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Glencar Lake and Drumcliff River
Glencar Lake
This lovely lough, south-east of Benbulben, is approximately 2 miles long by ½ mile wide. Situated in a deep valley to the north of the N16 Manorhamilton-Sligo road, 5 miles from Sligo, it has a spectacular waterfall at its north-east corner. The lough has a resident stock of small brown trout and gets a really good run of seatrout and a fair number of salmon, both spring fish and grilse. The average size of the seatrout is quite big – over 1½lb – and local anglers claim that the lough produces the largest average size of seatrout in the west of Ireland. The best trout taken in recent years weighed 6½lb and the best salmon was 22lb. The fish are very free-rising, especially when fresh, and favourite fly patterns are Cahill, Green Peter, Mayfly, Teal & Yellow, Daddy, Watson’s Fancy, Black Gnat and Bibio. The lough has a good hatch of mayfly, olives and sedges. Seatrout take the natural flies quite freely, and particularly well during the mayfly hatch. The southern shore is deep, the northern shore shallow and shelving. The latter shoreline, the western shore, and the eastern end of the lough are favourite fishing areas. This lough fishes best in a west or south-west wind. This lough, lying in the shadow of famed Benbulben, with its wooded shoreline, waterfall and islands at either end, is well worth a visit.
Drumcliff River
Season
Salmon: 1 February to 30 September
Seatrout: 1 February to 12 October
Brown trout: 15 February to 12 October