Thornwood Trout Lake, Essex

[TroutAtlas]

Thornwood trout fishery, is a relatively new fishery near Epping outside London. It comprises one ribbon lake, a smaller lake for stalking, and a larger more circular lake which will open soon. These lakes are on a boulder clay/ chalk mix which generates an abundance of fly life. Buzzers, sedge and even mayfly are present. Both brown and rainbow trout are stocked.

Open 7 days a week.
Times 8am. to dusk.


The fishing is designed for the dry fly or nymph enthusiast in mind. Lures are not permitted. Catch and release (carefully done) is encouraged, though a few trout can be retained with the appropriate permit.

This is a pleasant, relaxing fishery, where the fly fisher can enjoy casting to rising fish. The fishery manager, is always on hand to offer advice. An experienced qualified instructor may be booked in advance for lessons.

Thornwood
Epping
Essex
CM16 6LR

 

[22lbbrown]

Thornwood trout fishery essex update

Came alive again this weekend with many limits caught with large overwintered fish feeding well.rainbows to 5lb and browns to 4lb caught on all types of line green damsels the main producer but small white lures fished also.....being restocked this week with rainbows from 2lb-8lb going in.......also construction to start on specimen lake soon,road and carpark being redone,fishing hut/shop being delivered and more to come! 07588 669255

 

[22lbbrown]

fishing excellent.....surface activity...

a few braved the cold today,a newcomer to the sport caught his first rainbow and then followed with 2 more,all above 2.5lb on damsels,another more experienced had 8 all 2.5-3.5 lb all in a few hours after lunch,3rd guy also caught a couple but was only fishing for an hour and a half after work before it got dark...all fin perfect fish and condition is brilliant on all caught...have a portacabin delivered today for a sit down/break from cold if needed..basic refreshments also now provided if needed upon request...07588669255...good to be seeing fish moving again after the last few months

 

[kevspread]

just home from thornwood and 25 fish from 2lb to 3.5lb could not find the big ones but back again tomorrow for another bash just hope its a bit warmer fished from 7.30 til 12.30 and was on a floating #6 line and an enigma 9' 6" #5/6 rod and can honestly say that was the best day this rod has ever seen.
for those reading this post all i can say is get yourself over there and meet peter and enjoy a great days sport
regards KEV

 

[22lbbrown]

bigger fish showing now.......

huge amounts of fish feeding this weekend,1@ 8lb c&r,2 @ 6.5lb c/r,numerous in the 4-5lb mark feeding well amongst the average 2.5lb-3lb rainbows....2 browns out also 2.5-3lb..all browns & bigger rainbows obviously returned to get bigger! 3 anglers caught 25+ fish,with most catching 10+! high rod average and high average weight and a very high standard fish quality as ever...goldhead daddy,green damsel,montanna mainly on floating lines-lets hope the settled weather continueslots of leaping acrobatic fish for all!

 

[22lbbrown]

8lb rainbow & 6lb brownie-a good brace...

only 1 angler today but what a brace,also had more in 2-5lb range of lovely rainbows....feeding off and on all day on green damsels..

 

[stedanchri]

Thornwood

Fished Thornwood for the first time today.

The lake is not the prettiest at the moment but the fish are there and they really pull!

Was not the easiest days fishing due to the wind but I still had 3 fish, lost a few (not used to barbless hooks) and had quite a few pulls. Finished with 2 over 4lbs.

As has been said in other posts if you are after a pretty lake with lodges etc this is not the place for you, but if you want hard fighting nice looking fish then it certainly is.

I enjoyed myself and shall certainly be back

Sporting tickets as well as catch and release after your limit is availble here. The people here are really friendly and helpful as well.

 

[22lbbrown]

dry fly today...

a good weekend of top water activity after a sunny week with a few on/off hatches late afternoon...all on floating lines buzzers,bloodworm & daddygoldheads. a fair few fish 5lb+ this week,most getting limit bags & today a couple of fish tempted on dry deer hair tied flies after some persistance!

 

[22lbbrown]

dry fly & dapping in march!

since the weekend every day been fishing on the dry,mainly home tied small bushy dry-deer hair & ostrich materials...last 2 days people been dapping all day! hard to believe was frozen not long ago-i feel a good early summer...fish up to 5.5lb ....work also started on specimen lake now....

 

[delray]

I can vouch for that! Took a half day ticket on tuesday afternoon and had a couple of tentative pulls on nymphs but no success so changed to a dry (mine was a large ish black and tan thing, sorry don't know the names) and got my limit and had swirls around the fly every other cast for the last hour or so. Had to leave at 4.30 and there seemed to be more and more surface activity as the minutes were ticking by.
Great stuff!
Del.

 

[22lbbrown]

tiny knat dries,buzzers & small nymphs....

lots of surface activity today-1 angler had a 6lb+,5lb+ & a 4lb brown amongst his 10 fish catch...all returned as a sporting fellow on tiny patterns...another 2 fresh to venue anglers had 4 fish on a few hour session late afternoon/early evening with fish rolling and splashing all over the lake.a good hatch to with lots of insects on the wing

 

[22lbbrown]

bigger fish on dries.....

rainbows up to 7.5lb and browns up to 5lb caught this weekend after good hatches-sedges & knats the killer dries presently for evening activity with buzzers the main daytime fly

 

[scubacrazy123]

Is there any Hawthorn fly activity yet? I have tied some, and am keen to give them a swim !
Cheers,
Gary.

 

[22lbbrown]

daddies knats & sedges...

hi scubacrazy! i think will work as so many hawthorn around site,but i not seen any yet.lots of small fly life of various colours and sizes,first daddies been bimbling around today but the main dries this evening were knats-brown and black and sedges.the spooned fish were full of green buzzers today.but surface activity has been outstanding last few evenings with a few lovely sized browns taking off the top.gonna be a good summer hope will make up for the abismal winter hope to see you soon

 

[Charliea1234]

What are the ticket options and prices, please ?

Charlie

 

[scubacrazy123]

Hi Peter.
Should see you Sunday, probably PM/evening.
Cheers,
Gary

 

[22lbbrown]

ticket options

hi-£25 is a 2 fish ticket,£30 a 3 fish,£35 a 4 fish ticket-then C&R allowed when C&R available,ie when its not super hot.....C&R ticket-£20 when available,am barbless hooks on all tickets,all browns returned and generally all biggger rainbows returned also-5lb+.....am currently building the specimen lake for fish 4lb up to double figures -see you soon!

 

[22lbbrown]

hawthorn fly hatches

gary you should come and try your hawthorn flies! as big hatches coming from hedgerows-bulk hatch seems to be midday with loads!!sods law it started day after you here!! mayfly worked well yesterday also,and daddy today....

 

[scubacrazy123]

Right, that's it !!
I will be there on Sunday with home made Hawthorns, bibio hoppers, daddies, mayfly, and sedges.
I will get the hang of this dry fly fishing, if it's the last thing I do !

See you Sunday.
Cheers,
Gary

 

[mebu]

Was there yesterday (Sat morning)....good fishing, lots of fish rising, half a dozen on black dries, then another half dozen on small diawl bach and grhe when sun came out and fish went down. Nothing of any size but good fish and good fun. Hope this weather change doesn't affect.

Peter