Fishing on Dartmoor

Fishing

Fishing on Dartmoor offers anglers a tranquil and picturesque setting with a great choice of rivers and reservoirs, all within close proximity of Duchy House. Fly fishing is an incredibly popular choice on Dartmoor, with its abundance of brown trout, sea trout and salmon in the fast-flowing waters of the River Dart and its tributaries.  If your preference is for a reservoir setting, the nearby Burrator and Fernworthy offer excellent trout fly fishing while coarse options include Trenchford for pike and Tottiford for carp. Alternatively there is a five lake trout fishery in Tavistock.

Some of the river fishing on Dartmoor is privately owned but stretches of the East and West Dart Rivers, especially above Dartmeet, can be fished with the purchase of a Duchy of Cornwall permit. The fishing can be challenging, even exciting, and a fish running down the narrow West Dart in amongst the boulders is a difficult quarry. Brown trout fishing, particularly on the tributaries such as the Cherry Brook, Blackabrook, Swincombe and the main East Dart can also be excellent. Night fishing for sea trout is mainly confined to the lower West Dart and needs reconnoitring by day as the bank-side is rough and hard going in places. 

Dartmoor’s diverse fishing locations offer something for every angler to enjoy, providing stunning views of the surrounding moorland while bathing in peace and tranquillity.