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    Trout fishing in the west

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    The quality of game angling in the west of Ireland is quite exceptional. Visitors fishing for salmon and trout in a natural, undisturbed habitat will enjoy a unique experience. The west is justifiably famous for its stocks of wild brown trout. The superb limestone wild brown trout lakes of Corrib, Mask and Carra provide a quality of game fishing hard to equal anywhere in Europe.

    Lough Corrib

    Galway, Moycullen, Oughterard, Headford, Co. Galway and Cong, Co. Mayo

    Very good trout fishing with good duckfly, mayfly, olives and sedge fishing. Free fishing with a big network of boat hire and angling guides available at all centres around this very large lake (44,000 acres; 17,820 hectares).

    The season runs from 15th of February until 30th of September. Fishing is good throughout the season with July and August the two quietest months with some hatches of sedges in the late evening. All legitimate angling methods allowed.

    More about Lough Corrib.

    Lough Mask

    Ballinrobe, Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo and Clonbur, Co. Galway

    Very good trout fishing with good duckfly, mayfly, olives and sedge fishing. Free fishing with a big network of boat hire and angling guides available at all centres around the lake. Anglers who have not fished the lake should hire an angling guide or boatman as this lake can be dangerous with lots of hidden rocks and reefs doted around this big open lake (22,000 acres; 8,910 hectares) . Anglers should also seek an updated weather report before venturing out on the lake. Every August Bank holiday (first Monday in August), the famous World Cup competition is run over five days. The season runs from 15th of February until 30th of September. Fishing is good throughout the season with July the quietest month with some hatches of sedges in the late evening. All legitimate angling methods allowed.

    More about Lough Mask.

    Lough Carra, Co. Mayo

    Ballinrobe, Partry, Co. Mayo

    Good trout fishing, mayfly, olives and late evening buzzer and sedge fishing. Free fishing with a big network of boat hire and angling guides available at all centres around this big lake (4,000 acres; 1,620 hectares) .

    The season runs from 1st of March until 30th of September. Fishing is usually best from April until the end of the season depending on weather and hatches of flies. All legitimate angling methods allowed.

    More about Lough Carra.

    River Clare

    Tuam, Claregalway, Galway City, Co. Galway

    Very good trout fishing on this medium sized river on various club and Fisheries Board stretches. Good fishing throughout the season with good hatches of various olives, spinners and sedges. A permit is required to fish all stretches. The season runs from 1st of March until 30th of September and the best period is April until June and September.

    More about the River Clare.

    WILD BROWN TROUT REGULATIONS FOR THE CORRIB CATCHMENT

    The following regulations apply to the Corrib Catchment, which includes Lough Corrib, Lough Mask, Lough Carra, Lough Nafooey, and all lakes and rivers connected to these lakes, including the Clare, Robe, Cong River and Canal, Finny, Owenriff, Keel, Owenbrin, Joyce’s, Bealnabrack and Cornamona Rivers.

    These regulations were introduced following consultation with anglers, and are designed to influence attitudes and to improve conservation of the wild trout stocks in the catchment. It should be noted that these are maximum allowable figures. Anglers should be respectful of their quarry and only keep the fish that they need. All anglers should be aware of the regulations relating to where they are fishing.

    Bag Limit

    • There is a bag limit of 4 trout per angler per day.
    • This bag limit may only include one (1) trout over 4.54kg (10lbs) per day.

    Size Limit

    • Anglers may only retain trout over 33cm (13 inches) in length measured from the snout to the fork of the tail. All trout under this size must be released.

    Rod Limit

    • An angler cannot use more than one (1) rod at any time when flyfishing or dapping, and not more than 4 flies when flyfishing or trolling flies.
    • An angler cannot use more than two (2) rods at any time when bait fishing, spinning or trolling, from either the bank or a boat.
    • No more than three (3) rods in total can be used when bait fishing, spinning or trolling in any boat at any time by two (2) or more anglers.

    Cong River and Canal

    • Trout: 17 March to 31 August
    • Salmon: 15 February to 31 August

    Finney River

    • Trout: 1 March to 31 August

    Maam River (incl. Bealnabrack, Joyce’s and Failmore Rivers)

    • Flyfishing only from 1 September to 30 September

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