Devon & Cornwall
The Westcountry is genuinely rain-fed spate-river country — the Tamar, Exe, Dart, Taw, Teign and Torridge all rise on Dartmoor or Exmoor and can rise and fall several feet in hours, which is exactly what makes them good salmon and sea trout rivers when a spate is clearing. Night fishing for sea trout on the Devon rivers has a real local following, and several rivers (Tamar, Exe, Dart, Taw) still produce salmon, though numbers are well down on historic levels across the board.
Coarse fishing exists here too, mostly on stillwaters and reservoirs rather than the fast-flowing rivers — Roadford, Burrator and Siblyback among them — plus a genuinely long, varied coastline for shore sea fishing, from charter-boat towns like Brixham and Plymouth to bass and dogfish marks all along the Cornish coast.
Rivers
River Tamar
Forms almost the entire Devon/Cornwall border. The most consistently productive salmon river in the region, with brown trout, sea trout and grayling in its five main tributaries (Inny, Carey, Ottery, Lyd, Thrushel).
Salmon · Sea trout · GraylingRiver Exe
Rises on Exmoor and drains south through mid-Devon. Known for the highest salmon angling success rates in England and Wales historically, plus roach, dace and bream in its lower, coarse-fishable stretches.
Salmon · CoarseRiver Dart
A genuinely wild Dartmoor river — can rise three feet in an hour in the upper reaches. Best fished for salmon when it's in spate and other lowland rivers are too high and coloured. Strong wild brown trout throughout.
Salmon · Wild troutRiver Taw & River Torridge
North Devon's two big spate rivers, both with strong local reputations for sea trout — known regionally as "pugs" when they run large. The Taw has also produced some of the best spring salmon runs in the Southwest in recent years.
Sea trout · SalmonRiver Fowey & River Camel
Cornwall's two principal salmon and sea trout rivers, both rising on Bodmin Moor. The Camel and Fowey are noted for later-season fishing, running into autumn and winter after the Devon rivers have quietened.
Salmon · Sea troutReservoirs & stillwaters
Roadford Lake
One of the larger South West Lakes Trust reservoirs, stocked with rainbow and brown trout.
Burrator Reservoir
On Dartmoor, surrounded by open moorland — brown and rainbow trout fishing in a genuinely scenic setting.
Siblyback & Stithians
Cornwall's main day-ticket trout fisheries, both well stocked with rainbows and popular with fly anglers of all levels.
Sea marks
Brixham, Exmouth & Plymouth
The main charter-boat hubs for the region, offering trips for shark, conger, rays and other deeper-water species alongside the usual shore-caught cod, bass and mackerel.
General guide only — always confirm current club membership, permits, close seasons and any local byelaws directly with the relevant angling club or the Environment Agency before fishing. Species and access details can change.
Check today's conditions for Devon & Cornwall →