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.

Catch Reports:

Catch reports help us monitor the health of the fish in the lake as well as manage and improve our fisheries. You can submit your catch reports using the button below or directly through the Catch App.

Send in your catch report

Click here to find out why submitting a catch report is so important.

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

End of year newsletter

December 2024

I hope this newsletter finds you well and looking forward to a 2025 full of fishing, friends and fun. I am writing to thank you all for your custom during the 2024 season and to take a short look back at 2024, but a longer look forward to 2025.

It has been an excellent season this year, with some great catches, competitions and initiatives. The fishing has been as good as ever and it has been super to see the catch reports and wonderful photographs coming in from you all. Catch reports are hugely important to us managing the fishery and the data collected is used to guide our business plans for future years, so please keep them coming. You may even win a free day fishing!

In June, we said farewell to Ashley Bunning, our Head of Angling, who has moved onto pastures new at South West Water as their Invasive Fish and Aquatic Biosecurity Officer. I’m sure you will all join me in thanking Ashley for all the great work he did during his time at South West Lakes Trust and to wish him all the best for the future.

It has taken us a while to find someone to fill Ashley’s shoes, but we are really pleased to say that Leon Fisher has now started in his Head of Fisheries role and I’m sure will be properly introducing himself to you all in due course.

Fishery Rangers

During this season, we seconded two of our existing Rangers into Fishery Ranger roles to focus purely on our fishing business. This has been a positive move for us as reflected in the survey feedback we received from you all. We are formalising this arrangement into 2025 and adding another part-time post to the fishery team in West Cornwall. Keep an eye out for the job advert!

Competitions

Springtime marked the start of the matches on Upper Tamar. The venue once again showed its form with some cracking weights of Bream, Perch and Roach throughout the year. No wonder it is regarded as one of the best venues in the country.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the match organisers and competitors for their support in 2024. We hope 2025 will bring another successful year of matches on our reservoirs and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

The Mainline Carp pairs competitions at Tamar have gone from strength to strength. Over the year, we offer three pairs competitions on Upper Tamar with £3500 of prize money up for grabs. All anglers get a goody bag from the match sponsor Mainline Baits.

A huge thank you to Mervyn Beal and Gary for running these competitions, no small feat, I am sure you will all agree.

Tickets for the 2025 Mainline competition have already gone on sale and you can find more information here.

Survey

In September, we sent out a survey link to all of our season ticket holders. Thank you to everyone that completed these surveys, you are helping to shape the future of our sport in the South West. We had some fantastic, detailed feedback and you can find out what everyone thought here.

Volunteer bailiffs

I wanted to say a huge thank you to our volunteer bailiffs who help us monitor and improve our fisheries. Without their support and enthusiasm, we would not be able to offer the range of fishing venues and opportunities that we do.

We have some exciting plans to improve our bailiff service in 2025, so watch this space.

Tench stockings

During November, our Fishery Ranger Gary and our fantastic volunteers took delivery of 750 Tench from Priory Fishery Ltd.

These fish were split equally between Bussow, Darracott and Lower Tamar. They will grow on and diversify the species mix within the lakes.

Best of luck to our newest residents!

2025 prices

Given further increases in general running costs we have had to put a very small increase on our ticket prices of around 5% (50p on an average day ticket).

We will be offering a 15% discount on season tickets purchased in the first half of February 2025, so keep an eye out for our early season offer.

Lower Tamar season tickets will go on sale mid-January and they will be sold on a first come, first served basis. There will be no automatic renewals on 2024 tickets, giving everyone a chance to purchase a very popular ticket. Keep an eye on our communications for more information. Tickets will be priced at £350 for a 24-hour ticket and £310 for a concession 24-hour ticket.

2025 calendar

Our competition calendar for the year includes both in house and third party events. We hope to see you all soon! All current bookings can be found here.

Very best wishes
Neil and all of us at South West Lakes Trust

Latest

Roadford Nature Reserve Volunteer Day

Join us on Thursday 16 July for a volunteering day at Roadford Nature Reserve to remove tree guards and help maintain the grounds.
Friends of South West Lakes Trust: Single Local Friendship

By joining us as a Single Local Friend, you will not only be supporting our work, but you will also enjoy year-round parking at one lake of your choice.
Become a Friend of South West Lakes Trust

Become a Friend of South West Lakes Trust to support our work caring for the lakes you love, with options incorporating an annual car parking pass for one or all of our lakes.
Cornwall Invasive Species Forum

The Cornwall Invasive Species Forum, hosted by South West Lakes Trust and kindly funded by CINNG (Community Invasive Non-native (Species) Group), brings together lots of organisations to tackle the growing challenge of invasive non‑native species across the county.

Mainline Baits Pairs Competition April 2026

April saw the first Mainline Baits Pairs Competition of the year at Upper Tamar Lake. The weather was dry with a slight south westerly breeze. 19 pairs entered the event.
Mainline Baits Pairs Competition October 2025

October saw the final Mainline Baits Pairs Competition of the year at Upper Tamar Lake. The weather again was dry and a slight north easterly breeze blowing. 26 pairs entered the event.
Mainline Baits Pairs Competition July 2025

July Saw the second Mainline Baits Pairs competition of the year at Upper Tamar Lake. The weather was warm with a nice south westerly breeze blowing. 17 pairs entered the event.
Mainline Baits Pairs Competition March 2025

March saw the first Mainline Pairs competition of the year at Upper Tamar Lake. The weather was overcast and a cold breeze. This time we had 28 entries, a complete sell out. Some anglers favoured walking around the lake to find any fish showing.
Mainline Baits Pairs Competition October 2024

October saw the final South West Lakes Trust Mainline pairs competition of the year at Upper Tamar lake. Once again the weather was kind and sunny.
Mainline Baits Competition July 2024

July saw the second South West Lakes Trust Mainline pairs competition of the year at Upper Tamar lake. Once again the weather was kind and sunny. This time 18 pairs took part in the competition with 28 pegs available, so anglers had plenty of space to choose from. Most anglers walked the lake to see if any fish were showing in any particular area and they were all very serious and not letting on where fish were showing.
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 June where you will be able to vote for your favourites each week.
Mainline Baits March 2024

The tail end of March saw the first South West Lakes Trust Mainline pairs competition of the year at Upper Tamar lake. The anglers were greeted by some nice weather for a change in the morning before the draw. With 20 pairs taking part there was plenty of space for anglers to fish on the lake. The mood before the draw was up beat but there was the standard serious under tone of competitors not letting any other anglers know where they had seen fish.
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.

Current reservoir levels

See the current water levels in our reservoirs.
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.
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.
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 (Somerset, Exmoor)

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.
Siblyback, Cornwall

Surrounded by the striking backdrop of Bodmin Moor, Siblyback Lake lies within the Cornwall National Landscape. 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
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