The Kent Angling Association control and manage 8 miles of double bank game fishing for salmon, sea trout, and brown trout.
The Kent is one of the fastest flowing, spring-run rivers in the country. As the river flows through the countryside, wildlife is abundant, including kingfishers, squirrels and otters. The river has many waterfalls, weirs, and pools, which migratory fish negotiate and will hold.
Starting its life in Kentmere Reservoir in the valley of Kentmere, it flows through several villages to meet the River Sprint. A mile downstream it joins the River Mint at a place known as the Meetings at the Gravel Trap. From here, these two small rivers join to become the River Kent. The river flows on, down through Kendal, to Force Falls, the best place to view leaping salmon in England, then a few miles further into Morecambe Bay’s estuary.
The Kent is a designated salmon river by the EEC, with the water quality kept at the level acceptable to that governing body. Also, English Nature has designated the river as a Special Site of Scientific Interest as it supports the last habitat of the white clawed crayfish and white pearl mussel. Kent Angling Association work hand in hand with English Nature and the Environment Agency to promote the protection, ecology, and future of these endangered species.
Fishing Overview
Methods permitted include fly spinning and worm. (Fly only until 1st May, then fly, spinning and worm)
Barbless, catch and release fishing is encouraged.
Salmon starts on the 1st of February, (fish must be returned unharmed until 16 June). Fishing takes off from June onwards until the end of October. A typical Kent Salmon would be between 4-8 pounds but in recent years catch returns have shown fish being taken up to 20 pounds in weight.
Sea Trout start running the lower reaches of the river around May with some good sport in July and August. Fish average between 2-4 pounds with bigger fish taken up to 10 pounds.
Brown Trout are stocked each year to support the wild trout numbers. Fish average between 1-2 pounds with regular bigger fish taken over 5 pounds.
The river is not a coarse fishery.
