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SpinFish Fishing Finder for places where you can fish for salmon and sea trout, wild brown trout, dollaghan and rainbow trout in the wild rivers and lochs and the fisheries of Northern Ireland. Find information about loads of day ticket waters, hire boats and ghillies and what licenses you need |
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Contents
Wild Brown Trout in Rivers, Lochs and Reservoirs
Northern Ireland
SpinFish Wildlife Photo Gallery
Go Fishing with Charlie Whelan
Salmon and Sea Trout Season Dates UK & Ireland
Articles:
Strict Controls on Salmon Fishing in Ireland See Rivers Closed for Fishing
Scottish Record Rod Caught Freshwater Fish
Weird Creatures Discovered in Scottish Loch
Deveron Days and Spey Day Tickets
Useful Fishing Facts to Know Before You Start to Fish in the UK.
Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill, the bill will soon be law, but does it do enough to address the issues of fish farming and Gs?
SANA Annual General Meeting, The SANA AGM was held on the 11th March 2007, presenting those in attendance with some ominous news.
Six Flies For the Highlands The only flies you need for fishing in the Highlands, they make a deadly combination
What to do When a Salmon Takes the Fly Part 1
What to do When a Salmon Takes the Fly Part 2
Cormorant, Why do Fisheries Have to Put up With Them?
Scottish Fisheries Board Salmon Catch Statistics, 1955 - 2004
Book Reviews
Angling News:
The Gyrodactylus salaris Threat
Go on, Go on, Go on, The Irish Drift Nets are Gone!
Features:
The Berwick Angling Association Beat on the Whiteadder at Allanton.
SANA, Scottish Anglers National Association
Fishing Reports:
Angling Rambles:
When Everything Goes Tickityboo!
Click a title below to go to a featured item or click Back Issues to go to the full list.
The Autumn Run on the Dulnain, Autumn 2003.
Catch and Release, Don't Play with your Food!
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Please note: the information displayed is gathered from a number of sources to save you time browsing the net, the information and prices are indicative of what was available when we searched for data. Please confirm details with the fishery before booking as Spinfish does not accept any liability for variations and changes to terms and conditions relating to any fishery listed.
Antrim | Armagh | Co Down | Lough Erne | Fermanagh | Foyle System | Londonderry | Melvin | Mourne | Neagh | Tyrone
Please note that like in England you are required to hold a Fisheries and Conservation Board (FCB) license if you are over 18 years of age when fishing in freshwater in Northern Ireland. The license is for each rod used and costs £15 per season and £7.50 for 14 days and £16.50 for 8 day and £8 for 3 day joint FCB / DCAL licences, the juvenile (under 19) license is £2.. The Department of Leisure and Culture (DCAL) control fishing on many waters in Northern Ireland and issue permits at £54.50 per season and £15 for 14 days for game fishing and £20.20 for course fish (2 rods). To see some of the waters DCAL permits give access to click above for Public Estates Angling Waters. This is a fantastic service provided by government, of all people, which gives access to some of the best fishing in Ulster, including the Foyle and Moure, for less than you would pay for a day on the Spey, luck of the Irish or what?
For essential background information about fishing in Scotland, England Ireland and Wales click HERE
For salmon and sea trout season dates click HERE
This must be the best bargain fishing in the country, I just wish it was available UK wide. The Department of Culture, Art and Leisure (DCAL) in Northern Ireland has the right to acquire fishing waters for its Public Estate, it currently has 64 fisheries. All you need is a DCAL Permit, £54. 50 per season and you can fish on any of the waters listed below. Where there are brown trout and rainbows the season is from 1st March to 31st October, where there are just rainbows the season is longer, generally 1st of February to 31st of December. The catch limit is 4 fish per day and fishing is usually allowed from 8am to 10pm, this permit even entitles you to fish for salmon on several rivers and loughs. Call 028 9025 8861 details about where you can buy permits or call 028 9025 8875 to buy or buy on line by following this link
Here is a sample of some of the fishing available;
Loughs
Altnahinich Reservoir near Ballymoney, 17.8 hectares at the head of the river Bush on peaty moor land. stocked with rainbow and brown trout to supplement the wild brown trout spopulation. Test netting recently found fish up to 10lbs were present, fly, spinning and worm allowed, bank only. Best flies small attractors, Bibio.
