The Lake District Angler's Guide

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Bassenthwaite Lake

Location (OS90:215295)
Alongside the A66 trunk road between Keswick and Cockermouth.

Fishery Controller
Fishery Manager, Leconfield Estates Company, Cockermouth, Cumbria.

Water and Stock
At over 4 miles long and ½mile wide, Bassenthwaite is huge. It holds big perch, pike, eels, roach and the rare vendace. There are also brown trout and the very occasional salmon.

Ticket Prices
Season tickets £38.00, weekly tickets £9.00 and day tickets £2.50. Half price for senior citizens, the disabled and the unemployed. Free fishing for the under 16s. Day ticket plus launching of own boat £4.50. Nearest ticket sales are at the Swan Hotel, Thornthwaite (Tel: 017687 78256), Mr & Mrs Pepper, Beckstones Farm, Thornthwaite and Mrs Cheesbrough, Bassenthwaite. Tickets also from Field & Stream, Keswick (Tel: 017687 74396), Grahams Guns and Sports, Workington (Tel: 01900 605093), the Compleat Angler, Whitehaven (Tel: 01946 695322), Geoff Wilson, Carlisle (Tel: 01228 531542), Cockermouth tourist information centre (Tel: 01900 822634) and Keswick tourist information centre (Tel: 017687 72645).

Opening Times
Salmon: February 1st to October 31st. Trout : March 15th to September 30th. Coarse fish: open all year. No night fishing.

Description
Bassenthwaite is the fourth largest lake in the National Park and one of the area’s legendary pike fisheries. Access is very easy to the west and north banks, all of which can be fished on a day ticket, but most of the east bank belongs to farms and is private land. Very big fish lurk in the depths which can be over 70 feet, but the lake generally much shallower, especially at the southern end and in the many bays. Pike over 20lb are common although they average about half that. Almost all of the good fish fall to dead sprat or herring fished well out, although it is possible to tempt a big scavenging fish with a flashy spoon or spinner pulled through the reedy margins. Many fishermen come here just for the perch. They can be over 2½lb, substantial for this hard fighting predator, but they are more likely to be nearer 1½lb. They also move in large shoals - interest one, and you’re sure to have a good day. A ledgered lobworm will usually attract the bigger fish.

On the right day, the trout fishing can be brilliant. Some of the native browns run large and they live in the deeper water so spinning from a boat is the best method, but not before the coarse season opens. It’s a fly fishing only water until June 16th. Bassenthwaite is not an easy lake to fish with a fly. Once again you’ll need to go deep for the bigger fish. Big black and white marabou lures, fished on a lead-cored line, will take some of the better browns. You may also get a surprise at Bassenthwaite. A rare species, the vendace, more commonly found in the lakes of north-west Europe, seems to like it here. Looking a bit like a cross between a dace and a herring, it grows to about 12 inches in length. It’s also very rare and should be returned to the water with extreme care if caught. Derwentwater is the only other lake in the area where the vendace has found a home.

Own boats can be launched from the slipway near where the A66(T) crosses the road to Dubwath, close to the yacht club. Bassenthwaite is a popular sailing water but yachts usually stay well out in the lake and rarely interfere with the fishing.

Fishery Rules
Fly fishing only for trout until the opening of the coarse season on June 16th.

Facilities on Site
Car parking at various points along the A66 and at Hursthole Point. The most convenient is a lay-by alongside the lake where the road splits into a dual carriageway.