Fishing in The Lake District & Cumbria
We often use fishing as an excuse to travel to beautiful places and you will be rewarded for your journey with the tranquility, landscape and the variety of rivers, lakes and shoreline that exist here in the Lake District & Cumbria.
For the beach and rock fisher the bass fishing from June to October is excellent with many specimens caught that weigh in from schoolies to double figures each year. From St Bees to Ravenglass they can be caught on the fly and to the north around the Silloth area where the water is more turbid, bait fishing is the best option. The cod fishing really starts from October and there are flounder and mullet to be had all year round right into the Solway estuary.
There are a plethora of lakes both private and open to the public around the county that have good specimen size pike, perch, trout, carp and all the usual coarse species, some of the deeper lakes have char and vendace. Access to all the fisheries is relatively simple and there are many tackle shops and guides that are willing to give good advice.
For the fisher that wants it easy there are many put and take rainbow trout fisheries that can be fly fished or with bait, some of these are large waters with boats and others small trout farms with all the amenities for the family with young children.
The rivers of Cumbria are probably some of the cleanest in England as there is mostly agriculture and very little industry.
The Eden, with its many prolific tributaries, flows north and then turns west at Carlisle into the Solway. This is the biggest and best known river for its good runs of salmon, sea trout, resident wild brown trout and grayling. The Eden Valley, most of it hidden from the road, has some stunning scenery. If you are looking for an escape this is easily accessed and a must see and do.
The smaller rivers, Border Esk and Derwent, are two other prolific fisheries which can be easily accessed and perfect for the fly fisher with good salmon and sea trout fishing. There are far too many minor rivers to mention in Cumbria which have excellent trout and grayling fishing, it would take a lifetime to explore them all.
Ideally, when you know where you are staying in Cumbria for your visit contact a local guide or tackle shop (listed below) and they will put you in the right direction for what you want and what you hope to achieve.
Whether you are a complete novice or have been fishing for many years a good guide or instructor will enhance your day on the water and give you new skills with a short cut to a great experience. Overview courtesy of expert Glyn Freeman of Cumbria Fly Fishing
See also :
Buy a Rod License online from the Enviroment Agency (No rod license or permit is required for fishing from beach or quay on the coast)
Tackle & Bait Shops
Barrow in Furness
Carlisle
Grange-over-Sands
Kendal
Keswick
Penrith
Ulverston
Whitehaven
Workington
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