Dungonnell Lough near Ballymena, a 28 hectare reservoir on the upper reaches of the Clough river in open moor land offering fishing for wild brown trout to 5lbs. The rocky shore by the dam is recommended for some good sport.
Killylane Reservoir near Larne, 20 hectares in open moor land surrounded in a pine forest which offers good shelter. The banks are open with easy access and good casting room. Fishing is for wild brown trout supplemented with stocks of about 5,000 fish a year. Fly only, bank fishing only. Best flies Heather Moth, Black Pennell.
North Woodburn near Carrickfergus, 7 hectares set in woodland fishing for stocked rainbows with fly, spinning and worm allowed, bank fishing only, not suitable for wading though.
Lough Mourne near Carrickfergus, 50 hectares, fishing for brown trout, bank fishing only, fly spinner or worm fishing allowed. Fish average 1 to 2lbs which is pretty good. Caution is advised when wading. There is a good population of perch which might interest the course angler and will provide good sport for the fly angler when the fry are about in the later part of the summer.
Copeland near Carrickfergus, 9.7 hectares, a small very productive reservoir with good fly hatches holding rainbows and browns. Bank only (care when wading) fly spinning and worm allowed.
Lower South Woodburn near Carrickfergus, 9 hectares, bank only (take care when wading), fly, spinning and worm for rainbows and brown trout. Good fly hatches.
Middle South Woodburn near Carrickfergus, 25.9 hectares in woodland, fishing for rainbows and brown trout, fly only (except for disabled person).
Portavoe near Donaghadee, Bangor, 31 acres fly only for rainbows, bank fishing only. Stocked annually with about 6000 fish.
Lough Cowey, near Portaferry, 18.2 hectares. Holding salmon, brown and rainbow trout and pike the lough is managed by the Ards District Fly Fishing Club who let 10 day tickets to DCAL, call 02842729019 to book a ticket which allows you to take 2 trout or salmon, when you catch your limit you can continue to fish by buying a day ticket from the club. the fishery is open all year. Reconed to be a good match the hatch water which fishes best from a boat, Best flies are Irish traditionals and buzzers.
Stoneyford Reservoir near Lisburn, 65 hectares holding rainbows and brown trout. Fly, spinning and worm allowed, bank fishing only and stocked throughout the season. There are good hatches of caddis and in the early season lures and streamers do well.
Hillsborough Lake this 16 hectare lake is a popular picnic destination so fly fishers are asked to cast with care. Stocked with 5000 rainbows per year, fishing fly, spinner and worn bank only. Big population of hog louse which the trout feed on. Gold heads, buzzers and woolly worm are recommended.
Lough Money near Downpatrick, 21 .4 hectares holding rainbows (pike and perch). Fly spinning and worm allowed on this clear water spring fed lough where trout up to 3lb plus are regularly caught. The shores are rocky making for firm wading, the water is deeper and less weedy along the east bank.
Castlewellan Lakes 41.6 hectares holding brown and rainbow trout. Part of the Castlewellan Forest Park the are are a range of facilities including a cafe, caravan and camping and BBQ area. The loch is stocked with about 10000 fish a year and you can fish fly, spinner and worm. You can launch your own boat for a fee, a maximum of 10 boats are allowed with two anglers per boat and there are some boats for hire, call 0284 3778937 to book one.
Lough Brickland near Banbridge, 25 hectares holding rainbow and brown trout, stocked with about 3000 fish a year.
Rivers
Ballinamallard River Riversdale Stretch, 1.6k fishing for brown trout and salmon from July onwards. Flowing through woodland the stretch is very productive and has some good dry fly water.
Ballymoney River a short river of 3.4 k in length offering fishing from the junction with the river Bann up to Ballymoney town for brown trout with some salmon and sea trout in the lower reaches which are slow and deep. There is also a run of brown trout from the Bann during August to September which provides for interesting sport. You need an FCB game license as well as the DCAL permit.
Blackwater 2.5k of fishing right hand bank upstream of Blackwatertown bridge fishing fly,. spinner or worm for salmon, trout and dollaghan.
Bush DCAL have 4 beats on the river Bush for which day tickets are available although your DCAL permit does allow you to fish the upper river for free where the salmon fishing is reasonable from July onwards and the trout fishing is good all season.
