Around Buckfastleigh you have a couple of wild reservoir options, Avon Dam and Venford. Never fished Avon but Venford is a lovely little Dartmoor reservoir with wild brownies. I saw a post here a few weeks ago by someone who said it was fishing well. Wading is pretty much essential though. You could go further afield and try Fernworthy, fabulous high moor reservoir again with wild brownies.

You also have Kennick which is just outside Bovey Tracey which also has stunning scenery, it has stocked rainbows and bank/boat fishing. Check out trout fishing at lakes in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset for more info on all above

If you are looking for a small stocked fishery near Slapton, your best bet, that I know of, is Newhouse Fishery, near Totnes/Kingsbridge. Good quality fish averaging 2lb but with plenty of chance of a bigger one. Newhouse does not seem to be that well known so is generally pretty quiet, if you are there in the week I doubt you would see many, if any, anglers. - Newhouse Fishery | Get Hooked

If you want to go further afield try Bake Lakes in Cornwall - Bake Lakes - Fishing and Angling in Cornwall

Don't bother with Hatchlands just outside Totnes!

Hope that helps, enjoy the holiday!

 

Thumbs up for Venford Res. It's free and quite pretty - you would most certainly have to pass Buckfast Abbey on the way (the only outlet I know of down here that does the Tonic Wine).

If you go past Venford (for about 10 minutes across the moor), you will come to the Forest Inn at Hexworthy who will flog you a day ticket for the Duchy Waters (on the doorstep) - I appreciate it isnt 'still water'. They do good food there too

 

Kennick reservoir just north of Newton Abbot-very scenic

all the best Nick

 

Another vote for Kennick (will be fishing it tomorrow) for rainbows and browns and Fernworthy for browns. Both are fishing well. Kennick should also have the rhododendrons in flower which your wife may appreciate
Bill

 

You could try Tavistock fishery in Tavistock. Run by the delightful Abigail Underhill it has about 5 lakes for fishing. some are small and shallow and others deep and wooded. It used to be one of my favourite fisheries, but the stock size is down a little although there are some absolute creatures in there. each time i've been ive seen double figure browns in Osprey lake and there's always a decent rainbow or two. there;s a pasty van that comes round too. don't pass it up...

 

2nd vote for Tavistock. Love that place!

 

Looking for a bit of help/advice here folks.

I'm off on my hols in a couple of weeks to South Devon; ( Slapton ).
I can usually manage to sneak a travel rod and a few bits n pieces into my luggage, and all being well, can normally persuade Mrs C that a few hours spent by an attractive trout lake would be an interesting and worthwhile diversion.
( Yes, I know that in this delightful part of the world I should ideally be stalking wbt on the Dart, Exe, or Avon, but I'll leave that for another day ).

So I'd be grateful for any advice and opinions on stillwaters within an area of about 30 miles or so.

Following on from BrownieBasher and your liking for trad stillwaters.

Tavistock is the place for you.

 

Kennick would be about an hour from Slapton. Kennick is large and retains some natural surroundings and forms part of the surrounding countryside - tickets (from memory) are about £15 a day:

Tavistock will take about one hour and 20 minutes from Slapton and is a man made venture with relatively small lakes and holiday accommodation, however, your missus will enjoy shopping in the market town - an all day ticket is £40:

 

Belated thanks to all who offered advice and suggestions for a suitable venue. Spoilt for choice, I opted for Newhouse fishery on Thursday 16th. Were I at home, sunrise on the 16th would have found me welcoming in the new coarse season on the Warwickshire Avon, Severn or Teme, so waiting for 'opening day' (albeit in a different discipline), seemed appropriate.
But the weather is e'er a fickle and capricious mistress...
Mrs C dropped me off at the fishery at about 2 o'clock. En-route from Torcross the weather had changed from bright sunshine to heavy showers.
Ticket bought, ( 3 fish, £22 ), I made my way down to the lake. There were about half a dozen others already there, and enquiry elicited the information that fishing was proving a tad 'hard'. My first cast near the dam wall end saw a fish rise and refuse a green Montana as soon as it hit the water, so my hopes were high for a good session. But the next couple of hours ( regularly interrupted by visits to the cabin to escape downpours ), proved fruitless, apart from a couple of plucks on the line.
I packed up at about 5 o'clock, soaked through, but not at all unhappy. Newhouse is a lovely venue, ( there is a swallow's nest in the cabin, and you can watch the mother flying in through the window to feed her young about a foot above your head ), and one I hope to revisit in the not too distant future. Chatting to one of the owners in the office while I waited for my lift back, I was invited to make up my bag limit from the stock pool if I wanted some fish for the table. I politely declined, but the offer was appreciated.

Many thanks again to all who replied.

Regards, Castaline.