Coarse Fishing

Ireland has probably the most lightly fished water in Europe, and there is no closed season enabling fishing to continue all year long. From secluded ponds to the great loughs and fast flowing rivers to tranquil canal stretches, Ireland offers a whole range of wild coarse fisheries. 

Irish inland waters have retained their quality in a countryside that is still primarily agricultural. With so much space, the angler often has a water, or a large part of it, to himself. It is a common experience to find yourself in a corner of an Irish lake, with not another angler in sight. 

• Ireland’s most famous rivers and lakes in the Shannon, Erne and Lower Bann catchments are abundant in fish and offer picturesque locations where large catches of over 50kg are regularly made. Movanagher Canal, Portna Canal and Lough Beg are excellent opportunities for coarse angling available along the Lower River Bann.      

• It will be worth your while seeking out some of the country’s major lakes, such as Lough Ree, Lough Derg, Lough Ramor, Inniscara,  Lake, Upper and Lower Lough Erne, and the astonishing array of tributaries, rivers and branch waters that surround them.         

• For match anglers, you'll find festivals at Portumna, Ballinasloe, Edenderry, Prosperous, Carrick-on-Shannon and Cavan to name just a few.         

• In Northern Ireland, try Upper and Lower Lough Erne for bream and the Fairy Water in Tyrone for roach.        

• The specialist angler should visit the Royal Canal at Mullingar for specimen tench and carp, the River Barrow for specimen perch, and the Lower Bann for specimen bream and roach x bream hybrids.         

• Killykeen in the Lough Oughter complex, Hope Castle at Lough Muckno and Lustybeg on Lower Lough Erne offer fishing and recreational facilities for the whole family