The
salmon-fishing season opens on 1 February and
the trout season on 15 February, and both end
on 30 September. There is a statutory 12-inch
size limit for trout.
To help the angler find the best fishing
grounds, the following is a guided tour of
the lough, starting first at the mouth of
the Maam River and coming south along the
western shore and its islands.
Maam River to Fallomer River: Salmon lie
close to the shore, but this is an area that
is not often fished for trout.
Fallomer River to Conor’s Point: Holds
a good stock of trout. Has a mayfly hatch
and can be fished out approximately 500 yards
off shore around the mouth of the river. Salmon
lie close to the shore and on the shallows.
There are dangerous underwater rocks in this
area and they extend approximately 400 yards
west of the river mouth.
Conor’s Point to Curraun Point: Good
salmon lie close to shoreline.
Seanavach Point to Seanavach Islands: Fair
trout grounds off Seanavach Point and all
around the islands. Good salmon ground.
Sullivan’s Point – Charlie's
Shallows – Bob’s Island –
Lydon’s Point: There are very good trout-fishing
shallows all over this area for approximately
½ mile off shore. From Sullivan’s
Point to Lydon’s Point is known as the
Glann Shore and is a favourite salmon lie.
The most prolific salmon grounds are from
Lydon’s Point to Glann church. Bob’s
Island is good all around for trout for approximately
50 yards off the shore. This area fishes best
in a west wind and it has excellent mayfly
hatch.
Bay east off Lydon’s Point: Good trout
and salmon grounds with the shallows stretching
approximately 100 yards off shore.
Rinnerroon Point to Lydon’s Point:
The shallow which runs north from Rinnerroon
Point for approximately 100 years off shore
past the Red Brick House is very good trout
water. Very good mayfly and olive hatch. Good
salmon lie close to shore.
Rinnerroon Bay: This bay gives very good
trout fishing in all seasons. It has excellent
hatches of duckfly, olives and mayfly. The
extensive shallows extend well out to the
Snadaun Islands and there is a very good shallow
running from Rinnerroon point almost to Brickeen
Island.
Cannaver Island; there is good drift from
Rinnerroon Point to Cannaver Island during
the mayfly hatch. Wet-fly fishing is limited
around Cannaver and Brickeen Islands. Best
suited to trolling.
The Snadaun Islands: Surrounded by shallows.
Exceptionally good trout fishing to wet fly,
mayfly or dapped grasshopper or daddy. There
is one very long shallow, which runs from
the most south-westerly island towards Brickeen
Island.
Annaghbeg Point: The trout fishing extends
from the Point north-west along the shore
and there is a good shallow approximately
30 yards off shore and parallel to shore.
This area is best fished in a north wind.
Fishes well in April and has a very good mayfly
hatch and some olives. There is also a long
shallow extending from the point for approximately
500 yards towards the Snadaun Islands. There
is a good salmon lie at the point. There are
dangerous rocks underwater, which extend well
out.
Kitteen’s bay: This bay consistently
gives good trout fishing from late March onwards.
Has an excellent duckfly hatch, also mayflies
and olive. Some spent-Gnat fishing may also
be obtained here in the mayfly season. This
bay may be fished along either shore or across
the middle.
Park Point: very good wet-fly and mayfly
fishing for trout. Good salmon lie. Dangerous
underwater rocks extend 50 yards off shore.
Illaundabreach: There is good wet-fly fishing
for trout all around this island and also
at the shallows Above and Shallow Below. Dapping
the mayfly, grasshopper or daddy can be very
successful here.
Currarevagh Bay – Moon’s Bay:
Extensive trout-fishing shallows all along
the shore and there is also a good drift from
Currarevagh Point to Glann Wood Point in a
north-west wind. There are some hatches of
duckfly and good hatches of mayfly and olives.
It also offers Spent-Gnat fishing at mayfly
time. Salmon lie along the shore and a noted
hot spot for salmon to the fly is at the mouth
of the Currarevagh River in Moon’s Bay.
The same area holds larger than average trout.
Glann Wood Point: There is good wet-fly fishing
for trout for 400 yards off the point and
over the extensive shallows north-westwards.
Particularly good area for mayfly dapping.
