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Lough Conn
The main run of spring fish enters Lough Conn from the end of March and continues right through April. The grilse run begins in May and continues into July. Some fish are taken on fly, generally by anglers fishing for trout, but the majority are taken by trolling baits. The most popular types of bait are Copper and Silver Spoons, Tobys and Devon Minnows. Even tube flies can be successful on occasions.
The salmon tend to confine themselves to well defined areas which are known to the local boatmen. The best known and most frequently fished locations are
- the northern end of the lough particularly the area around the mouth of the Deel River and
- Victoria Bay, Cuilkillew (Cornakillew), Massbrook and Castlehill Bay in the south-western and western areas of the lake.
The strait at Pontoon Bridge between Loughs Conn and Cullin was a favorite haunt for salmon anglers fishing from the shore with many salmon taken here on worms and baits. However in the intersts of conservation this a other parts of the lake are closed to salmon fishing. BYE-LAW NO. C.S. 302, 2009 provides for an extension to the annual close season for angling with rod and line in parts of Lough Conn, Lough Cullin and River Deel from 1 February to 31 May (both dates inclusive) in each of the years 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Map: Angling is prohibited during the period commencing 1 February and ending on 31 May in each of the years 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively, in that portion of Lough Conn and Lough Cullin defined as being south of a line drawn from a point in the townland of Cuingmore on the shore of Lough Conn indicated by a blue and white marker (referred to at point A on map 1), running in a south westerly direction to a point in the townland of Laughil on the shore of Lough Conn, indicated by a yellow and white marker (referred to at point B on map 1) and north of a line drawn from a point in the townland of Cuingmore on the shore of Lough Cullin, indicated by a green and white marker (referred to at point C on map 1) running in a south westerly direction to a point in the townland of Laughil on the shore of Lough Cullin, indicated by a red and white marker (referred to at point D on map 1),
Map: Angling is prohibited during the period commencing 1 February and ending on 31 May in each of the years 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively, in that portion of water from the westward face of the railway bridge that spans the outflowing river from Lough Cullin to the River Moy to east of a line drawn from a point in the townland of Corummin on the shore of Lough Cullin, indicated by a red and white marker (referred to at point A ), running in a south easterly direction to a point in the townland of Pollagh on the shore of Lough Cullin, indicated by a blue and white marker (referred to at point B).