 Fishing
Ireland as a country is
renowned for it's well endowed rivers both in terms of it's game and coarse fishing.
Salmon, trout, pike, and other coarse fish, are to be found here at their best. The
village of Lawrencetowncan act as an excellent base camp for
those anglers interested in either form of fishing. There is a wide variety of accommodationavailable that will suit all tastes and
pockets. For those less interested in the sport of fishing the village has a
variety of other activities and attractions
nearby. The purpose of this page is to provide a simple yet detailed guide to help both
the beginner and advanced fisherman enjoy this excellent pastime. At the start
there is an outline of the various types of species available in
the Lawrencetown area with a brief description of each fish. This is followed by a
detailed local map of the River Shannon and Suck showing the best places
to fish for the differing species. Finally a section outlines useful information
for the visiting angler - game laws, relevant phone numbers and addresses.
Coarse angling tends be
organised around 'centres' usually towns and villages, in which experienced caterers
specialise in looking after angling tourists. There is no state licence required for
coarse angling. There are many lakes and rivers within reach of a centre and local
knowledge is easily obtained. Therefore this information only serves as a general
introduction until this guide is completed.
To succeed at salmon fishing an
in depth knowledge of the river and the lies of the fish are essential. The key here
is experience which can only come through repeated visits over an number of years or the
use of a local guide.
Species Available around Lawrencetown
Bream (Abramis Brama):
Common bream have deep narrow
bodies and can swim through weedy or reedy shallow water. They have long dorsal fins
which are set well back near their blackish, deeply forkrd tails. Their mouths are
small and tend to be turned down. Immature bream are silver but as they get older
they become a more dark golden olive colour. When the bream are fully mature they
have dark backs and greenish bronze flanks with white undersides.
Eels (Anguilla anguilla):
Perhaps the most distintive
looking fish around, the eel is snake-like in appearance and bears little resemblance to
any other freshwater fish. It is generally brown or black on the upper surface and
white underneath. The sides tend to be yellow or silver.
Hybrids:
The name 'Hybids' is used in
Ireland to refer to rudd / bream crosses. To identify, the two things to examine are
how the mouth is shape and the colour of the fins. A rudd with what appears to be
brown or blackish fins instead of bright reddish ones, or a bream that has a reddish hue
on it's fins are more than likely hybrids. Hybrids reach good weights and are
therefore a popular target for native Irish coarse anglers.
Perch (Perca fluviatilis):
The perch is a hunter of smaller
fish and it's colouring of light green with several black stripes assists it in
camouflaging itself as it lies in wait among weeds and reeds. It has a small tail
the lower part of which is red as is it's lower fins. It has a large mouth with
relatively small teeth.
Pike (Esox lucius):
Among the Irish angler this is
the most popular coarse fish species. The fish tends to be larger in Ireland than on
the continent. The body of the pike is dominated by yellow and green colours.
Again the mouth is large and the many teeth are razor sharp. The dorsal and anal
fins are grouped close to the tail. The body is long and narrow which makes it's
movement through the water quick and efficient.
Roach (Rutilus rutilus)
The roach has similar colouring
to the Rudd (see below) the major difference being that the flanks of the roach are
silvery. It has a greenish back like the rudd and the large scales. This fish
has red eyes and a orange-red fins. Like other bottom feeders the upper lip
protrudes slightly.
Rudd (Scardinius Erythrophthalmus):
The rudd has a beautiful golden
bronze colouring with red fins. The mouth has it's lower lip protruding to quite a
degree. The dorsal fin is set well behind the front of the pelvic fins and there is
a sharp redge or keel between the pelvic and anal fins.
Tench (Tinca tinca):
The tench can be found in
varying colours ranging from a light yellow to black. Their eyes tend to be small
with red irises. The fins are round in shape and quite large. There is a
slightly concave shape to the tail. The mouth has an upper lip which is larger than
the lower and it also has two tiny barbels at it's corners.
Where to Fish
The map outlines where to fish
for the above coarse species in the rivers Suck and Shannon
Click on image to enlarge.
- River Suck, Behind High Street. Bream, perch, tench, rudd, trout, pike and eels.
- River Suck, Pollboy, Behind Square D Factory. Bream, perch, rudd, pike and eels.
- River Suck, Tulrush. Bream, perch, hybrids, rudd, pike and eels.
- River Suck, Culliagh. Bream, hybrids, perch, tench, rudd, pike and eels.
- River Suck, Correen. Bream, perch, tench, rudd, pike and eels.
- River Suck, Creggan. Bream, hybrids, perch, tench, rudd, pike and eels.
- River Suck, Raghrabeg. Bream, perch, tench, rudd, hybrids, pike and eels.
- River Suck and River Shannon Junction. Perch, rudd, rudd-bream hybrids, pike and eels.
- River Shannon, Long Island. Bream, perch, rudd, hybrids, pike and eels.
- River Shannon. Rudd (near bridge), bream, perch, hybrids, pike and eels.
- River Shannon. Bream, rudd-bream hybrids, perch, tench, rudd, pike and eels.
- Clonfert Backwater. Rudd, rudd-bream, perch, hybrids, pike and eels.
For the above fish there is no
close season. However, there are specific times of the year when it's best to fish
for a particular specimen. The Roach although available for most of the year are at
their best during the winter months. Likewise, pike are also at their best during
the winter. Other species are more suitable to the summer - tench been a case
in point, which is best fished for during the months of May and June.