Salmon can be taken on the fly as well as
on the troll. It is possible, with great care,
to bring a boat between the rocks and the
north-west shore of Glann Wood.
Glynn’s Bay and Back of Foorannagh:
This is an extensive bay with an island in
the middle. Good trout fishing from March
onwards. Good mayfly hatches and olives with
Spent-Gnat fishing on suitable evenings. It
is not possible to navigate between the island
and the shore except in very high water add
there is a dangerous underwater rock 25 yards
off shore opposite Glynn’s house.
Island off the Wood: Best suited to trolling
for trout in springtime.
Derrymoyle River to Foorannagh Point to Sandy
Island: Best fished in a west or east wind.
The fishing ground extends out to and around
Sandy Island and 150 yards east of it. Good
all season with duckfly hatch around Cormorant
Rock and mayfly all over. It is possible,
with care, to navigate between Cormorant Rock
and the shore.
Barrusheen Shore: Can best be fly fished
with a north or south wind. Wet fly from April.
Very good mayfly dapping over wide area of
the bay. There is very good trolling for salmon
close to the shore and salmon can be taken
here on the fly.
Roeillaun: There is good fishing all around
the shore but the fishing is best along the
wet and south shore. Good mayfly hatch.
The Shallows off the Island: These shallows
extend between Roeillaun and Inishdawee and
back west for approximately 200 yards past
Scoth Point. Prime duckfly fishing in March
– April. Good mayfly dapping. Excellent
for salmon.
Inishdawee: The best fishing at Inishdawee
is west to east along the northern shore and
200 yards approximately out past eastern point
of the island. Good hatches of duckfly and
mayfly. Salmon can also be taken on the fly
or by trolling in this area and also in the
gap between Scoth Point and the island especially
in a strong north-west wind.
Creeve Bay: Fishes best in a strong west
wind due to its sheltered position. It has
olives and a good mayfly hatch and fishes
well to the dapped grasshopper and daddy as
the season progresses. Fishes well to wet
flies in September. The mouth of the bay between
the point of Inishdawee and out beyond the
point of Creeve Island fishes very well for
salmon in June.
Oughterard Bay: This is a large bay with
extensive fishing shallows stretching two-thirds
of the way to Inishanboe Island. It gives
excellent trout fishing to wet flies, mayfly
and dapping the grasshopper and daddy. Salmon
lie all over the bay and can be taken on trolled
baits from the end of May though June and
early in July. It has numerous dangerous underwater
rocks, many of which are marked by iron bars.
Carbry Island: Good trout shallows run from
east to west on each side of the island. There
is a mayfly hatch. The channel between this
island and Malachy’s Island holds pike.
Annaghcloon Point: The fishing grounds off
this point run in an east-west direction and
very long drifts may be taken in a suitable
wind from this point up to and beyond Carbry
Island. It offers excellent wet-fly and mayfly
fishing. Salmon lie on the point.
Bog Bay: This is an excellent bay for trout
and salmon in season. It is very difficult
to fish because of the numerous shoals of
dangerous underwater rocks.
Portacarron Bay: Unlike Bog Bay, this is
a very safe fishing area. There are some dangerous
rocks close to the shore but the remainder
of the bay has a sand bottom stretching almost
half the way to Inishcash. A sand bar runs
from off Portacarron Point to Lee’s
Point. It has a mayfly hatch and trout fishing
can be very good right through to the end
of the season, both along the shore and on
either side of the sand bar. Salmon lie on
the sand bar and on a line from the big rock
inside Lee’s Point as far as Malachy’s
Island.
Malachy’s Island: Fishes well for trout
all round but best on west and south-west
shores where there are some dangerous underwater
rocks.
Inishcash: good wet-fly fishing all round
and there is a duckfly hatch on the eastern
shore. The area south-east on Inishcash is
a noted pike-holding area.
Lee’s Point: Good for trout and an
excellent Salmon lie.
Lee’s Point to Inishgaraun: Wet-fly
fishing close in to shore. Drifts farther
off shore give good results to dapped flies.
There is a good salmon Lie from the western
point of Inishgaraun to Lee’s boat quay.
Corrib View Bay (George’s Bay): Bream
shoal here in May and June. No trout or salmon.
