Coarse Fishing

Our coarse fisheries include over 275 acres of water with fisheries ranging in size from 2 to 81 acres. Our established lakes are located in outstandingly beautiful and secluded rural areas across the South West.

At South West Lakes Trust Fishing we offer more than just great angling, our unique fisheries are matched with a recognised reputation for great fish quality.

Enjoy the tranquility that our waters provide with established tree-lined banks, lily pads and weed beds with natural woodlands surrounding the lakes. Our coarse fisheries offer a peaceful setting within picturesque and wildlife-rich surroundings.

Coarse fishing in the South West:

We regularly hold carp and match competitions at Upper Tamar Lake with prize money exceeding £3,500. Season tickets are available online. Day tickets are bookable through Catch. Download the Catch app from App Store or Google Play.

Facilities include onsite cafes, parking, toilets, showers, wheelchair access platforms, on-site permit rooms and easy access paths and swims.

SW Lakes Fishing Trust is managed by South West Lakes Trust.

Send in your catch report

Reporting an Incident:

South West Lakes Trust manages a portfolio of nearly 50 lakes and other natural resources so it is not always possible for our wardens to be on the scene when issues occur. The very remote and rural nature of our estate, the thing that makes them so special, also means that modern mobile communications don’t always cover the areas we would like them to. This makes getting an immediate response to ongoing incidents very challenging.

Please use this form to report any incidents of poaching, illegal fishing or any other form of antisocial behaviour to the management team so that we are able to take appropriate action.

Complete Form

Lower Slade

Slade Reservoir, Ilfracombe, Devon EX34 8NA

Buy a day ticket
Buy a season ticket
Fishery Information
Fishery Map
Venue Records
Directions
Check, Clean, Dry
Facilities
Report an Incident

Lower Slade, tucked away in the rolling hills of Ilfracombe in North Devon, is a must visit on your next angling escape.

This long narrow lake has a great mix of fish species and is a really great venue for the all-round angler or pleasure fisherman.

Lower Slade is stocked with mirror and common carp to 27lb, bream to 8lb, perch to over 4lb, roach to 3lb and pike to 27lb.

The deep treeline margins mean you can catch fish under your rod tips and there is also plenty of weed along the dam end of the lake where the carp and pike like to hide.

Fishery Information:

Address: Slade Reservoir, Slade Valley Road, Ilfracombe, EX34 8NA

Fishery Size: 6 acres

Number of Swims: 20

Species: Carp, bream, tench, roach, rudd, perch, pike

Fishing Times: Open all year, dawn until dusk

Day Permits: Book through Catch. Download the Catch app from App Store or Google Play.

Season Permits: Available online or from South West Lakes on 01566 771930

Contact: 01288 321262

Click here for Lower Slade Reservoir and South West Water Rules

Find the full price list here

Venue Records:

Common Carp: 26.08lb
Mirror Carp: 26lb
Bream: 8lb
Pike: 27lb
Perch: 4lb
Eel: 5lb
Roach: 3lb 8oz
Rudd: 1lb

Directions:

BOOK NOW

Searching Availability...

Whenever you leave the lakes, remember to Check, Clean, Dry

Invasive plants and animals can carry diseases that kill fish. Protect the environment and sport you enjoy by cleaning your kit before and after using the water.

Find out more here

Facilities:

Lower Slade Reservoir facilities include; car park and toilets and is a dog friendly fishery

Latest

Invasive Species Trail 2024

Follow our invasive species trail at Upper Tamar or Roadford Lake to learn about Invasive Non-Native Species found in the UK. Find the hidden letters along the trail and let us know the word you uncover to be in with a chance of winning a prize!
South West Invasive Species Forum

The seventh annual South West Invasive Species Forum is taking place in Bridgwater, Somerset, on Thursday 23 May. Book your free place by Thursday 16 May.
National Hedgerow Week 2024

Monday 6 May marks the start of National Hedgerow Week! Ecologist Emma Scotney discusses their importance and why she's been creating hedgerows at one of her County Wildlife Sites, Tamar Lakes.
Invasive Species Week 2024

It's Invasive Species Week from 20 to 26 May 2024 and we've got lots of activities planned to help raise awareness of invasive non-native species and what you can do to help prevent their spread.

