The reservoir
Scar House
Wild brown trout fishing on Scar House Reservoir.
The reservoir
Nidderdale Angling Club control the fishing on Scar House Reservoir. Scar House is situated right at the head of Nidderdale, immediately below Angram Reservoir, and provides fine Wild Brown Trout fishing. Great Whernside and Little Whernside give a magnificent backdrop to a day spent fishing the waters of Scar House. Peace, quiet and virtual solitude are the rewards of a day at Scar House Reservoir. The only noises to break the silence will be the abundance of upland bird species such as Curlew, Redshank, Meadow Pipit, Lapwing…
History and surroundings
Scar House was constructed in the 1920’s to supply much needed water to Bradford as a result of the industrial revolution. Today the reservoir still supplies water to industrial West Yorkshire, but it is also used for recreation. In addition to Trout fishing there are walks around the reservoir and beyond, and it is a good area for bird watching and mountain biking.
The trout
The Wild Brown Trout that inhabit Scar House average about 3 to the pound, with the occasional fish to around the 1lb mark. All the usual traditional wet flies will work, as will dry flies when the fish are looking up. If in doubt use something black!
Weather
It is wild and exposed up at Scar House so pick your days carefully, anything more than a gentle breeze in the valley and it will be blowing a gale up there! You might find it useful checking the weather forecast before you leave home; Great Whernside is probably the best weather station for an accurate forecast.
Great Whernside weather forecast (Met Office, opens in a new tab)
Fishing safely
Check the weather and the river level before you go, take care on banks and paths, and never fish under or near power lines. Read the Health & Safety guide.
Access, methods and tickets
Scar House is included with day and week tickets. The rules for ticket anglers at Scar House, including hours and methods, are on the Day Tickets page. Directions, parking and any member arrangements are not yet published on this site. They will be added once the club has confirmed them. See also Club Rules and Membership.