The months from April to October are when rudd and bream feed - a good time to fish for
these two species.
Other Rivers of Note:
Cappagh River
Flows into the Killimor River
about 1 mile from Lough Derg. Between Duniry Bridge and Cappagh Bridge is the best
place to fish especially if you are after Brown Trout. The season for Brown Trout is
between the 15th February and the 30th September.
Ballinure River
This River is found south of
Ballinasloe and is a tributary of the River Suck.
Salmon fishing:
To fish for salmon and sea trout
you will need a State license plus a permit on major rivers. The State license can be
purchased in any fishing tackle shop or from a permit distributor. It can be obtained for
the length of time you want to fish and is inexpensive. Whether you need a permit or
not for a specific river you can look up under the river description.
Additional Angling Information
A Central Fisheries Board with
the help of seven Regional Fisheries Boards are responsible for the coordination and
administration of fisheries. The aims of the Regional Boards are conservation,
protection, development and promotion of all aspects of fisheries within it's
region.
Rod/Line Licences:
Salmon/Sea Trout - Season (All districts) £25
Salmon/Sea Trout (Single District Only) £12
Salmon/Sea Trout Juvenile £8
Salmon/Sea Trout 21-Day £10
Salmon/Sea Trout 1 Day £3
Foyle Area Extension £17
Central/Regional Fisheries Board Permits on trout fisheries
Ordinary (Season) From £5 to £20
Pensioner/Juvenile (Season) From £2 to £10, (Day) from £0.50 to £5
Shannon Board Permits
Adult Annual £20. Day £5
Pensioner Annual £20. Day £5
Juvenile Annual £20. Day £1
The modified close seasons
now in force for salmon, sea trout and brown trout differ not only as between regions, but
also within regions, in a formulation too complex for reproduction here in detail. The
general pattern is that seasons for migratory fish tend to open early and close early,
while that for brown trout opens early in many places (Feb 15) and does not close until a
date in October. There are, however, important exceptions and anglers proposing to visit
the Republic, especially early or late in the year, should make careful enquiries with the
appropriate Regional Board before making firm plans, whether the intention be to fish for
salmon, migratory or brown trout.
There is no annual close season
for angling for coarse fish or for sea fish.
Overall responsibility for the country's fisheries rests with the Department of
the Marine, Leeson Lane, Dublin 2, Tel: +353 (0)1 6785444
The Regional Boards
The Eastern Regional
Fisheries Board. Covers all lakes and river systems entering the sea including coastal
waters between Carlingford Lough, Co Louth and Kiln Bay, Co Wexford. Inquiries to:
Regional Manager, Balnagowan House, Mobhi Boreen, Glasnevin, Dublin 9
Tel: +353 (0)1 8379209, fax: 8360060.
The Southern Regional
Fisheries Board. Covers all lakes and river systems entering the sea, including
coastal waters, between Kiln Bay, Co Wexford and Ballycotton Pier, Co Cork. Inquiries to
the Board's Regional Fisheries Manager, Anglesea St, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
Tel: +353 (0)52 23624).
The South Western Regional
Fisheries Board. Covers all lakes and river systems entering the sea, including
coastal waters, between Ballycotton Pier, Co Cork and Kerry Head, Co Kerry. Inquiries to
the Board's Regional Fisheries Manager, Nevilles Terrace, Massey Town, Macroom, Co
Cork
Tel: +353 (0)26 41221/2; fax (0)26 41223.
The Shannon Regional
Fisheries Board. Covers all lakes and rivers entering the sea, including coastal
waters, between Kerry Head, Co Kerry and Hag's Head, Co Clare. Inquiries to the Board's
Regional Fisheries Manager, Thomond Weir, Limerick
Tel: =353 (0)61 455171, fax: (0)61 326533.
> The Western Regional
Fisheries Board. Covers all lakes and rivers entering the sea, including coastal
waters, between Hag's Head, Co Clare and Pigeon Point, near Westport, Co Mayo. Inquiries
to The Board's Regional Fisheries Manager, The Weir Lodge, Earl's Island, Galway
City
Tel: +353 (0)91 563118, fax: (0)91 566335.
The North Western Regional
Fisheries Board. Covers all lakes and rivers entering the sea, including coastal
waters, between Pigeon Point, near Westport, Co Mayo, and Carrickgarve, Co Sligo.
Inquiries to the Board's Regional Fisheries Manager, Ardnaree House, Abbey St, Ballina, Co
Mayo
Tel: 353+ (0)96 22788; fax: (0)96 70543.
The Northern Regional
Fisheries Board. Covers all lakes and rivers entering the sea, including coastal
waters, between Carrickgarve, Co Sligo and Malin Head, Co Donegal. Inquiries to the
Board's Regional Fisheries Manager, Station Road, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal
Tel: +353 (0)72 51435/ 52053; fax: (0)72 51816.
Coarse Fishing Laws in Ireland
- It is illegal to use live fish as bait.
- The only legal method to catch freshwater fish is by rod and line.
- A person fish with not more than two rods at any time.
- It is illegal to transfer live roach from one water to any other waters. Offenders
may be prosecuted.
NOTE: Penalties for breach of the above laws include confiscation of tackle and
heavy fines.
Anglers are requested to return all coarse fish, particularly pike, to the water alive and
unharmed.
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