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Fishing Ladybower Reservoir: what the data says
495-acre lake near Derbyshire. The lake tops out around 112 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 494 acres wrapped in 12 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 3.9, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 14% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives.
Brown Trout fishing at Ladybower Reservoir
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 25 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 50 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. Throw a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (28 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (50 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (28 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (50 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
European Perch fishing at Ladybower Reservoir
When the water first warms, european perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 28 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (95 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (95 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Northern Pike fishing at Ladybower Reservoir
Spring northern pike on Ladybower Reservoir hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Arctic Char fishing at Ladybower Reservoir
Spring puts arctic char in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 20 to 60 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 40 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 50 ft, rated prime for summer arctic char. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (50 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (95 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 95 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 50 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 28 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 28 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Ladybower Reservoir?
Ladybower Reservoir is about 112 ft (34 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Ladybower Reservoir?
Anglers target northern pike, european perch, brown trout, arctic char on Ladybower Reservoir. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Where is the best fishing spot on Ladybower Reservoir?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
When is the best time to fish Ladybower Reservoir?
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Derwent Reservoir 2 mi · Rudyard Reservoir 23 mi · Redes Mere 23 mi · White Holme Reservoir 24 mi · Great Lake or Welbeck 26 mi · Tatton Mere 27 mi · Rostherne Mere 27 mi · The Mere 28 mi · Tabley Mere or Tabley Moat 29 mi · Pick Mere 32 mi · Widdop Reservoir 32 mi · Budworth Mere 33 mi
See how Ladybower Reservoir stacks up: best northern pike lakes in United Kingdom · best european perch lakes in United Kingdom · best brown trout lakes in United Kingdom · best arctic char lakes in United Kingdom
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