Tarn Fishing

[Prawnster]

Hi, I'm looking for advice or resources on fishing from mountain tarns. I'm doing some walking this autumn and winter in the lakes and I've read about people fishing in the tarns they come across.

I'm fairly proficient now at shore angling but have only dabbled at freshwater angling.

I've posted this question on an angling forum I visit but I thought you guys would have some knowledge on this too as the tarns are often in quite wild places that your average maggot drowner would never get to.

I assume that the target species would be small brown trout and maybe pike? I have a telescopic spinning rod that I can fit in my rucksack, a decent reel and some braided line. I don't know what sort of lures would be the best to use, so any advice/links would be great. I also don't know any watercraft for tarns, or trout for that matter. Should I cast for deep water? Near the outflow? When the sun is shining or overcast?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Cheers
Sean

 

[reddy]

I've fished some tarns up in the Lake District hills. Is it that kind of wild fishing you mean?

To be honest never had any luck, but then again I'm much more of a river angler - don't have the patience to sit in one spot for hours on end!

From what I've found out through studying waters (and heard off other local people) is that most fish don't tend to grow very big in (lake district) tarns as competition for food is high and the fish don't get much food or nutrients being in such clear water.

Species? Brown trout, eels, possibly little perch, pike I've no idea.

There's a fab book called THE LAKE DISTRICTS ANGLERS GUIDE by Laurence Tetley (ISBN 1-85284-283-0) that covers the meres, tarns, rivers etc in depth. Maybe someone has written a similar book for your area?

 

[reddy]

I've woken up a bit more now (late night last night doing work ) and read you post properly!

What tarns were you after fishing in the Lakes?

Lures, methods etc depends on which tarns you want to fish.

Some are privately owned and charge a fee even though they are up some mountain in the middle of nowhere!

Nice one anyway wanting to try wild fishing! Hope you do better than I did!

 

[Prawnster]

Hi reddy thanks for the reply. I'd heard that some tarns charged a fee but I thought they'd be the lowland ones, I'd call them lakes! A tarn is only a tarn to me if I've sweated for 3 hours and my thighs are burning when I see it.

I expected the fish to be small, there can't be much food at all up there but I was hoping this would make lure fishing more successful. Maybe this would cause fish to be more aggressive in these small closed food chains. I'm guessing though. Any idea what kind of lures I should use?

Cheers
Sean

 

[bushcraftbob]

I'd take a few spinners as you're bound to pick up perch, trout and pike on them and maybe a few spoons so you can cast out a bit further. Good luck!

 

[reddy]

"A tarn is only a tarn to me if I've sweated for 3 hours and my thighs are burning when I see it."

LOL that's the spirit!

Lure spinning fishing I can't really help you with, never properly done it. In a lot of wild Lake District waters I imagine a lure will be bigger than the fish.

Average size fish I've seen up them mountains is about 10cm (or 3 inch) long. Many are smaller, I've seen the odd one a little bigger. But that's only me; maybe a monster is lurking in those deep tarn depths!

Fly fishing would probably be the most effective in catching the trout.

Worms and maggots might hook trout and any other fish in there ( though on one particular day I fished they swam right over my bait totally unintrested! ) Check before you fish aswell - a lot of Lakes waters are fly fishing only.

I would really recommend that book I said about before - it tells you all about the tarns (inlcuding the wild mountain ones), lakes and rivers: who owns them, whats in them, how to fish etc.

 

[Prawnster]

Nice one reddy I'll check that book out.

I'm thinking if the fish are so small I'll try and rig my tackle up so I can use a fly with my spinning rod, maybe a shot weight at the leader knot or something like that.

Cheers
Sean

 

[Shewie]

All you need is what you`ve already got.

I regularly use my "Instant Fisherman" and a selection of spinners or soft lures, it`s always in my pack when I go to the Lakes and I`m usually successful in catching tea

Predatory fishing with a simple rod, reel and spinner is angling at it`s best for me, lightweight quick and easy and your always garuanteed a bite.

Most of the fish in the tarns will be small so keep your bait small also. I tend to use a small barrel with either a silver or gold spoon.

 

[Prawnster]

Thanks Shewie!

There is nothing like hearing from a successful angler to give you confidence when you cast. :You_Rock_

 

[maddave]

Like shewie said, small spinners tend to work well in tarns. Another tip, once you've caught your 1st, gut it and look at the stomach contents... It'll show roughly what they're eating, then have a look round the immediate area to see if you can see their preferred bait (grubs, flies, moths, damselflies etc) and have a go with those if the bites are coming slow. The spinner works well for me though...One similar to this I always carry

 

[reddy]

Let us know how you get on when you go up there Prawnster

 

[Prawnster]

Let us know how you get on when you go up there Prawnster

Will do, and I'll try and figure out how to post up pics as well.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Shewie]

Thanks Shewie!

There is nothing like hearing from a successful angler to give you confidence when you cast. :You_Rock_

I wouldn`t say successful, more like lucky




It was t-------------------h--------------------------i-------------------------s big, honest

 

[qweeg500]

I seem to remember from a Hugh F-W program that many of the tarns have Arctic Char. No idea what they look or taste like.

 

[Prawnster]

Hmm, interesting, thanks queeg. I think I've seen Ray Mears catching and cooking one of those. it looked good! Going next week, I'll probably draw a a big fat blank

 

[Mang]

I seem to remember from a Hugh F-W program that many of the tarns have Arctic Char. No idea what they look or taste like.

Apparently Trout like. When I was in the Lakes I remember seeing a display about a champion Char fisherman of old and he used lures from a boat. **I think** he was rowing and set bronze coloured lures at different depths.

I saw the display cabinet on a Windmere jetty if that helps!

 

[Prawnster]

Cheers for that. Yeh I think the Arctic Char goes by the name of Brook Trout in America. I had no idea there was any in this country though.

 

[timcook207]

hi,
ive fished a few tarns in the lakes. generally i find small sized spinners work best, never fails to get at least one bite. i find these spinners best in size 1
http://www.fishingmegastore.com/savage-gear-rotex-spinners~9039.html

 

[spiritwalker]

google the red tarn thats a free one has brownies and an ancient species called schelly...

http://www.lakedistrictfishing.net/component/option,com_mtree/Itemid,8/link_id,56/task,viewlink/

its on my list of places to try when i can get a pass out