The 4 beats are Dundarave, Leap, New Stretch, and Town Stretch. You can pay a supplement on the day ticket price if you do not have a DCAL permit and there are Full Day, Morning, Afternoon and Evening tickets available.
Prices are as shown for 2007:
New Stretch and Dunvarave costs, £10 (with DCAL Permit) £25.50 (without a DCAL permit) 1st March to 31st May and £13.50 and £34 for 1st June to 20 of October.
Town Stretch costs £14.50 and £36 March to May and £36 and £48 June to October
Leap costs £8.50 and £13.50 March to May and £25.50 and £34 June to October
Colebrook River 8 miles from Enniskillen, good trout fishing from the Lisnaskea Bridge upstream with the average trout being in the .75 to 1.5lb range. Plenty of fly life with an improving Mayfly hatch ensures that the Colebrook is a great fly fishing venue. When the big lough trout run bibios and butcher do well. Some of the river is covered by the DCAL permit while much of the rest is controlled by the local angling club. Permits for the club water from the Spar store in Maguiresbridge.
Margy, Carey and Glenshesk rivers near Ballycastle are managed by the Ballycastle Angling Club who issue 18 daily tickets free of charge to DCAL permit holder. The rivers are short, Margy is only 0.8 k long but is a renowned sea trout fishery with salmon late in the season. The Carey is 3.6k long and the Glenshesk is 5k long. The Margy is fy only from Bonamargy Bridge to the junction with the Carey. You will need a FCB game fishing license to fish here as well as your DCAL permit. Permits from Moyles Outdoor Angling and Leisure in Ballycastle.
River Laggan
Shaws Belfast, 1 k fishing for salmon and brown trout from Shaw's bridge to below Red Bridge. Good access for disabled anglers. Some good fly water with deep slow pools below the Red Bridge suited to spinning.
Inveagh 11.3 k of fishing for salmon and brown trout, fly only except for the stretch between Steps Bridge and Spencers Bridge where spinning and worm are allowed for the 1st of June. There is a limit of 6 trout here and no Sunday fishing allowed except on the Steps to Spencer Bridge stretch. Day tickets are on sale from Premier Angling in Donacloney, the PO in Lurgan and the Islanddery Trout Fishery in Dromore.
River Maine near Cullybacky, a short river of about 6.5k holding good brown trout averaging about 1lb with dollaghan to 5lb and salmon running up from loch Neagh in the late season. The season is from 1at April to 20th October. Permits are issued from the Bridge garage in Cullybacky and cost£4.50 with a limit if 18 issued each day, you need an FCB game fishing licence as well. Fishing is by fly, spinner and worm although spinning is not allowed from April to June and there is no Sunday fishing. The limit is 6 brown trout
River Mourne near Sion Mills, fishing for salmon, sea trout and brown trout. DCAL have made an arrangement with Sion Mills Ac to manage the this 6.4k stretch of water. This is top salmon water with fantastic runs of fish starting with springers in April and May with the main runs coming June onwards. Fish average 5 to 7 lbs with many double figure fish taken each year. A big water it recommended that you use a double handed rod 15', use chest waders and as the wading can be tough you should have a wading staff and flotation vest. Local shrimp fly patterns are best. Spinning and worming is allowed (no floats). The club issues 30 tickets per day to DCAL permit holders, there is a charge of £5 adults and £2.50 for juniors for insurance, permits from the Tourist Information Office in Strabane.
River Roe this stretch of about 2k is is spectacular with the river flowing through the Roe Valley Country Park streaming through forests and gorge. The fishing is for salmon averaging 15lbs, sea trout averaging 7lbs and brown trout. The fishing is with fly, spinner or worm and is best on a falling spate from June to October. Bright flies are recommended as are flies with a purple dressing. You will need a Foyle and Carlingford licence as well as your DCAL permit to fish here.
Roe Angling Association have 25 miles of fishing on the Roe which is not covered by the DCAL permit however they do issue 26 day ticket per day throughout the season except October which is restricted to members only. There is some first class fly water and spinning and worm are allowed. Trout are small but the sea trout average 1.5lbs and the salmon 7lbs. Best for sea trout in July and August and for salmon from August onwards. Tickets from SJ Mitchell & Co, Limavady, call 02877 722128.
