Home RIVER LEANNAN

    RIVER LEANNAN

    5773

    The brown trout season runs from February 15th to September 30th inclusive.

    • Use of any fish hooks, other than single or double barbless hooks is prohibited.
    • Catch and Release for sea trout (and salmon) in 2022
    • The salmon season runs from 1st January to September 30th inclusive.
    • The Sea Trout Season runs from 1st January to 30th September inclusive.

    The fishery comprises the River Lennon, Lough Fern and Lough Gartan. The Leannan is a 30-mile long river, flowing from the heart of the Glendowan Mountains to lough Swilly at Rathmelton.

    The River Lennon below Lough Fern contains numerous brown trout and these run to fair proportions with fish of up to 5lb caught and good numbers of 3lb fish recorded each season, often on dry flies. The river between Lough Gartan and Lough Fern also contains numerous brown trout though it seems not so many of these attain the size of the fish below Fern.

    Note: The section of the River Lennon downstream of the Drummonahan Bridge (Watt’s Pool) is privately owned

    Lough Fern is a very productive trout fishery with brownies around 1lb and 2lb fairly common and trout of 5lb plus are caught on occasion. It is a shallow lough of 447 acres. The western shore is the preferred area for bank fishing but the lough is best fished from a boat. Recommended flies are the Mallard & Claret, Connemara Black, Black Pennell, Wickham’s Fancy, Bibio and sedge patterns. Sport can be good throughout the season and especially in the spring when buzzers are hatching.

    Lough Gartan is a fairly large lough measuring 506 acres and is good brown trout fishery being home to a large resident population of free rising brown trout averaging between ¼ and ½ lbs. While there is no jetty as such, it is fairly easy to launch a boat.

    Season

    • The salmon and sea trout season runs from January 1st to September 30th inclusive.
    • The brown trout season runs from February 15th to September 30th inclusive.

    Permits/Licences

    There are no permit requirements at present for the Lennon upstream of the Rathmelton Fishery Company stretch but Watt’s Pool is a private fishery and permission should be sought locally. A day permit is required for Lough Fern.

    Boat Hire – Lough Fern.

    Boats can be hired from:

    Letterkenny & District Anglers at €20 per day. Contact:

    • Spar Shop, Kilmacrennan, Co. Donegal.
      Tel:  074 9139322
    • Gavin Duffy (Letterkenny & District Anglers Ass.)
      Tel: 086 3899810

    Kenneth Bradley at €20 per day. Contact:

    • Kenneth Bradley, Moyle, Milford, Co. Donegal.
      Tel: 074 9153736. Mobile: 086 8384882.