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

Woods and Ford win £2000 at Upper Tamar’s Mainline Carp Open

The third and final Mainline Baits carp open pairs at Upper Tamar took place from 4-6 October 2019. 33 pairs turned out for the final event of the year with £3500 up for grabs. Anglers chose their swims, collected a mainline goody bag and were transported to their pegs. Fishing began at 4.00pm the Friday and ended after 45 hours at 1.00pm on the Sunday.

The weather was rough to say the least, very strong winds hammered the anglers through Friday evening giving way to a much calmer Saturday and Sunday. The fishing was hard, but this made for a really great competition which went right down to the wire.

John Kneebone (Mainline Baits), Nigel Woods, Rich Ford and Ben Smeeth (SW Lakes)

Nigel Woods and Rich Ford (Launceston) scooped the top prize of £2000 with 4 carp for a weight of 49lb 1oz from peg 20 on the Cornwall bank. Nigel and Rich’s win followed on from winning the July competition and finishing third in the March event to cap a fine year at the prolific venue.

Richard Ford and Nigel Woods 17lb 14oz Mirror Carp

They held off a fantastic late flurry from Dave Bellew and Steve Lovell (Somerset) who caught three fish on the Sunday morning to finish on 47lbs 12oz and less than 2lb behind the winners. Dave and Steve collected £1000 for the runners up spot.

Jeff Watts and Simon Sweet (St Austell) were third and won £500 for their 3 carp with a total weight of 30lbs 13oz.

Largest fish winning 2kg of Mainline spod and PVA mix was Daniel Comaneci (London) who had a cracking 21lb 14oz mirror carp. Smallest fish, winning 2kg of Mainline spod and PVA mix was Karl Yates (Bude) who had a 9lb 13oz common carp.

Section winners winning 5kg of Mainline freezer baits boilies were:

Mervyn Beal and Danny Peters
Jamie Rusling and Nick White
Ben and Matt Cooper
Daniel and Tiberiu Comaneci

4^th place – Daniel and Tiberiu Comaneci 1 fish for 21.14
Joint 5^th place – Jamie Rusling and Nick White 1 fish for 14.02
Joint 5^th place – Mervyn Beale and Danny Peters 1 fish for 14.02
7^th place – Mike Tomms and Aaron Rundle 1 fish for 10.11
8^th place – Karl Yates and Natasha Piper 1 fish for 9lb 13oz

Massive thank you to Mainline Baits for their sponsorship.

Latest

Earth Day 2024

Monday 22 April is Earth Day! The theme for 2024, ‘planet vs plastic’, is aiming to raise awareness about plastic use worldwide and to ultimately reduce plastic use by 60% by 2050. Dartmoor Biodiversity Officer Morwenna discusses the use of plastic tree guards in our work, when they are necessary and how they can be substituted.
Locals month

We are offering 25% off equipment hire in May to our local community as a thank you for your continued support.
World Water Day 2024

Friday 22 March 2024 is the United Nations World Water Day! Dartmoor Biodiversity Officer Morwenna explains some of the projects she’s working on with South West Water to improve water quality at our lakes and reservoirs.
Trees are the Key Awareness Week 2024

Monday 18 March 2024 marks the start of The Word Forest Organisation’s ‘Trees are the Key’ awareness week 2024. Dartmoor Biodiversity Officer Morwenna explains some of the projects she’s working on with South West Water to to improve biodiversity with the help of trees.

Fly Fair returns to Roadford Lake

The South West Fly Fair makes a welcome return to Roadford Lake on Sunday 25 February.
Mainline Baits September 2023

The scene was set for the final South West Lakes Trust Mainline Baits pairs competition for the year. The sold out competition has become a popular event in the calendars of many local anglers as well as anglers from afar.
We are partnering with Catch to be our fishery management and booking partner

We have partnered with Catch to be our fishery management and booking partner. From 16 November 2023 day tickets will only be available through Catch. This is a huge step forwards for us and will make your experience a much more streamlined process: simply book and pay for your ticket through the Catch platform, arrive on the day and start fishing!
Picture perfect catches – capture your ‘catch of the summer’ for a chance to win!

While angling at our lakes this summer, you are invited to share photographs of your catches to be in with a chance of winning! Open to all coarse anglers, the competition will run on our Facebook page throughout August where you will be able to vote for your favourites each week.
Over 40 fish caught in close competition!

The second Mainline Baits Carp Open Pairs competition of the year was held at Upper Tamar Lake from Friday 30 June to Sunday 2 July.
Nigel and Rich strike gold again!

The first Mainline pairs competition of the year saw the ever consistent Nigel Woods and Richard Ford win the competition again. But it was a very close fought competition with anybody being in with a chance of the £2,000 first prize.
Exciting new carp fishing venture begins at Roadford Lake

This month, a carp fishing trial is being introduced at Roadford Lake, set in the rolling hills on the edge of Dartmoor.
December 2022 update

Another year passes and we say goodbye to 2022! It has been a hard year for the reservoirs, not only in the South West, but all over the UK. Low water levels and lake closures have been a frustrating factor to fishing through the summer, and we thank all of you for being understanding through these testing times.
Pepperell destroys the record book on way to being crowned Mainline champ!

Matthew Pepperell destroyed the record books as he swept aside the opposition at the Upper Tamar Mainline Baits carp open singles from 12-14 November 2021. Matthew claimed the £1000 top prize with an impressive display of angling from the far end of the lake.
Jack and Dave crowned Mainline Pairs champs!

Dave Bellew and Jack Hardisty have won the Mainline Baits carp pairs at Upper Tamar scooping £2000 for their efforts. From peg 20 on the Cornwall Bank the guys made no mistakes landing 12 carp up to 23lb 13oz for a total weight of 141lb 5oz.

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.
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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.
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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