Shimna River near Newcastle is jointly owned by the Shimna AC and DCAL who have a stretch of river in the Tollymore Forest Park. The fishing is for salmon and sea trout, the salmon arriving in August. There is a two fish limit for sea trout and anglers must cease to fish when the limit is reached, no Sunday fishing. Fly, spinner or worm is allowed. DCAL issue 6 tickets daily and a further 4 are available from the Shimna AC for their water.
River Doagh
Six Mile Water near Ballyclare, 10 miles of fishing on this small to medium sized stretch of the river covering source to the Droagh Road Bridge. The best of the brown trout fishing is in April to July with Dollaghan and some salmon from July onwards, September and October being best for the migratory species. The water is fly only below Ballyclare, spinning and worm allowed upstream of the town. Permits cost £3 per day with 4 fish limit, available from Duddy's newsagents and Main Street motor cycles in Ballyclare.
Straid Fishery near Ballyclare, includes a 32 acre lake a 2 acre pond and 1 acre bait pond which is great for the kids. Fishing is from bank and boat on the lake which is stocked with fish of 2 to 10lbs (the fishery record is 17lb 4ozs). A good dry fly water with plentiful hatches of buzzers and sedges. Call 028 9332 2434.
Tildarg
Fishery is a 16 acre
fishery near Ballyclare known for its stocks of big trout. The lake
is stocked regularly with fish of 3lb and there is a resident
population of wild breeding rainbows which is a bit special. Fishing
is from bank and boat with wheelyboats provided free of charge for
disabled anglers. The fishery has a range of good facilities for
when you need a break. Call 028 9334 0604.
Kiltybane Lake is stocked regularly with brown trout and rainbows, three fish limit, call Phil Nolan on 02830 868074.
Cashel (Upper and Lower) open March to October for brown trout, stocked regularly; Glendrummond club water stocked with brown trout and Carrigan can be fished with permits available from Gene Murphy, call 02830 888607.
Spegla Reservoir popular venue with plentiful trout, fly and spinner allowed. Dept of Agriculture permit required.
Corbet
Lough near Banbridge is a
28 hectare lough stocked mostly with rainbows although there are
some naturally breeding brownies. Fly and spinning is allowed with a
3 fish ticket per day. There is a wheelyboat available. Best flies
are Ace of Spades, Montana Viva in the early part of the season and
Hoppers and sedges from June onwards, GRHE works well at any
time.Permits cost £8 from The Anglers Rest in Katesbridge, call 028
4067 1515.
Danes Cast Fishery near Newry Co Down. 2 spring fed lakes stocked with steelhead crosses. Call 02830 821758 or 07973 632016.
Kernan
Lough near Banbridge in a
28 hectare lough open 1st April to 31st of October run by Gilford Ac
who stock the lough annually with fish of about 1lb which grow on
well producing fish to 6lb every year. Fly and spinner is allowed.
Best flies are Viva, Mallard and Claret and GRHE. The club has
installed good ramp access from the car park to platforms designed
to accommodate disabled anglers. Permits cost £10 per day for three
fish fom the Spar shop in Gilford, call 028 3883 1087.
Rivers
River Bann
The Upper Bann fish of about 16k is run by the Banbridge AC who issue 40 tickets per day for brown trout (4 fish) and salmon and dollaghan. Permits cost £4 per day for adults and £2 per day for under 18s from James Coburn and Sons in Banbridge, call 028 4066 2207.
River Laggan 14k of the upper reaches of the river r which is smallish at this point run by Drumore AC. The river holds a good head of brown trout up to about 1lb. Access is good with banks clear of the ubiquitous barbed wire. Fishing is fly only with worm allowed only on a few deep pools. Fly life is abundant. Permits from Jackie McCracken in Drumore, call 028 9269 3247 cost £4 per day for adults and £1 for under 18s.
Whitewater Killeel AC have the fishing on this river which has some small trout and occasional salmon but best known for its sea trout which average 3.5lbs. The best fishing is in September and October. Day ticket from Killeel Post Office cost £10 per day, call 02841 762225.
Knockbracken Trout Fishery near Enniskillen, 3 spring fed lakes totalling 2 hectares fishing all year for rainbows of 1.5 to 10lbs, call 028 6638 8545 for prices and further information.