Coarse Fishing at Christchurch Harbour, Lower Avon and Stour

Christchurch Harbour, Lower Avon, Stour and Claypool offers some of the best coarse fishing in Dorset. Coarse fish are found in large numbers with roach and dace offering quality sport in winter.
River Fishery at Longham

This river fishery is a three quarter mile stretch of the River Stour, including weir pools, and is open from 07:30 until one hour after sunset. Here you’ll find roach, barbel, chub up to 8 lbs, pike up to 25 lbs, dace, bream up to 9 lbs and carp.
Longham Lake

Longham Lake is a great pike fishery producing many double figure fish, and has gained a reputation as one of Dorset’s great coarse fisheries. This popular fishery has also produced bream up to 18lbs and carp up to 41lbs.
Trenchford

Visit Trenchford Reservoir on Dartmoor and enjoy the spectacular scenery whilst fishing for pike up to 27lb. The reservoir, which is nestled amongst farmland and woodland, offers a peaceful atmosphere for your next angling escape in Devon.
Darracott

Situated just outside of Torrington in Devon, Darracott is a fantastic mixed coarse fishery, perfect for beginners or pleasure anglers. This picturesque fishery has a really good stock of fish and, at 3 acres in size, there are plenty of swims for you to choose from.
Lower Slade

Lower Slade, tucked away in the rolling hills of Ilfracombe in North Devon, is a must visit on your next angling escape. This long narrow lake has a great mix of fish species and is a really great venue for the all-round angler or pleasure fisherman.
Melbury

This picturesque and mature Devon coarse fishery borders forestry and farmland near Bideford in North Devon. It is well stocked with a good mix of mirror and common carp to 30lb, the perfect spot for your next angling escape. There are some stunning, highly sought after fish such as ‘The fully scaled’ at over 25lbs and ‘The Train’ at around 27lbs.
Bussow

This peaceful 7 acre coarse fishery is placed close to the popular coastal resorts of St Ives and Penzance in Cornwall. Bussow has mirror and common carp to 32lbs with a handful of fish over 30lb and really good head of back up 20lb fish.
Jennetts

With a national reputation for its carp fishing, Jennetts Reservoir is known as a ‘runs' water. This popular Devon coarse fishery holds carp to 32lb which can be caught off the bottom or off the surface.
Squabmoor

Squabmoor fishery is simply beautiful. Situated on Woodbury Common, which is a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), this scenic Devon fishery offers 15 immaculate swims for you to choose from. The shallow end of the reservoir has an attractive area of lily pads which the carp in particular love to patrol.

Current reservoir levels

See the current water levels in our reservoirs.
Equipment Hire

Experience the ultimate family adventure by exploring the lakes at your own pace. We have a variety of watersports equipment available to hire including; kayaks, canoes, stand up paddleboards and more.
Wimbleball Lake, Exmoor

Wimbleball is a hub of colour and activity throughout all the seasons. Nestled within the rolling hills of Exmoor National Park, there are plenty of ways to get active at Wimbleball. With an array of walking and cycling trails winding around the 530 acre site, and a fantastic range of watersports and other activities available, this is the perfect location to spend a day outdoors – whether you are looking for a leisurely stroll or a challenging expedition.
South West Lakes Trust Booking Confirmation

Thank you for your South West Lakes Trust booking. You’ll receive a confirmation email shortly with details of your booking.
Book Now
Self-launch and Launch Membership

Already have your own kit? You can launch your own kayak, canoe, dingy or stand up paddleboard at our lakes! And, if you are a regular visitor, you can even become a member and launch as often as you like at all five activity centres!
Wimbleball Campsite

Experience a family camping holiday like no other at Wimbleball Lake, nestled in the hills of Exmoor National Park. Create the ultimate camping break packed with adventure, creating lasting memories for the whole family.
Roadford Lake, Devon

Roadford Lake sits within the stunning surroundings of the Wolf Valley, close to Launceston on the Cornwall border. One of the biggest and busiest inland waters in the South West, the lake is surrounded by a variety of natural habitats, including Culm Grasslands, woodlands, old pastures and orchards.
Join the team

Current vacancies
Siblyback, Cornwall

Surrounded by the striking backdrop of Bodmin Moor, Siblyback Lake lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). There is a beautiful 5km round lake circuit, which is perfect for pushchairs, wheelchairs and bicycles. The path runs adjacent to the lake, and passes by the impressive Siblyback Dam and through woodlands.F