Very narrow entrance from main lough –
shallow and difficult to navigate.
Inishgaraun: Mainly wet-fly fishing for trout
along shore with dapping productive off north-west
shore. The channel between the island and
the mainland is navigable only at high water.
The shallow off the eastern point of Inishgaraun
is very light and should be given a wide berth
– at least 150 yards – with an
outboard.
Inishgaraun to Molly’s Rock: Good wet-fly
fishing for trout south-east past Ard Point.
Mayfly hatch.
The Long Shallow: This extensive shallow
lies about ½ mile north-east of Inishgaraun
and extends for approximately 1 mile in a
north-westerly direction. It offers good wet-fly
fishing, is productive to the dap at mayfly
time and also to the grasshopper and daddy.
It is a good trolling area in spring time.
Local fishermen sometimes refer to it as ‘The
Pig’s Shallow’.
Inchagoill and the islands to the south-east
of same:
Inchagoill: This island and its neighbouring
island, Inishannagh, can be fished on all
sides. It has a good mayfly hatch. From the
point of Burr westwards along the northern
shore and southwards to The Doe, with its
two rocks – one marked by a red bar,
there is a sandy bottom and the sand continues
eastwards from the Doe to Kinneavy’s
Bay. A narrow shallow, which is worth fishing
in a suitable wind runs southwards from Dinneavy’s
Bay to Ilaundalaur. The shallows at Ishanagh
extend over 200 yards in an east – north-east
direction.
Islaunalaur: Good wet-fly fishing on all
sides and wet-fly and dapping on shallow to
Inchagoill. Has a mayfly hatch.
Morgan’s Island: Good wet-fly and dapping
especially on rocky western shore. Has mayfly
hatch.
Illaunacloch: May be fished all round but
the best drift is over the shallows on the
south-west shore for approximately 150 yards
off shore. Good wet-fly fishing. Dapping can
be very productive.
Bilberry Shallow: This shallow begins approximately
1,000 yards north of Bilberry Island and extends
to a red stake and for approximately 100 yards
around the stake. The fishing is most productive
if the drop-off around the shallow is trolled.
Bilberry Island: The fishing is best along
the northern shore. Fish wet-fly close in
and dap in mayfly season.
Urkaunmore: Extensive shallow on northern
shore. Fish close to shore on western, southern
and eastern shores. Good dapping area. Troll
on drop-off.
Bronteen Islands: This is a group of three
islands. Good wet-fly and dapping area and
the fishing shallows extend for approximately
600 yards to the north-east.
Inishanboe: The north-western shore and back
by south-western point are the most productive
fishing grounds. Very good mayfly hatch.
Urkaunbeg – Cussafuara – Inishool:
The waters around these islands offer very
good trout fishing, both to wet-flies and
dapping. An extensive shallow runs westwards
from the islands to within approximately 500
yards of Inishanboe. The whole area has a
good mayfly hatch. This area should be navigated
with great care as rocks come close to the
surface in some places and there is only one
narrow boat passage between Inishool and Cussafuara.
This passage is closest to Inishool.
Maam River to Doorus to Scallop Island:
Castlekirk – Clagan Point – Drumsnauv
Bay – Doon Wood: Good trout fishing
close to shore in north-west or south-east
wind.
Corker Bay: The bay can give excellent trout
fishing especially during the mayfly season.
It is best fished around the islands and out
along the northern shore to Farnaught Point.
This shore and point are also excellent salmon
lies. Dapping is considered the most successful
method of fishing this bay. There are dangerous
underwater rocks off Farnaught point, south
of Conor’s Island and off the point
to Doon Wood.
Farnaught Bay: This area includes the water
between Farnaught Point and White Goat Island.
Excellent trout water with numerous shallows.
Good hatches of duckfly, olives, mayfly and
sedges. It can be fished in all winds and
is equally good for wet fly or dapping. The
deep water east of the islands can also be
dapped towards Tootoge Islands.
White Goat Island – Hut Bay: Excellent
trout water. Good mayfly catch. Fishes best
in a west wind to wet flies or dapped mayfly,
daddy or grasshopper.
Hut Bay: Probably the best salmon lie in
the lough. Trolling baits is the most successful
angling method.
