on a fast-sink line near the bottom. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses.

Plan B

If the main plan stalls, drop to a size 14–16 midge — switch to a washing-line or suspender rig and try different depths before you change food group.

Watch for

Buzzer may strengthen through the middle of the day as conditions warm.

Bank

Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

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
73%
Cloud50%
Wind100%
Temp60%

A good match for Walthamstow Reservoirs — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.

Other water nearby · 5
Norton Fishery
16 km
Rainbow trout
Thornwood Springs Trout Fishery
16 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
River Wandle
23 km
Brown trout · Barbel · Chub
Rib Valley Fishing Lakes
26 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Redbournbury Fishery
31 km
Rainbow trout
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

London’s most significant fly fishing venue — a chain of Victorian reservoirs in the Lee Valley managed by Thames Water. Reservoirs 4 and 5 offer day-ticket fly fishing; East Warwick is members-only catch-and-release. All bank fishing only — no boats. The deep concrete-banked margins put 15–20 feet of water within casting range, making depth control and straight-line buzzer technique the key skills. Around 11,000 rainbow and brown trout stocked across the season. Excellent public transport access (Blackhorse Road tube, 10-minute walk) makes this a genuine after-work option for London anglers.

  • Reservoir
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • Buzzer is in its 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