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Fishing Grassholme Reservoir: what the data says
143-acre lake near Durham. The lake tops out around 95 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The drawn water covers 142 acres wrapped in 4.4 miles of bank. A development index of 2.7 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 23% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives.
Brown Trout fishing at Grassholme Reservoir
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown trout in 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 25 to 60 ft before dropping to 5 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 24 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in spring. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. 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 (24 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Main-lake point (24 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (24 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | open water | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
European Perch fishing at Grassholme Reservoir
Come spring, look for european perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 28 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is 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 | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (81 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (81 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Northern Pike fishing at Grassholme Reservoir
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is 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 Grassholme Reservoir
In spring, arctic char run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 20 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 40 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 81 ft, rated good for summer arctic char. Time it for early morning. 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 (81 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (81 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 81 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 24 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 24 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Grassholme Reservoir?
Grassholme Reservoir is about 95 ft (29 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 Grassholme Reservoir?
Anglers target northern pike, european perch, brown trout, arctic char on Grassholme 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 Grassholme 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 Grassholme 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 2 mi · Balderhead Reservoir 3 mi · Cow Green Reservoir 10 mi · Sunbiggin Tarn 18 mi · Derwent Reservoir 19 mi · Semer Water 22 mi · Lochnaw 25 mi · Whinfell Tarn 28 mi · Haweswater Reservoir 28 mi · Scar House Reservoir 29 mi · Crag Lough 30 mi · Tindale Tarn 31 mi
See how Grassholme 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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