Hut Bay to Cassidy’s Point: Excellent
for salmon along the shore but not so good
for trout.
Cassidy’s Point – Schoolhouse
Bay – The Caol: Excellent trout water
with good mayfly hatch. Schoolhouse bay to
Cassidy’s Point is excellent salmon
water. The Caol holds large trout and is a
very good wet-fly and dapping water, especially
in a strong west wind.
Illaunrua – Carraig Na gCallaigh –
Black Rocks: Excellent trout water with a
prolific mayfly hatch and good hatches of
olives and duckfly. Trout respond well to
all fishing methods in this area.
Doorus Bay: This area offers very good trout
fishing in any wind, down to Cnoc Mor Shallow.
It has a good duckfly and excellent mayfly
hatch, especially inside Roeillaun. The Cnoc
Mor Shallow fishes especially well in a south-west
wind.
Roeillaun – Cornamona River: This northern
shore of Doorus is all excellent trout grounds,
both along the shore and around and between
the islands. It has all types of fly hatches
in season and Cassidy’s Bay can be especially
good from early in the season.
Roeillaun to Bartragh Rock: Excellent trout
drift in all seasons.
Kelly’s Island to Needle Islands: Excellent
trout drift.
Cinlush to Rusheen and all the Islands east
to Smith Island: This is all excellent trout
water with good fly hatches in all seasons.
Finillaun to Cornamona River Mouth: Good
water for both trout and salmon.
Cassidy’s Bay via Vinlush to Black
Rocks to Carrigeen Doree: Excellent trout
water and fishes well in all winds.
Cornamona River – Curry Point –
Gibbon’s Bay: Excellent trout fishing
grounds with a good mayfly hatch and also
a very good salmon lie.
Carrick Shore: This is the shoreline from
Gibbon’s Bay to Caol park. It is all
fished close to the shore with the exception
of the drifts, which run out to Illaunacric.
It is very good trout water and excellent
for salmon.
Shallows off the Needles: The extensive shallows
run from the Needle Islands to with 300 yards
of Creenillaun. It is an excellent trout-holding
area but seldom fished. It is especially worth
fishing in a north-west or south-east wind.
Inishdawee Shallows, Booey and Booeybeg:
All very good trout water, both over the shallows
an around the islands.
Ashford Bay to Golden Bay: The trout fishing
here is mainly along the shoreline and around
the islands. It is also a good trolling area
for salmon.
Golden Bay to Coal Park: Excellent salmon
and some trout lie along the shore.
Scallop Island: Good for trout along the
shore especially towards end of mayfly season.
Creenillaun, Ardillaun, Coad, Conor’s
Island, Sheegan: Same as Scallop Island.
Carraghmore Point to Ashford Bay, Cong:
Inchiquin Bay: Excellent wet-fly and dapping
area with a very good stock of trout. It is
relatively shallow all over with some dangerous
underwater rock. It has good hatches of all
types of fly life. It fishes well through
the season and is especially good March, April,
May and September. It is possible to drive
and outboard motor through the gap in The
Causeway into Greenfields Bay.
Back of Inchiquin Island to Tanai Island:
The fishing grounds stretch from the red streamer
marker on the south-western point of Inchiquin
Island all along the north-western shore of
the island to the northern point of Tanai
Island and beyond. This very extensive area
holds an excellent trout stock and some salmon.
It fishes well throughout the season and has
good duckfly, mayfly, olive and sedge hatches.
Curryskahan Island and the islands north-eastwards
to Shannawan Point, Ballycurrin Bay and Greenfields
Bay: This large expanse of water holds and
excellent stock of trout. It can all be fished
with wet-fly or dap, with the exception of
the middle of Ballycurrin Bay, which is considered
to be too deep, with a maximum depth of 20
feet. The best fishing is obtained along the
shores of the islands and over the shallows.
It has good hatches of all types of fly common
to Corrib, it has exceptionally good duckfly
fishing and also gets a hatch of summer mayfly
– Siphlonurus – in July and August,
which the trout sometimes feed on. This hatch
occurs along the shore south-east of Shannawan
Point. On occasion, trout feed freely on adult
chironomids and spent gnat and on such occasions
the angler is advised to fish a dry Buzzer
or Spent Gnat as the occasion demands.
