Fishing the River Derwent

By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026

Which Derwent do you mean? River Derwent fishing could be a lowland coarse river in Yorkshire, a grayling and barbel river just north of Derby, a small fly-only tributary of the Tyne, or a Lake District salmon river at Keswick. Which one suits you comes down to the species you want and how you can get on the bank.

Most Derwent water is club-controlled. Of the stretches checked for this guide, only the Lintzford beat on the Tyne tributary and Keswick AA’s visitor permits are open to non-members.

Each river gets its own section below, followed by the licence, close season and byelaws that apply to all four.

Which River Derwent? The Four Rivers Compared

Use this table to pick your Derwent before you read further.

River	Region	Main species	Verified access route	Cost
Yorkshire Derwent	East and North Yorkshire (Stamford Bridge, Elvington, Gunby, Breighton)	Barbel, chub, roach, dace, bream, perch, pike	H&DAA membership	2026 adult £45, plus £10 joining fee for new adults
Derbyshire Derwent	Darley Abbey, north of Derby	Grayling, chub, barbel	Warrington Anglers’ Association membership, no day tickets	See the club
Tyne tributary Derwent	Lintzford, in the Tyne catchment	Wild brown trout, grayling	Tyne Rivers Trust bookable beat, fly only	£8.00 per booking
Cumbrian Derwent	Keswick, with the River Greta and Derwentwater	Salmon, sea trout, brown trout	Keswick AA visitor permit	Check the current price with Keswick AA

For coarse fish, your choice is Yorkshire or Derbyshire, and both mean joining a club. For fly fishing, look at Lintzford or Keswick, where a one-off visit is possible.

This page covers only the stretches whose access details could be checked against the controlling club or trust. Other clubs and syndicates may run other stretches of each river, so ask locally before assuming anything about them. None of the water below is free to fish. For other rivers around the country, see our UK river fishing guides.

Yorkshire Derwent: Stamford Bridge to Breighton

Barbel over 10lb (4.5kg), chub over 6lb (2.7kg), roach over 2lb and perch over 3lb: that is what the H&DAA says its Yorkshire Derwent water can produce.

The association’s stretches:

Stamford Bridge: the left bank looking downstream, with 7 fishing platforms and a free council car park.
Elvington: above the bridge and below the weir.
Gunby and Breighton: the east bank.

Expect barbel, chub, roach, dace, common bream, rudd, perch, pike, eels, ruffe, gudgeon, bleak and minnows. The club rates summer for chub, autumn for barbel and the colder months for pike, and says float, ledger, feeder, spinning and drop-shot all catch.

The club bailiff’s advice, in short: carry less and keep moving between swims. A stick float can build a big net of silver fish, while barbel respond to a feeder or PVA mesh bags of free offerings. Location and feeding matter more than the exact bait.

At Stamford Bridge the platforms can sit well above the water in summer, so bring a landing net handle of around 3m.

Access is by H&DAA membership, which runs from 1 January to 31 December. For 2026 it costs £45 for adults, £30 for seniors and £10 for juniors, plus a £10 joining fee for new adult and senior members. The club lists no Derwent day ticket. Other clubs may control other stretches of Yorkshire Derwent fishing, so check with them directly.

Best for: mixed coarse and barbel anglers happy to join a club. Skip if: you want a one-off day ticket.

For more water nearby, see our guide to fishing in Yorkshire or the River Wharfe. Check with the club before you travel.

Derbyshire Derwent: Grayling, Chub and Barbel at Darley Abbey

Search for Derwent fishing in Derbyshire on a day ticket and you mostly find club pages. The stretch verified for this guide is members-only.

Warrington Anglers’ Association controls about 1 mile of the river at Darley Abbey, just north of Derby. Access is off Haslam’s Lane, signposted Derwent Valley Fishery, and there are about 25 pegs. The stretch is known for winter grayling, with chub and barbel too. A canoe club uses the lower end, so expect the occasional paddler taking a close interest in your float.

For grayling, the club suggests a ledger, or a stick float or waggler with maggots or casters. Use larger baits for chub and barbel.

Warrington AA sells no day tickets: all its fisheries are members-only, and one card covers more than 70 waters. Check the current membership price on its website. Other clubs run other Derbyshire stretches, but none were verified here.

Quick comparison: against the Yorkshire Derwent, a smaller stretch with a grayling bonus and no day ticket.

For more water in the county, see our Peak District fishing guide. Check with the club before you travel.

Tyne Tributary Derwent: The Lintzford Fly Beat

Want to fish a Derwent without joining a club? The Lintzford beat is the verified bookable option, at £8.00 per booking through the Tyne Rivers Trust.

The beat facts, from the trust:

Fly only.
About 1km of river, fished from the west (left) bank only.
A maximum of 2 anglers at a time.
Unstocked wild brown trout and grayling, mostly under 12oz (340g).
Moderate wading.

