Fishing in Dartmoor National Park

Dartmoor sits high on the granite plateau of south Devon, and almost every significant river in the southwest of England has its headwaters here.

The moor drains in every direction — the Dart, Teign, Tavy, Taw, Plym, Erme, Avon, Walkham, and others all rise within the National Park boundary.

What that means on the water is fast, rocky, spate-dependent rivers: boulder-strewn runs, deep pools cut into granite, and the kind of wild brown trout fishing that rewards patience and quick reflexes over distance casting.

The East and West Dart are the most fished rivers on the moor. Together with their tributaries — the Cherrybrook, Blackabrook, and Swincombe — they cover around 25km of water.

Much of this above Dartmeet is Duchy of Cornwall water, accessible either through a Duchy day permit or through Dartmoor Angling Association membership.

Permits for the West Dart can be bought at Two Bridges Hotel; the Duchy of Cornwall can be contacted directly for other access. Above Holne Bridge, all fishing is fly only, and on the Dart as a whole, trout fishing means fly only throughout.

No spinning for trout anywhere within the National Park boundary — that's an Environment Agency byelaw specific to these waters, not just a local preference.

The River Teign, particularly the upper stretches managed by the Upper Teign Fishing Association, holds brown trout, sea trout, and salmon on a day ticket basis.

Fernworthy Reservoir, a 78-acre impoundment managed by South West Lakes Trust, offers a stillwater alternative for wild and stocked brown trout.

Salmon fishing on the Dart follows a season running from February through September, with conservation restrictions that tighten as the year progresses — all salmon must be returned before mid-June, and September fishing is effectively catch-and-release to protect returning fish.

Sea trout on the lower West Dart, particularly around Queenie Pool, are best approached at night, though the bankside is rough and worth walking in daylight first.

The brown trout here are not large by lowland standards, but they are wild, fast, and territorial. Fish over 3lbs have come from the Duchy waters over the years, but that is the exception.

An Environment Agency rod licence is required before fishing anywhere on the moor, and on Duchy and Two Bridges water, a separate beat permit must be carried at all times. Catch returns are mandatory on the West Dart.

Check current rules with the relevant permit issuer before you go — seasons, conservation measures, and access arrangements on these rivers are worth confirming each year.