Fishing
The North Pennines boasts some of the finest upland reservoirs and rivers, renowned for the quality of their fishing. You can choose to fish in some of England’s most spectacular landscapes and opportunities abound for complete beginners as well as experts.
Licences and Permits
Valid national trout licences are required from March 22nd – September 30th
Sea trout and salmon licences March 22nd to October 30th
You can be fined up to £2500 for fishing without a rod licence.
Licences are available from local Post Offices and online: Fishing Licences
Rivers & lakes
River Wear (Stanhope Gauging Station to Rookhope Burn, Eastgate): Weardale Fly Fishers Club: Fly until 1st Sept then also worm and spinning:
Day permits from:
Stanhope Newsagents, Front Street, Stanhope.
Frosterley Angling Club 01388 528429 (Peter Elsbury)
Eastgate 01388 747110
Westgate-Cowshill 01388 537482
River Tees (Barnard Castle) : Barnard Castle Angling Club:
Day and week permits from F E Wilkinson, Horse Market, Barnard Castle. 01833 631118
River Tees (Upper Tees, North Bank): Raby Estate: Fly only : Day permits from: Raine’s Ironmongers and Raby
Estate Office in Middleton-in-Teesdale or the shop at High Force Waterfall.
Northumbrian Water
Derwent Waterside Park offers various fishing options.
Balderhead, Cow Green, and Selset are fortunate to have three of the very best wild brown trout fisheries
in the country. All based in Teesdale, they are full of fighting fit trout, providing excellent sport. The trout in
these reservoirs are 100% native, having descended from the original upland brownies which lived in the
streams before the dams were built. Lightning quick and very hard fighting these fish are a joy to catch.
Northumbrian Water day permits for Balderhead, Selset and Cow Green are available to buy from Grassholme visitor centre only.
Permits can also be bought in advance using your debit or credit card by calling on 01833 641 121 or online at Fishpal. Please note, the honesty box system will not be available at Cow Green.