Lough Corranny a small lough stocked annually with rainbows of takeable size. Fishing is bank only but fly, spinning and worm are allowed 4 fish limit. DCAL permit required.
Lough Erne, a large lough totalling over 15000 hectares made up of the Upper Lough to the east of Enniskillen and the Lower Lough flowing west to Billeck Lough Erne offers a mixed course and game fishery with quality trout especially in the Lower Lough where fish average in the 1.5 to 2lb range. The lower lough is shallow and 15 miles long offering an excellent environment of trout, there are a few salmon available. Salmon fishing is best near RoscorrBridge to Heron Island and across to the Garvey River.
Trout fishing from the bank can be good and DCAL have erected a number of stands around the loch to improve access. The trout are all wild brown trout although DCAL also stock the feeder streams each year with native trout. Fish of over 10lbs are caught regularly by trolling with Tasmanian Devils, Rapalas and silver spoons. Fly anglers will talke fish of from 1 lb to 5 lbs. There is a good Mayfly hatch wit Green Gosling Dabblers and Grey Wulffs recommended. For the main part Fiery browns, Extractors, Green Peters and bumbles are recommended march to June and August to September while olives are best in July as there is a prodigious hatch at this time.
All you need to fish here is your license and a DCAL permit. All legal methods are allowed although there are restrictions on the number of rods you can use when trolling. The bag limit is 6 trout per day and catch and release for salmon 1st march to 31st may with 2 fish allowed thereafter. Boats and ghillies can be hired all round the lough, call the Visitors Centre and Tourist Information Office on 02866 323110. For further information log on to www.erneangling.com or follow this link for ooddles of useful information http://www.fermanagh.gov.uk/pubuploads DCAL permit required.
Bellisle
Estate
offers fishing on Lough Erne for top
quality trout and fantastic course fishing with vast shoals of
roach, great slab sided bream and massive pike (one party of 4 had
70 pike up to 30lb in 2 days). B
ream
swims can be booked ensuring that you will find your chosen spot
free when you turn up next day. The fishing is free with the
appropriate license and the estate hire boats with outboards for
just £10 per day, they have a wheelyboat too. Call 028 6638 7231.
Mill Lough, Bellanaleck near Enniskillen, a 40 hectare lough stocked with rainbows and brown trout, fly only fishing from both the shore and boat, over wintered fish can reach 8 lbs. 4 fish limit. DCAL permit required. For boat hire call 028 6634 8313.
Navar Forrest offers fishing in bonny surroundings on three limestone loughs, Achork, Glencreanan and Meenameen (4, 19 and 18.6 hectares in size respectively) fishing for for wild brown trout, the loughs are stocked annually with 7000 rainbows and browns trout to supplement the wild fish fish stocks. Glencreanan is a fly only lough and boat fishing on all three loughs is also fly only, Achork and Meenemenn allow spinning and worm fishing. There are no boats for hire but you can launch your own boat. The best flies to use are olives, sedges and buzzers with some Mayfly hatching on lough Meenemeen. A DCAL permit is required.
White Lough near Aughnacloy, a 9.3 hectare fishery stocked with 3000 rainbows only, fish all year except January, fly, spinning and worm permitted (fly only from boats). Boat hire call 028 8778 9533. DCAL permit required.
Lough Melvin, is the other great Fermanagh lough which lies very close to the Donegal coast. Fishing here is a little complex because the border between Ulster and Eire runs through the lough with two thirds of the bank in the Republic. This means that to fish the whole loch you will need both an FCB license and a Northern Regional Fisheries Board license for the Southern Irish waters. Melvin offers unique fishing for several 'species' of trout: brown trout, ferox, sea trout and most interestingly, gillaroo and sonaghen, there are also salmon, sea trout, char, eels, perch and rudd. Gillaroo feed on fresh water mussels and are vividly spotted in red and orange, found along rocky shores they do feed on emerging fly life. Sonaghan are plankton feeders living on daphnia, in shoals often in deep water, growing to 0.5 to 1.5lbs. Both gillaroo and sonaghan will come to the fly. The lough is 7.5 miles long and up to two miles wide with the Drowes river acting as the out flow and the Tullymore, Roogagh, County, Ballagh and Glenaniff acting as inflows, a significant factor in the diversity of the trout which choose different locations in which to spawn thus eliminating competition. The west end of the lough is shallow with a maximum depth of 33 feet making it good trout water while the south east between Ross Point and Breffni Pier is up to 150 feet deep ideal for char and their predator the ferox. Permits are issued by the the Garrison and Lough Melvin AA and available from Melvin Angling Centre on 028 6865 8194, the Melvin bar, Riverside Bar and Brendan Feely's Confectionery shop. There is a 6 fish limit on the fishery for trout and a limit of 1 salmon 1st March to 31st May and 3 salmon 1st June to 30th of September..
