REDFA | River Eden and District Fisheries Association

Carlisle and District Course Angling Club

The River Eden offers coarse fishermen chub to 7lbs, grayling over 2lbs, dace and even perch to 2lbs and although not as numerous as other species, pike over 20lb are caught. Grayling are found throughout most of the Eden, chub as far upstream as Appleby and there are dace from Armathwaite downstream, especially from Warwick Hall to the tidal stretches.

Stillwater fisheries offer carp in excess of 20lbs, bream, perch, pike, roach, rudd and tench. Talkin Tarn holds pike to 22lbs and perch to over 4lbs. There is superb fishing for perch (and trout) in the vastness of Ullswater or alternatively, most of the more remote fell waters may appeal such as Brotherswater, Blea Tarn and Bowscale Tarn.

For match anglers, Carlisle and District Coarse Angling Club run matches throughout the year on a variety of venues in the area, with matches on the river Eden during the winter months.

The club holds Crofton Lake, some 7 miles west of Carlisle where mixed bags to over 100 lbs. have been taken. The water has 44 permanent platform pegs and contains carp, bream, gudgeon, perch, roach, rudd and tench.

The club has fishing on 65-acre Talkin Tarn near Brampton, which provides excellent perch fishing with fish to over 4lbs and bags in excess of 20 lbs. Tactics include waggler and maggot or ledgered maggot or redworm for the perch. Pike up to 22lbs are taken on deadbaits with sardine the favourite and excellent sport can be had with lures.
Ledgered bread flake or crust on a size 4 hook will usually prove successful for the massive chub, although it will pay not to introduce any ground bait on a first visit unless bites occur and fish are caught. Ideally these should be fished on an Avon style rod, in conjunction with a quiver tip and 6-pound breaking strain line. When fishing time is limited, it pays to fish an hour either side of dusk when the changing light values will often make the difference between a blank day and a day to remember. Swim feedered maggot for grayling, chub or dace fishing and trotting can also be very productive.