Stillwater · Limestone · South West / Somerset, GB-ENG

Blagdon Lake

Aerial photograph of the western half of Blagdon Lake including the dam, Somerset.

Blagdon since 1904 — the dam that proved reservoirs could hold fish as well as water.

Fair · Rainbow
Minkie · 6–10
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
48% confidence
limited data

Peak season here starts around March — worth planning ahead.

What moved it
  • WindN 13 km/hGentle breeze · Gusts to 20 km/h
Today's fly
Minkie
Minkie6–10
Retrieve, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Gentle breeze · Gusts to 20 km/h
N 13 km/h
N
N
from the north
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp9.2°C
Air temp1°C
CloudClear
Pressure1013 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

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

Head to
Wind shiftWind shift
North Shore shelterButcombe Bay

The wind has gone round to a northerly in the last 8 hours, but 2 days of a northeasterly have loaded food into North Shore shelter and Butcombe Bay. The fish haven't had time to move on — start there before following the new wind direction.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
Buzzers from April; sedges and damsels through summer evenings; back-end blob and booby work October before close. Blagdon is more intimate than Chew — pace yourself.
Where
Lugg Bay and the open boat marks on the western end. Drift lines through the middle hold fish in spring and summer.
Method
Floater with buzzers under indicator in spring; midge-tip and team of three through summer. Drift broadside; the lake is small enough to read each lane carefully.
Kit
10 ft #7 boat rod; floating, intermediate and fast-intermediate lines; 6 to 8 lb fluoro. Drogue and a long-handled net.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Minkie (6-10) — on the point. 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

Slow down everything. A booby on a fast-sinking line, left static, can pick up deep fish.

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.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 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 · November highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
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.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
Blagdon Lake Fishing Map
Click to expand

Blagdon Lake Map

Tap to view full map

Fishery map — attribution pending

What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
54%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp25%

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

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 6
  1. Aerial photograph of the western half of Blagdon Lake including the dam, Somerset.
    Blagdon Lake
  2. Broad daylight view across Blagdon Lake reservoir from the northern shore.
    Blagdon Lake
  3. Fly-fishing boats spread across the open water of Blagdon Lake on a busy fishing day.
    Finding some space on Blagdon Lake
  4. Wide landscape view across Blagdon Lake and the surrounding Mendip valley from elevated ground.
    Blagdon Lake
  5. The Victorian pumping station on the shore of Blagdon Lake with open reservoir water behind it.
    Pumping station on Blagdon Lake
  6. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

This smaller reservoir responds faster than larger ones — fishing patterns shift noticeably within thirty-six hours of major weather changes. A contrarian lake: the textbook lee-shore rule is wrong here. Onshore wind colours the shallow water and pushes fish out into cleaner reaches, so the productive drift is parallel to the bank, not into it. Easterly opens up the whole North Shore and Rugmoor for right-handers. Polish Water rises first in the morning, fed by a spring pipe that keeps it cool when surface temperatures climb. In July heat, Cheddar Water's aerators are where the rainbows bunch. Rugmoor Point fishes reliably in almost any wind — the single honest banker on the whole lake.

  • Reservoir
  • Limestone
Why this score
  • Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
  • Reservoirs of this kind fish hard at this time of year.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 5 March → 30 November
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
At a glance

Blagdon Lake is a reservoir in South West / Somerset, England. The catchment geology is recorded as limestone, and the water sits at about 36 m above sea level. Species listed for this water: brown trout and rainbow trout. The trout season is recorded as running from 5 March to 30 November. Best window recorded for anglers: April–June, September–October. Core methods listed: Traditional wet fly from boat; buzzer fishing; dry fly to rising fish. Nearby waters in our listings include Chew Valley Lake at 6.0 km, Barrow Tanks at 9.0 km and Jacklands Fishing Lakes at 12 km.