Cleabarrow Lake in Cumbria underwent a restoration project by WADAA to address otters preying on fish.
The lake now boasts a variety of fish species, including carp, tench, bream, and rudd.
Anglers can use typical baits and enjoy fishing near the islands and shore.
Access is restricted to WADAA members, and the lake provides several fishing spots and camping areas.
Cleabarrow Lake
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About Cleabarrow Lake
A few years ago, Cleabarrow Lake in Cumbria had a problem with otters eating a lot of the fish, especially the large carp. To fix this, WADAA did a big project to improve the fishery. They put up a fence to keep otters out, cleared away weeds, cleaned up the islands, and got rid of snags in the water. They also replaced the fishing spots and walkways. Now, Cleabarrow Lake is back to being a great place to fish.
The lake has been restocked with fish. Most of the carp are around 10-13 pounds, but there are some bigger ones too. The tench are also doing well, with some weighing up to 8 pounds, and many around 5-6 pounds. There are also some nice bream up to 8 pounds, and golden rudd.
You can use all the usual baits like boilies, pellets, meat, sweetcorn, and bread. The fish like to hang out near the islands and shore, so try placing your bait close to the plants hanging over the water. In warmer weather, you can easily see the carp swimming around, and you can try catching them with surface bait.
There are seven good spots to fish from, and four places where you can set up a tent to stay overnight. Only WADAA members can fish at Cleabarrow, but it’s easy to become a member.
You can find Cleabarrow Tarn across from Windermere Golf Club, about 2 miles from Bowness, on the B5284 road. There is a small parking area for about 5 cars near the fishery. Just go through the gate along the road to get to the lake.