All of this area, with the exception of the
middle of Ballycurrin Bay, has numerous dangerous
underwater rocks and should be navigated with
great care.
Inishboanagh and the Islands North to Inishmicatreer:
Another large area holding and excellent stock
of trout. It offers good wet-fly fishing and
has an excellent mayfly hatch. The whole area
is very shallow and rocky and difficult to
navigate.
Ballynalty Bay: This relatively shallow bay
always holds a good stock of trout. It has
and excellent duckfly hatch and good hatches
of olives and mayfly. It gives good fishing
to the dapped grasshopper and daddy from July
and trolling can also be productive. It has
some dangerous underwater rocks and access
to this bay from the main lake is by a narrow
passage between rocks that form a reef across
the mouth of the bay.
Inishmicatreer: The western and north-western
shores hold a good stock of trout. There are
numerous dangerous underwater rocks. Wet-fly
fishing and dapping are equally productive.
It is possible to drive an outboard motor
through the gap in The Causeway.
Castletown Bay: This bay is relatively deep
in the centre – maximum depth 20 feet
approximately. It fishes best in a west or
north-west wind over the shallows and along
the shore. It has a good duckfly, mayfly and
olive hatch.
Salthouse Bay: This shallow bay with its
weedy bottom holds a good stock of trout and
usually fishes well from early March. It fishes
best on dark days in an east or west wind.
It has an excellent olive hatch and a good
duckfly hatch well in. There are numerous
dangerous shallows in this bay.
Derry Point: Good fishing along the shore
and around the islands west to Holy Island.
Gortacurra and Lackafinna Bays: These bays
hold a good stock of trout. They have good
duckfly and olive hatches and a small mayfly
hatch. The bays are very rocky and access
to them is very difficult from the main lake.
Ashford Bay: This is a rather deep bay, and
the best of the fishing is around the islands.
It has good hatches of duckfly, mayfly and
olives and offers plenty of opportunities
for dry-fly fishing.
Ard Point, Carraghmore Point to Lime Island:
Ard Point – Mogan’s Bay –
Devenish Island: Excellent duckfly fishing
in March-April. Good wet-fly and dapping.
Dry-fly evening sedge fishing in season.
Birchall Bay, The Fuidges Island, Flynn Island,
Goat Island, Kid Island, Glat Island, Potatoe
Island and Freheen Island: This bay provides
wet-fly fishing from the very start of the
season. The fishing here is at its best around
mid-April during duckfly hatches. The best
drifts are from Ard to the Fuidges and south
and north of Goat and Kid Islands. It also
has a good mayfly hatch and Spent-Gnat fishing
can often be enjoyed along the sheltered shores
north to Ard Point. It also offers limited
sedge fishing in late August and September.
Most of the water in this area is very shallow
and should be navigated with great care.
Rinnaknock to Carraghmore Point: This is
a shallow, rocky area holding a good stock
of trout. It has numerous good drifts for
both wet-fly fishing and dapping. Fly hatches
include duckfly, olives, mayfly and sedges.
Fishes well in any wind, even when wind is
blowing off shore.
Kenny’s Bay: Fishes best in a west
wind.
Rabbit Island – Goat Island –
Kid Island: There are good trout shallows
to the north – north-west of Rabbit
Island. The rest of the fishing is scattered
with areas of deep water in between. It has
duckfly, a good hatch of olives and a fair
mayfly hatch. The area north of Goat and Kid
Islands gives really excellent duckfly fishing.
Annaghkeen Bay: This bay holds a very good
trout stock and has hatches of duckfly, olives
and some mayfly. Good drift from Flynn Island
to shores and up to Annaghkeen Point. Good
fishing to olives especially in a north wind.
Clydagh Point westwards to Annaghkeen Point:
Good trout area, well suited to wet-fly fishing
and dapping. It has duckfly, a good olive
hatch, but the mayfly hatch is poor. Good
dapping area in July, August and September.
Corranellistrum Bay: Good wet-fly and dapping
water similar to Birchall Bay with a lot of
shallows.
Collinamuck to Knockferry: Not a noted trout-fishing
area. Rather deep water. Best suited to dapping.
