Fishing Malham Tarn in North Yorkshire, England

• Overview

  In England, Malham Tarn falls inside North Yorkshire. It sits in open valley. Surface area is around 149 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The full circuit measures close to 2.0 miles on foot. It is high ground by England standards. Supplies mean a trip to Settle, 4.9 miles off. Burnley sits 21 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Malham Tarn

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for North Yorkshire cover brown trout, Atlantic salmon, European grayling and European eel. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Malham Tarn decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 2°C in January to roughly 14°C in July. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. That is the shape of the year on Malham Tarn.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Pinker's Pond sits 19 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Malham Tarn may have changed since it was mapped.