Fishing at Grassholme

Grassholme is our premier multi-bait fishery in Teesdale. It is a very pretty reservoir set in typical Pennine Dales scenery. It is not a really large water at 57 hectares (140 acres) but it is deep off the dam going down to 38 metres (120ft). The deep water ensures that Grassholme fishes consistently even during the warm summer months. During the early season as the spring air warms the water, the shallows and the stream mouths are the places to fish.

The tackle shop and retail outlet is located in the ground floor of the Visitor Centre. Here you can expect to find all of the fishing equipment you will need to get you started from scratch or to top up on essential bait and flies on the day. Snacks, ice creams and hot and cold drinks are available daily along with a range of toys and leisure items to ensure that the whole family have an enjoyable day out.

Directions to Grassholme

From Bishop Auckland take the A688 to Barnard Castle then the B6277 to Mickleton. Turn left as you are about to leave the village onto an unclassified road to Kelton, one mile up the road you will see the entrance to Grassholme on your right. Sat nav: DL12 0PW.

Best baits at Grassholme

Yellow, Orange and Chartreuse Powerbait are the colours preferred by most anglers when ledgering. Worm, especially the larger lobworm is still a very good bait for float fishing and using on the bottom when the margins are coloured.

Multi-bait tips at Grassholme

Ledger using a trace length of 45 cm from hook to Arsley bomb. Keep the rig simple; use a single AAA shot or ledger stop between the hook and bomb so that fish can take line freely giving good bite indication. When using a bubble float put the line through one eye only and retain with an AAA shot either side. Start at a depth of 70cm. Use PVA bags instead of swim feeders as you will get fewer snags. Add pebbles to the PVA bag to increase casting weight. Add weight to aid casting, to a bubble float by partially filling it with water. Try the Witch’s Hat to the Sailing Club ramp and the nature reserve bridge to Spring Bay for float and ledger methods.

Fly fishing tips at Grassholme

Start with a 9' 6" rod rated for a 7/8 line with a No. 8 weight forward floating line. Use a tapered leader to aid turnover. Fish into wind lanes. Allow the line to sink a little, count it down so you find the feeding depth, it varies at different times of the day. Early season don't worry about casting large distances, cast along the banks and work around in a fan shape to cover all the water in front of you. Long distance casting will improve your results during the hot days of summer. Try using small dry fly size 18 on summer evenings. Add a sinking polyleader to a floating line when using Buzzers. Try using a floating polyleader on a slow sinking line when using floating fly patterns to avoid surface disturbance.

Grassholme does offer the fly fisher some exciting sport. The faithful Dawson's Olive, Black Fritz and Nomads take plenty of fish early season. Late summer sees good hatches of Stone Fly, try Snipe and Purple or Woodcock and Yellow in size 12s. Heather flies come off in numbers in August, so remember your Bibios and Hoppers then.

For general day to day use have Cat's Whisker, Gold Humungous, Orange Fritz, Rainbow Fritz and a selection of black wets in sizes 10 down to 14, also Soldier Palmer, Invicta, Silver Butcher and Zulus are all worth trying. East Close, Brock Scar and Low Rigg are the places to try for the wandering fly angler.