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

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.

All anglers completed their biosecurity checks and dipped their equipment. 10am arrived and the draw was made; Anglers collected their Mainline goody bags; 12 pairs favoured the Cornwall bank and 14 pairs the Devon bank; All anglers were transported safely to their chosen pegs.

1pm arrived for the start of the competition. 3pm the first fish was recorded, Peg: 29 Steven Whitworth and Kevin Hicks 11Ib 14oz Common. 8 more fish were recorded during the afternoon session, Peg: 14, Peg: 23, Peg: 29 a lovely 21Ib 4oz Mirror, Peg: 20 another cracking Mirror 25Ib 10oz for Leigh Horrell and Gary Wroth, Peg: 14, Peg: 12, Peg: 30 and Peg; 2. The first session turned out to be a busy time for the marshals.

Friday evening session turned out to be a busy night for the marshals, 7 fish being recorded from Pegs: 28, 4, 12, 8, 21, 6. Peg: 21 recorded another lovely fish 21Ib 6oz common for George Perkins and Harry Miles. The leader board was changing frequently.

Saturday morning Peg: 29 were the leaders with 2 fish. 4 fish were caught during the Saturday morning session with Peg: John Keirle and Will Hayston recording 3 fish.

Saturday afternoon proved busy another 5 fish were recorded; Peg: 12, 6, 11, 12, 21. Peg: 12 landing 2 fish 8Ib Mirror and 19Ib 12oz Common putting them into the lead. Peg: 21 George Perkins and Harry Miles recorded a cracking 25Ib 5oz Mirror moving them into second place.

Saturday evening, the battle for top spot was between Peg: 12, 5, 29, 21. During the evening session 4 fish were recorded, Pegs: 12, 25,7, 17. Peg: 12 extended their lead at the top with 14Ib 4oz Mirror giving them 51Ib 8oz. Peg: 7 landed a nice 18Ib 9oz Common.

Sunday morning arrived and it was still anyone’s top prize of £2,000. The battle was between Pegs: 12, 21, 5. 6, and Peg: 29. 4 more fish were recorded from Pegs: 17, 1, 6. Pegs: 5 and 6 were having their own battle for 4th and 5th positions. This turned out to be another exciting and successful competition. 32 fish were recorded. 4 X 20Ib fish were recorded amongst them.

I would like to thank all the anglers for making this another great and exciting competition and supporting the 3 competitions throughout 2025.

Results Below:

Big thank you to John Kneebone and Mainline Baits for once again sponsoring the event.

A massive thank you to our volunteer marshals. Gary Vogel, Bob Davey, Laura Jenkin, Ken Sampson, Wayne Bateman and Ian. Also a big thank you to our head of fisheries Leon Fisher. (Thank you all Mervyn & Gary)

Next Mainline Pairs Competition March 2026 dates to be announced.

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 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.
End of year newsletter

Angling highlights of 2024 and a look ahead to 2025.
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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