Trout fishing generally slow to wet flies
except close to shore.
Clydagh Bay: Trout fishing is generally considered
to be slow in this bay but it can be good
at times.
Clydagh Point, Clydagh Bay to Kilbeg Pier:
Trout fishing is generally slow in this area.
Small hatch of duckfly, olives and mayfly.
Quite a dangerous area to navigate.
Murray’s Bay, Lee’s Island, Sedge
Island, Wynn’s Island, Keelkill Bay:
This vast area with its numerous islands and
reefs can provide excellent trout fishing
to wet flies from early in the season. It
has a good duckfly hatch and is probably at
its best when the olives are hatching in May
and June. The most fruitful areas are Murray’s
Bay and eastwards along the shore, the northern
and south-eastern shores of Lee’s Island
and the points and gaps between islands. Keelkill
Bay and around Wyn’s Island and southwards
along the shore to Kelkill Point is a very
good trout area. Mountross Bay is very shallow
and trout fishing is nil. Salmon run north
of Lee’s Island and there are occasional
big pike.
Galcarrick Island: There are good drifts
from Galcarrick Island to Keelkill Point and
cloe in to all islands and over the shallows
in this area. It has a good duckfly hatch.
Olives are plentiful but the mayfly hatch
is poor.
Burnthouse to Park Point: Fiarly good wet-fly
fishing. This area has a duckfly hatch. Olives
are plentiful but the mayfly hatch is poor.
Ballinduff Bay: This large limestone bay
dotted with islands holds the largest average
size of trout in all the Corrib. It has an
average depth of 6 feet and is all suitable
for drifting. There are no duckfly hatches
and the mayfly hatch is sparse but it has
good hatches of olives, reed smut and sedges.
It fishes best around the end of may and again
in July – August to a dapped Daddy or
Grasshopper. It can be very good when the
perch fry are shoaling and trout will take
a Raymond, Green Peter or even a hackled Mayfly.
The bay also holds a big stock of large perch.
Fly hatches are about 10 days later than on
Upper Corrib. The main channel is up the middle
and out towards Galcarrick Island where the
steamer track can be picked up. Some parts
can be very dangerous.
Lime Island – The Narrows, Friar’s
Cut:
Lime Island – Rabbit Point: Trolling
is the most productive fishing method in this
area in the early season. Annaghdown Bay has
a duckfly hatch, as has the area between the
The Narrows and Rabbit Point and the mayfly
hatch is both sparser and later than on the
Upper Corrib. This bay fishes best on dark
windy days. It holds excellent trout –
average 2lb – and big perch. Dapping
the Daddy and Grasshoper from early July to
September can be very productive. This area
also provides reasonable trolling for salmon
during the heavier runs of fish from March
onwards. The salmon run is from Muckrush Point,
through the Narrows and Annaghdown Bay to
Lime Island.
Ower Bay: Very rocky and dangerous and holds
a really excellent stock of trout.
Rabbit Point – Fly Island – Moycullen
Bay: This area holds an excellent stock of
trout. The open water is relatively shallow
and fishes well, as does the area among the
numerous rocks and islands. It has abundant
hatches of duckfly, various species of olives
in large numbers and a sparse mayfly hatch.
It also has excellent hatches of Caenis in
June and very good sedge hatches. Moycullen
Bay is little fished due to the difficulty
of navigating among the numerous rocks.
Fly Island to Annagh Point: Holds an excellent
stock of trout and abundant fly hatches as
above.
Litle Sca and Big Sca: Excellent trout water
from Annagh Point to the Sca Isalnds and beyond
to the White Beacon.
Annagh Point – Friar’s Cut: Exceptionally
good hatches of duckfly and olives occur at
the mouth of the old river, opposite the Friar’s
Cut and in the bay to the west of the Friar’s
Cut. There are also good chironomid hatches
here from April to early June.
Friars’ Cut to Sea: Exceptionally good
trout-fishing area.
Friars’ Cut to Cregg River: Holds exceptionally
large trout, but unfishable from June to end
of season due to weed growth.
Billybeg, Muckrush, Rabbit Point: From a
line opposite the Cregg River, west and north
to Rabbit Point is a first-class area for
trout and for salmon in late May, June and
July.
