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15 perfect places to go fishing in Ireland
Catch the fish of a lifetime on a fishing holiday in Ireland.
Imagine sitting on your boat or standing by the shore, in the early morning light. All around is silence, interrupted only by the whistle of your line as you cast and the quiet plop of an elusive fish, rising to the surface nearby. Sit, ponder and wait for the perfect catch to arrive.

Start planning your trip to one of Ireland’s best fishing spots today.

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1Lough Inagh Fishery, Galway

Salmon weighing up to 25lb have been caught during the spring salmon fishing season at Lough Inagh in Galway. This glacial lake in Connemara is massively popular with anglers and boats are available to rent to bring you to the best fishing spots. Get your fishing rights from local fishing lodges in the Lough Inagh Valley and take a few days to explore this fantastic part of the world.

Golden hills reflecting on calm water at Lough Inagh, Galway
Surround yourself in tranquillity as you fish at Lough Inagh.
2Judd Ruane - Sea Trout, Mayo

Taking a life long passion and turning it into an incredible fishing tour company, Judd Ruane - Sea Trout Specialist brings excited fishers out on the waters of the famous River Moy estuary. Hop in a boat and go fishing in Mayo, this region is famed for its amazing sea trout fishing. Spend the night in Ballina and enjoy a tour of Connacht Whiskey Distillery and a meal in any of the great restaurants.

3Angling Services Ireland, Roscommon

Based in Boyle, Roscommon, Angling Services Ireland cater for all levels of fisher, from complete beginner to experienced angler. 

Operating on Lough Key, Lough Gara, Lough Arrow, and the Boyle River among others, you’ll go fly-fishing for pike – with a strict catch and release policy – or fishing from a float tube or belly boat. Enjoy a cooked lunch on the shore after a great morning’s fishing on the tranquil Irish waterways.

4Predator Fishing, Roscommon

Set off on a fishing adventure with the expert guides from Predator Fishing in Boyle and explore the waterways of Roscommon. Learn new fishing techniques on your trip and master fly fishing, spinning, trolling and jerk baiting. Book in for a tour or contact the team directly and let them organise your entire fishing holiday, all there's left for you to do is fish.

5Lough Gowna, Cavan

The sprawling Lough Gowna in Cavan is a must for anyone who loves pike fishing. Pike season runs year round here but the best time to visit is in late spring when the pike numbers are at their highest. Cast from any of the easily accessible spots along the shoreline, or rent a boat and explore every nook and cranny of this lake. Stop by the aptly named Pikers Lodge for a filling meal after a day out by the water.

Lough Gowna
Lough Gowna
6Annagh Lake, Cavan

Stocked with both rainbow and brown trout, Annagh Lake, close to the picturesque village of Butler’s Bridge and not far from the town of Belturbet, is one of Cavan’s best fishing spots. Annagh Lake is well known as a popular destination for anglers in the area, with an action packed season that runs from May to September.

7Coarse Angling, Cavan

With a lake for every day of the year, it comes as no surprise that fishing holidays in Cavan are always popular. Make your way to Cootehill, deep in the Cavan countryside and catch huge pike, trout and bream in any of the 26 stunning lakes within a short drive of the town centre. Find the perfect spot to fish along the edge of these amazing lakes - you'll feel like you have the whole place to yourself.

Coarse Angling Cootehill
8Lilliput Boat Hire, Westmeath

Plan a day of fishing or a great day out with the family with a boat rental from Lilliput Boat Hire on the scenic shores of Lough Ennell in Westmeath. The lake is renowned for its trout, pike and perch fishing, and you can rent rowing boats, or boats with outboard engines, to explore the stunning surrounds.

Get your fishing permits from Lilliput and enjoy fishing on one of the few lakes in Ireland with 100% wild fish. Lough Ennell is a great challenge for fishing enthusiasts and the whole family will enjoy a picnic on the banks of the lake with the catch of the day.

Lilliput Boat Hire
9Angling in Lough Boora, Offaly

Lough Boora Discovery Park, close to Tullamore in Offaly, has some excellent fishing lakes and is noted for being a great place to teach children how to fish. With plentiful stocks of adult tench, as well as roach, there is no closed season for angling here but the best angling experiences are had between April and October. Lough Boora is one of the Midlands’ most evocative places and is a real must-visit for people who love to fish.

10Laois Angling Centre

Laois is the place for truly exceptional game and coarse fishing, in four, large, spring-fed, lakes that are surrounded by incredible woodland and farmland. The Laois Angling Centre's lakes have large stocks of brown trout, rainbow trout, carp and bream. The surrounding area of Coolrain and the Slieve Bloom Mountains are popular places for hikers and young families to enjoy.

Laois Angling Centre
Laois Angling Centre
11Burkes Boat Hire, Clare

Corofin in Clare is known as the gateway to the Burren, and it’s surrounded by a renowned hinterland that includes the wonderful Lake Inchiquin, with species including brown trout, pike, rudd, perch and tench. Rent a boat from Burkes Boat Hire and explore the clear waters that are teeming with big fish. The hire shop also has a well-stocked tackle shop with all the angling information and maps you’ll need for a great day out on the water.

12Fishing on Lough Derg

Killaloe, between Nenagh and Limerick City, is the perfect place for a family holiday with great pubs, restaurants and scenery that’s full of adventure and great fishing. Lough Derg is the most southerly lake on the River Shannon and is widely populated with both pike and trout.

Teach your little ones how to select, set up, and operate a standard spinning fishing rod at Fishing for Kids. They’ll learn how to choose baits and pick the correct worms, as well as the best way to unhook fish and release them unharmed back to the water.


13 | Southern County Resort, Carlow

With three fabulous lakes full of rainbow and brown trout, salmon and carp, Southern County Resort is an ideal spot if you’re a beginner. The resort is close to Bagenalstown in Carlow and has an excellent café, beach volleyball court, picnic and barbecue areas and a playground for the kids.

Overlooked by Mount Leinster, this is the perfect getaway and the ideal place to coach children in the skills of fly fishing. For anyone who loves the quiet life, but also enjoys having plenty to see and do, Southern County Resort is a good choice.


14 | Kilmore Quay Shore Fishing, Wexford

Visit the Wexford coast and choose from renting a fishing charter or casting your rod from the shoreline. Stand on the pier at Kilmore Quay try to catch mullet and bass in the waters below. Wander over to a rock formation near the marina where sea trout are often found swimming.

Book a day out with a local charter and head off to the Saltee Islands for an unforgettable day of fishing. The water here is much deeper than at the coastline and you may even land one of the most unique catches in Ireland - a blue shark.


15 | Kenmare Fishing Tours, Kerry

Deep in County Kerry is Kenmare Fishing Tours, an ideal spot for keen anglers. It’s also perfect for those of you who want to learn the tricks and the techniques of salmon and trout fishing, with full and half day fishing trips for people of all ages and abilities. All fishing equipment is supplied, and the glistening lakes and calming rivers make this an idyllic getaway from city living.

Plan your next holiday and go fishing in Ireland

Ireland is an angler’s dream. The lakes are peaceful and calm yet brimming with fish all year round. Head over to our Things to Do page and find more inspiration for amazing things to do after your day by the water. 

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