Stillwater · Mixed · North West / Cheshire, GB-ENG

Westlow Mere

Westlow Mere venue image

Spring-fed ~20-acre fly fishery near Congleton run by Congleton & District Fly Fishers; main lake 'the Deeps' (up to 40ft) stocked with triploid rainbows, blues and browns, strong buzzer/olive/sedge hatches.

Fair · Rainbow
Daddy Long Legs · 10–12
Fairlive now
Reasonable autumn fishing likely at Westlow Mere
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Worth a session if the wind holds.
59% confidence

Westlow Mere is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindSE 13 km/hGentle breeze · Gusts to 23 km/h
Today's fly
Daddy Long Legs
Daddy Long Legs10–12
Upstream dry, on top
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Gentle breeze · Gusts to 23 km/h
SE 13 km/h
N
SE
from the south-east
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp10.8°C
Air temp8°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 driftE wind
Eastern end

An easterly has held for 6 hours, running colder than the water (9°C air against 11°C water). The end it blows into is taking that chilled surface water, so try the sheltered 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
Current conditions suit Westlow Mere well for autumn tactics. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
Where
Start with Floating Fry (8–10) on a Fish as a single fly. 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.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Floating Fry (8–10) on a Fish as a single fly. 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.

Plan B

A fry-imitating pattern stripped through the margins can save a blank in autumn.

Watch for

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

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 2 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 · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
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.

Buzzer team todayfor the conditions now
Point
Black buzzer, orange thorax
In this water’s box: Black Buzzer
#10
How to fish it
Intermediate line · let the breeze drift the team, then hang it 15–30 s

Fly recommendations

Point fly shown — supporters see the whole team, sizes and why.

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Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
71%
Cloud50%
Wind65%
Temp100%

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

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Spring-fed ~20-acre fly fishery near Congleton run by Congleton & District Fly Fishers; main lake 'the Deeps' (up to 40ft) stocked with triploid rainbows, blues and browns, strong buzzer/olive/sedge hatches. A smaller lake holds carp.

  • Fishery
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for autumn fishing.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 January → 31 December
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Permits & access