Best flies Sooty and Golden Olives, Black Pennel, Bibios, Connemara Black, Peter Ross, Goslings, Green Peters, Mallard and Claret.
Foyle System
The Foyle system is truly massive comprising some 900 miles of waterways including the prolific river Mourne. The system is second to none being regarded as one of the best salmon fisheries in Europe. Prodigious catches in the tens of thousands of fish were taken by the nets and I wonder what the future holds for the Foyle now the drift nets are gone. Most of the fishing is done in the tributaries. You will need a Lough Agency of the Foyle and Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission licence to fish on the Foyle system issued by the Fisheries Conservation Board for Northern Ireland, call 02871 342100. Prices are Game License £16 per season, £8 for £14 days £3.50 for 3 days and £2 for under 18s. (course fishing licenses are £16 per season and £2 for under 18s).
River Derg
Ardstraw Angling Club have 3 miles double bank of the river Derg, a medium sized river which has a good stock of brown trout as well as very good runs of salmon and sea trout. The salmon and sea trout fishing is best after May and while the grilse and sea trout will run in most conditions the salmon fishing is best on a falling spate. Sea trout average about 1.5lbs, salmon about 8lbs and trout come in at about 12ozs. You can use fly, spinner or worm. The club issue 15 day tickets per day for the stretch from Ardstraw Bridge to Crewe bridge which cost £10 per day. Tickets from NM Fishing Tackle near Sion Mills, call 02881 659501 and Mourne Valley Fishing Tackle, Newtonstewart, call 02881 661543.
Castlederg AC have 20 miles of salmon sea trout and brown trout fishing from Border Bridge near Lough Derg to Sparmount. There is no limit to the number of tickets issued. Tickets are £15 per day or £20 for the week and can be bought from H Eirwin, Castlederg, call 02881 671050.
Dennet AC have 15 miles of fishing for salmon sea trout and brown trout on this medium sized river. Best known for its sea trout which peak in May and June it also fishes well for trout and grilse in a falling spate in June and July and gets a run of salmon averaging 15lbs from September. Tickets cost £5 per day from Roy Mcbrine in Donemara, call 02871 358024.
Glenelly & Owenkillew Rivers
The Glenelly and Owenkillew Fishing Association have beats on both of these medium sized rivers known for their salmon and sea trout. The brown trout are small, sea trout average about 1.25lbs and salmon average about 6lbs. The sea trout fishing is best June and July while grilse and salmon arrive from June onwards with the best fishing in August to October. There are several options for day tickets: David Campbell has 5 day ticket available on the Glenelly at £10pd and unlimited day ticket during the week and 5 at the week end for the Omagh Anglers water, call 02881 661543; CA Anderson & Co have unlimited permits Mon to Fri and at the weekend for the Omagh Anglers water, call 02882 624311; Gabriel Treanor has 6 day tickets for the Blakiston House water which extends to 1.5 left bank fishing on the Owenkillew at £10 per day call 02881 648543.
Abercorn Estate Fishing, the Mourne recorded over 16000 fish running the river in 2004 which is on a par with some of the great rivers. Abercorn Estate has 4 beats with 20 named pools including the famous Snaa pool. Call 028 81661683 for further details and bookings.
Sion Mills AC have a 6k stretch of the lower river from just above the tidal reaches of the river. Permits cost £15 per day for adults and £7 for juniors, which is a bargain for this highly productive river.
