Ireland is a fisherman’s (or fisherwoman’s) paradise. Blessed with a mild climate and diverse waters, Ireland attracts a wide variety of fishing aficionados of all skill levels from near and far. In fresh water lakes and rivers you’ll find carp, trout, salmon, char and pike. In the salty waters of the sea flounder, bass, ray, turbot, pollack, cod, skate and shark among other species can be found. The best places to fish in Ireland depend on what type of fishing you want to do. Here are some you should consider:

Coarse fishing
Fishing for freshwater fish other than game fish. The best places for this type of fishing are in rivers and lakes in the Shannon and Erne systems. Clare Lakelands and the River Bann are also popular spots though somewhat smaller. Lough Neagh, Muckno and Ballyhoe Lake are also good coarse fishing locations. Coarse fishing is free in most places throughout Ireland.

Game fishing
Fishing for sport, most commonly salmon and trout. There are many places for anglers to try their hand at game fishing in Ireland. Salmon are plentiful in the Drowes, Foyle, Munster Blackwater, Laune, Erriff, Moy, and Finn river systems. Trout fishing is common in the Lough Inagh, the River Bandon, the River Boyne, the Moy and Erne Estuaries and Lough Currane. Fly fishing is the most common method of catching game fish in Ireland.

Pike fishing
Fishing season for pike in Ireland is year round and pike fishing has become very popular around the country. The big lakes, called Loughs in Ireland, boast large numbers of pike. These include Erne, Derravarragh, Ree and Derg. The rivers Shannon, Erne, Suck, Barrow, Inny and Bann are also excellent spots for pike fishing.

Sea fishing
The seas that surround the Emerald Isle offer a diverse variety of saltwater fish for sea anglers to catch. A number of port towns offer charter vessels to fish the deeper waters including Kilmore Quay, Cork Harbour, Kinsale, Westport, Portrush, Portstewart and Ballycastle. Some towns cater specifically to fishing sunken wrecks including Courtmacsherry, Schull, Castletownbere, Downings and Culdaff. Those looking to fish close to the shore should visit the south west peninsulas of Beara, Iveragh and Dingle.

Steven Forsyth – Celtic Rings Ltd