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Fishing Stocks Reservoir: what the data says
324-acre lake near Lancashire. The lake tops out around 80 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Stocks Reservoir maps at 323 acres behind 5.7 miles of shoreline. A development index of 2.3 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 24% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives.
Brown Trout fishing at Stocks Reservoir
Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 25 to 60 ft, wintering in 5 to 35 ft. Summer brown trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 36 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (36 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (36 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
European Perch fishing at Stocks Reservoir
Early season european perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 28 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 33 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) and you're in the game.
| 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 | Break off the point (36 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (68 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Northern Pike fishing at Stocks Reservoir
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 Stocks Reservoir
The spring pattern is a shallow one: arctic char in 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 20 to 60 ft before dropping to 10 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 36 ft of water that rates prime for arctic char in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) gets it done.
| 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 (36 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (36 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (36 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 68 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 36 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 20 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 20 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Stocks Reservoir?
Stocks Reservoir is about 80 ft (24 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 Stocks Reservoir?
Anglers target northern pike, european perch, brown trout, arctic char on Stocks 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 Stocks 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. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Stocks 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
Malham Tarn 12 mi · Wyresdale Park Lake 14 mi · Widdop Reservoir 19 mi · Hawes Water, Silverdale 20 mi · Semer Water 23 mi · Scar House Reservoir 24 mi · Gouthwaite Reservoir 26 mi · White Holme Reservoir 27 mi · Whinfell Tarn 28 mi · Windermere 32 mi · Sunbiggin Tarn 32 mi · Esthwaite Water 34 mi
See how Stocks 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
Browse all United Kingdom fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.