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Fishing Cow Green Reservoir: what the data says
724-acre lake near Cumbria. The lake tops out around 69 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn water covers 723 acres wrapped in 6.7 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (1.8) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. About 10% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone.
Brown Trout fishing at Cow Green Reservoir
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown trout in 3 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 25 to 60 ft, wintering in 5 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 31-ft range, prime in summer. Time it for after dark and early morning. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
European Perch fishing at Cow Green Reservoir
Come spring, look for european perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 28 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 33 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Break off the point (31 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Northern Pike fishing at Cow Green Reservoir
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Arctic Char fishing at Cow Green Reservoir
In spring, arctic char run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 20 to 60 ft before dropping to 10 to 40 ft for winter. Summer arctic char concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 59 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (59 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (31 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (31 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 59 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 31 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 17 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 17 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Cow Green Reservoir?
Cow Green Reservoir is about 69 ft (21 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Cow Green Reservoir?
Anglers target northern pike, european perch, brown trout, arctic char on Cow Green Reservoir. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Where is the best fishing spot on Cow Green Reservoir?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Cow Green Reservoir?
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Selset Reservoir 8 mi · Grassholme Reservoir 10 mi · Balderhead Reservoir 10 mi · Sunbiggin Tarn 16 mi · Derwent Reservoir 19 mi · Tindale Tarn 22 mi · Haweswater Reservoir 22 mi · Crag Lough 24 mi · Talkin Tarn 24 mi · Ullswater 24 mi · Broomlee Lough 25 mi · Greenlee Lough 25 mi
See how Cow Green Reservoir stacks up: best northern pike lakes in United Kingdom · best european perch lakes in United Kingdom · best brown trout lakes in United Kingdom · best arctic char lakes in United Kingdom
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