Salmon fishing in Ireland
As one of Europe’s top destinations for salmon fishing, Ireland offers you the chance to fish the rich waters of its rivers.
Enjoying this sport on an Irish trip is a real pleasure for all passionate anglers. During your stay in Ireland, discover the best fishing spots, cross superb landscapes, explore lakes and rivers by boat and fish for Atlantic salmon, a magnificent fish that remains the king of these waters!
Salmon: a must in Ireland
From river to river, lake to lake, Ireland’s waters are home to many fish. But the one that can’t be missed is, without a doubt, the salmon. A fierce competitor to Norwegian and Scottish salmon, Irish salmon has carved out an exceptional place for itself not only in Ireland, but in every corner of the globe. Renowned for its incredible quality, 100% Made in Ireland salmon is now exported all over the world!
If salmon is such a must in Ireland, it’s first and foremost because it’s found in large quantities in the rivers, particularly in Connemara. In Lough Corrib, just outside County Galway, wild salmon come in all shapes and sizes. This river is the ideal place to fish for salmon, while enjoying the enchanting scenery!
Salmon made in Ireland also means salmon with a strong smoked flavour! Ireland is home to a large number of smoke houses. The most famous are the Connemara Smokehouse and the Burren Smokehouse. They offer salmon smoked the old-fashioned way, in oak-fired smokehouses. An explosion of flavour on the palate!
Our Great Irish trips
Highlights of Ireland Tour
Historic Northern Ireland Tour
The Grand tour of Ireland
Where to go salmon fishing in Ireland?
Whether it’s sea, lake or river fishing, Ireland is the ideal place to try your hand at it. If you’re a salmon enthusiast, there’s nothing like trying your hand at fishing in Connemara. In the waters of its rivers and lakes, Connemara is home to a multitude of salmon, but not only! Trout, pike and sea bass are also to be found.
County Leitrim will also delight salmon anglers. The region boasts some of the best fishing spots in the country. County Leitrim is home to one of the best rivers in the North West of Ireland for salmon fishing: the River Moy. It’s an angler’s paradise, so if you’re a keen salmon angler, it’s up to you! The county is also renowned among trout anglers, with its 7km Gillaroo trout course.
In County Monaghan, you’ll find a number of rivers and lakes teeming with trout, pike and, above all, salmon. Just an hour north of Dublin, Monaghan is an authentic county, steeped in local folklore. The River Fane is a splendid fishing spot. Ideal for casting your bait!
River fishing in Ireland
Our favourite spot for river fishing remains Ballysadare, one of the three best rivers in Ireland for salmon fishing (over 2,000 fish caught per year). Along with the Drowes, further north, these are the two most productive rivers in the region. The Easky River is also a must for salmon anglers.
Fishing in Ireland’s lakes
As you will have gathered, salmon are not the only fish to be found at the bottom of Ireland’s rivers and lakes. The loughs are also home to many species of trout, pike, carp, bass and many others. Like salmon, trout, pike and sea bass are all fish that can be caught. For salmon anglers, Melvin and Gill lakes are a must. So grab your fishing rods!
Sea fishing in Ireland
For the ultimate fishing experience, why not try your hand at sea fishing? During a boat trip, you can try catch & eat, which involves learning how to cook what you’ve caught for lunch. It’s the promise of a unique experience, and a (very) fresh and tasty meal! This experience is available on request in Donegal and Northern Ireland.
Practical information: we do not offer exclusive fishing holidays. However, it is entirely possible for us to organise a day or half-day fishing trip for you during your tour of Ireland.
Equipment and regulations for salmon fishing
Whether you buy or hire, salmon fishing requires special equipment! Bait fishing equipment… In spring, when the water tends to be high, you need artificial bait, authorised under the new salmon conservation regulations, or silks. These two types of bait will enable you to catch fish weighing between 5 and 7.5 kg. Spoons, on the other hand, can be used to hook fish with a wingspan of up to three metres! Silks can also be used in shallower waters for salmon fishing, all season long.
Advice on equipment depending on the type of fishing
Worm fishing: a toc rod fitted with a 25/oo reel will do the trick if you want to fish on a natural drift. Otherwise, use a set rod.
Fly fishing: 9-foot rod, 4/5 floating line. Fly colours: yellow, black. Very good choice of flies on site adapted to each season.
Lure fishing: 2.70 m rod, 30/oo nylon. Red, yellow and black quimperloise give very good results, as do TOBY-type wobbling spoons.
Ultralight fishing: ultralight rod for trout; 1m80 or 2m10 – line 16 to 20/oo. We recommend using 20/oo when the greys are rising, with n°2 mepps or vibrax spoons. Swimming fish such as Lucky Craft or Illex.