Ballinmallard a small trout river with occasional salmon flowing into Lough Erne. The trout average about half a pound but as the river is a nursery ground for the Lough Erne trout the fishing changes from August when the bigger fish from the lough run upstream to spawn. The river, all but 1.5 miles under the DCAL permit, is controlled by the Ballinmallard Angling Club who issue permits from the Spar store in Ballinmallard, call 028 6638 8136.
Blackwater, rising near Clogher and flowing into Lough Neagh, the Blackwater offers very good trout fishing as well as salmon and dollaghan. The tributaries also offer trout fishing with the Ballygawley river producing good trout to 1.5lbs and the Torrent providing a great chance at the dollaghan. Some of the water around Blackwatertown is covered by the DCAL permit but the rest of the river and tributaries as under the control of several clubs: Clogher to Favour Royal, Clogher & Dist AA, Famers Maxol garage, call 028 8554 8232; Favour Royal to Caledon, Aughnacloy & Dist AA, Salley's Filling Station, call 028 8555 7306; near Blackwatertown, Armagh Fisheries, GI Stores Armagh, call 028 3752 2355.
Faughan River the River Faughan Anglers Company lease the rights to 30 miles of the river and its tributaries, 2 miles of which are tidal stretches near Londonderry, call 01504 267781 for more information.
Binevenagh Lake a man made lake at the summit of Binevenagh Mountain stocked with brown trout. Permits from DCAL, call 028 902 58863
Cashel Lake near Dungiven is fed by water from the river Roe and stocked with rainbow trout to 12lbs. day tickets available for Fri, sat and Sun only cost £21 for 5 fish then C & R with barbless hooks, C & R £12, open 10am to dusk. call 028 777 42159.
Donnybrewer trout Fishery near Eglington stocked with fish from their own fish hatchery which assures anglers that they will be into quality trout averaging 2.7lbs. There is a tackleshop and tackle can be hired. Call 07754030009.
Moorbrook Lodge Trout Fishery near Castlerock consists of 5 lakes: The Cove which up to 10.5 feet deep (closed March to October because it hold brown trout) its about 1 acre in size stocked with brown to 9lbs and blue and rainbow trout to double figures; Island Lake, up to 18 feet deep, is stocked with blues, golden and rainbow trout to 20lbs; The Wee One is about 15ft deep and stocked with blues, golden and rainbow trout to double figures; The Meadows, 12 ft deep, gin clear, stocked with blues, golden and rainbows; Hawthorn, 20ft deep, holds blues and rainbows. All of the lakes hold perch and roach giving great sport to fry imitations in Autumn. The fishery opens all year except Christmas and New Year day, 10am to dusk or 11am. Permits cost from £10 for 4 hours catch and release to £25 for 5 fish followed by C & R. Call 028 708 49408.
Lough Neagh is the largest body of freshwater in the British Isles being 153 square miles in size. Legend has it that Finn McCool created the lough when in an argument with a rival Scottish giant he scooped up the land and threw it at the Jock. Missing his rival the land fell in the sea and became the Isle of Man and the hole formed filled with water to become Lough Neagh.
The loch have a vast array of fish including trout, ferox, powan, dollaghan, salmon and 'salmon trout' plus course fish, bream, rudd, roach, pike, perch. Amazingly there is little access to fishing on the lough which is exploited commercially by nets. Try www.differentfish.net who have what would appear to be the only permit to fish the lough with rod and line.
Lough Lee near Drumquin in the wilds of the mountains of Tyrone. A limestone lough with gin clear water producing an abundance of wild brown trout of about 1 lb with fish to 2 and trout taken regularly. Fishing is bank only, fly, spinner or bait. You will need an FCBNI license for the Foyle system to fish here along with your DCAL permit.
Omagh Fishing Club. Omagh Fishing club have a total of 29 miles of fishing on the rivers Drumragh, Canowen, Strule and Owenkillew. Trout average about 8ozs with the best fishing being on the Strule. These medium sized rivers are best known for their salmon and sea trout. There are some early fish however they are at their best from June with the best of the sea trout fishing on the Owenkillew in June and July. There is no limit on day tickets during the week but only 6 available at the weekend, tickets cost £12 per day and can be booked from David Campbell, call 02881 661543 and CA Anderson call 02882 624311.
If you do one thing this year you should learn to Spey cast with a single handed or double handed, it will change your angling life, for further information email Alistair Huskie at huskie@spinfish.co.uk
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