The trout season on the beat runs from 22 March to 30 September, and the grayling season from 16 June to 14 March. Grayling are catch and release. You may keep up to 2 trout over 11in.

This is small-river fishing for modest wild fish. A light rod for a 3 or 4 weight line suits it far better than heavy reservoir tackle, and small dries, nymphs and spiders cover most situations on water like this.

If you fly fish and live near the Tyne, start here. For the wider catchment, read our River Tyne fishing guide, and for another north-east river see the River Tees. Check the booking page before you travel.

Cumbrian Derwent: Salmon and Trout Around Keswick

Keswick Anglers’ Association says its salmon arrive with the first good flood in August, peak in October and average about 8lb (3.6kg). That autumn run is the main draw.

The association’s water covers the Rivers Greta and Derwent plus Derwentwater. Its rules are strict:

All Keswick AA waters have been catch and release since 2024.
The rivers are fly only, with barbless hooks, for every species, coarse fish included.
No live baiting.
No worming for salmon, following the 2024 Environment Agency byelaw changes.

The club’s species page mentions spinners and spoons, but its rules page says the rivers are fly only. Follow the current Keswick AA rules and leave the spinning rod at home for river water.

Visitors buy permits online or through local outlets, and a permit gives temporary membership for its duration. Membership is currently full, with a waiting list and applications taken from February to April. Check current permit prices with Keswick AA.

You also need the Environment Agency salmon and sea trout licence for salmon or sea trout. See the licence section below.

The verdict: worth the trip for autumn salmon on the fly. It is not a coarse venue. Check with Keswick AA before you travel.

Rod Licence, Close Season and Byelaws on Every Derwent

A club card, beat booking or visitor permit is not a rod licence. You need both.

In England you need an Environment Agency rod licence from age 13, and the licence for 13 to 16 year olds is free. Prices from GOV.UK, checked October 2026:

Licence	Price
Trout and coarse, 2 rods, 1-day	£7.30
Trout and coarse, 2 rods, 8-day	£14.70
Trout and coarse, 2 rods, 12-month	£36.80
Trout and coarse, 12-month concession (66 and over, or disabled)	£24.50
Salmon and sea trout, 12-month	£93.10

Prices change each April, so check GOV.UK before you buy. Our fishing licence guide explains which you need.

The coarse close season bans coarse fishing on any river in England from 15 March to 15 June, which shuts the Yorkshire and Derbyshire stretches to coarse anglers for three months. If you fish for game species during the coarse close season in the Midlands, Yorkshire, the north-east or the north-west, you can only use a natural or artificial fly, minnow, worm, shrimp, prawn, sand eel or artificial lure. Club and beat rules can be stricter. See our fishing seasons guide for the detail.

Salmon and sea trout close seasons vary by area and are set by local byelaws, which also cover tackle rules and size limits. Read the Environment Agency byelaws for the region before you fish.

When to Fish Each Derwent and Staying Safe on the Bank

Here is when each Derwent fishes best, at a glance:

River	Best times
Yorkshire Derwent	Summer chub, autumn barbel, winter pike. Closed to coarse fishing 15 March to 15 June
Derbyshire Derwent	Winter grayling, chub and barbel in season. Same coarse close season
Lintzford	Trout 22 March to 30 September, grayling 16 June to 14 March
Keswick	Salmon from the first good August flood, best in October

Rivers rise fast after rain. Check the latest river levels and the forecast before you set off, and don’t wade or fish low banks when the water is rising or coloured. The H&DAA warns of livestock and difficult banks away from Stamford Bridge, so wear sturdy boots with good grip. The Lintzford wading is moderate, and a wading staff makes it safer.

Frequently asked questions

Which River Derwent is best for fishing?

Pick by species. The Yorkshire Derwent suits mixed coarse fishing and barbel, Darley Abbey in Derbyshire adds winter grayling, Lintzford on the Tyne tributary offers wild trout on the fly, and Keswick in Cumbria is the choice for autumn salmon.

Can I fish the River Derwent on a day ticket?

Yes, on two verified waters. The Lintzford beat is bookable at £8 (fly only), and Keswick AA sells visitor permits. The H&DAA stretches in Yorkshire and the Warrington AA stretch in Derbyshire are members-only. Other clubs may sell tickets, so check locally.

Do I need a rod licence to fish the Derwent?

Yes. Anyone aged 13 or over needs an Environment Agency rod licence to fish the Derwent in England, and the 13 to 16 licence is free. Salmon and sea trout need their own licence, so buy the right one on GOV.UK before you fish.

Can I fish the Derwent in the close season?

Not for coarse fish. The coarse close season on English rivers runs from 15 March to 15 June. Game fishing depends on local Environment Agency byelaws and club rules, so check both before you fish.