Stillwater · Mixed · East Midlands / Rutland, GB-ENG

Rutland Water

High-altitude aerial view of Rutland Water reservoir showing the full horseshoe-shaped impoundment.

England's largest trout reservoir — 1,255 hectares of open water in the East Midlands.

Fair · Rainbow
Minkie · 6-10
Fairlive now
Reasonable autumn fishing likely at Rutland Water
Water temperature is the limiting factor today, not the wave. Fish dawn or dusk if you go at all, and handle everything with extra care.
58% confidence

This is peak season for Rutland Water, though today's conditions aren't quite ideal. Worth fishing — the timing is right even if the weather isn't perfect.

What moved it
  • WindSE 24 km/hModerate breeze
Today's fly
Minkie
Minkie6-10
Retrieve, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Moderate breeze
SE 24 km/h
N
SE
from the south-east
Wave40 cm chop
Water temp21.0°C
Air temp24°C
CloudBroken
Pressure1012 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

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

Head to
DamEast CreekWhitwell

A SE wind today is pushing food and drift lanes toward Dam, East Creek and Whitwell. Fish stack progressively at the windward bank — work the exposed shore toward the sheltered end.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
Buzzers dawn into late morning April through June; daphnia migrating mid-water June into August; sedges and damsels through summer evenings; back-end on lures and boobies through November.
Where
Drift lines on the open water, the dam, the fishing-lodge area at Normanton where fresh stockies cruise. North Arm fishes well in a southwesterly.
Method
Floater with buzzers under indicator in spring, or the washing line on calm days (booby on the point with buzzers on the droppers); midge-tip and team of three through summer; sweeping or fast-intermediate with lures and boobies for the back-end.
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

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

Watch for

Watch for Sedge towards evening — this could be the best window of the day.

Bank, sheltered shores

In wind, bank fish the lee shore — boats can anchor in productive areas if conditions allow.

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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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
Rutland Water Fishing Map
Click to expand

Rutland Water Map

Tap to view full map

Angler’s map · Anglian Water (Feb 2025)

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.

Cooler water nearby · 3
Water here around 21°C — probably warm enough to stress Rainbow . These are likely cooler.
Eyebrook Reservoir
13 km
~15°C
Brown trout · Pike · Perch
Pitsford Water
41 km
~15°C
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Elinor Trout Fishery
30 km
~15°C
Rainbow trout
Gallery · 6
  1. High-altitude aerial view of Rutland Water reservoir showing the full horseshoe-shaped impoundment.
    Rutland Water Reservoir
  2. Aerial photograph over the full extent of Rutland Water reservoir with both bays visible.
    Rutland Water aerial
  3. The earthen embankment dam at Rutland Water with the reservoir water visible behind it.
    Rutland Water Dam
  4. Ground-level view across the open water of Rutland Water from the Barnsdale shore.
    Rutland Water from Barnsdale
  5. Normanton Church standing in the shallows of Rutland Water with the reservoir stretching to the horizon.
    Rutland Water at Normanton
  6. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

England's largest trout reservoir — 1,255 hectares of open water in the East Midlands. Weather takes roughly forty-eight hours to noticeably shift fishing patterns on this large reservoir. Rutland is a destination fishery: huge wild browns to double figures, and hard-fighting stocked rainbows. Boat and bank fishing available; the north arm and dam wall are classic bank beats, while boat anglers drift the open water with teams of buzzers and dries. Prolific buzzer hatches from April dominate the early season; mayfly in late May brings serious dry-fly sport; sedge and daddy-long-legs carry the fishing into September. The reservoir's scale means conditions vary dramatically — sheltered bays fish differently to exposed dam walls. Season runs late March to mid-December. Managed by Anglian Water; day tickets, season permits, and boat hire from the fishing lodge at Normanton.

  • Reservoir
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • 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
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Fly Fishing Near Nottinghamfeatured in this city guideBig Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatch
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts