Ireland

The most popular fishing destination for British anglers fishing in Ireland today

The waters haven't really changed and there are often still great catches made by those who make an effort to pre-bait and plan the week's fishing.

For the social anglers who enjoy the pub and the craic as much as getting a bag of bream, if you go along expecting to catch between 20 and 40lb a day you won't be disappointed. However, fishing at first light or late into the evening increases the chance of success a thousand fold.

Big bream, tench, roach, rudd, hybrids, perch and pike you will find in abundance; carp are thinly spread and averagely small, while there are no chub or barbel at all.

Magical waters vary from tiny ponds with lily pads and reeds, to massive loughs - some covering more than 30,000 acres - with stony shorelines and a far bank that can disappear on a misty morning.

Rivers such as the Inny twist and turn through farmland while the Shannon runs slowly from one end of the county to the other, offering fabulous fishing prospects from the bank or specially built fishing platforms.

Ireland really is an angling paradise and whatever your expectations, we can help you have a brilliant holiday.

Look out for our special offer on selected properties:
Book one week self-catering & get the second weeks accommodation half price!

NO DRIVING - Join an escorted chauffer driven trip with Mick Gee ( tel 01246 412838 or 07733172860 ) Mick fishes the best waters, some exclusive access, for bream, hybrids, roach and occasional tench. Great trips, lots of fun and excellent guided fishing. Superb accommodation with breakfast and dinner included. Trips are for a week and travel is April to September. Give Mick a call to book your place.. individuals welcome.

Getting to Ireland

The car ferries sail several times a day from the ports of Pembroke, Fishguard, Holyhead, Liverpool (Birkenhead) and the southern ports of Scotland - they remain the most popular because you can simply load the car with everything and head off.

Flying is certainly for the birds when it comes to fishing. The huge penalties imposed by the so called 'low cost' airlines for extra luggage are unbelievably high and make it impossible to travel with luggage and coarse or sea angling kit.

Stena Line have the widest choice of routes, sailing from Holyhead, Fishguard and Stranraer, with a mix of conventional ferries and fast craft on all routes.

Irish Ferries concentrate on sailings from Holyhead and Pembroke with conventional car ferries and a fast craft from Holyhead to Dublin.

Norfolk Line operate between Liverpool (Birkenhead) and Dublin or Belfast with huge vessels that carry a mix of freight and car passengers. En-suite cabins, evening meals and breakfast are included in the cost on night crossings. There is also a day-time ferry.

The Best Time of Year

Just like the UK, the better fishing tends to be during the warmer months from mid-June through until mid-October. However some of the biggest catches are taken from early April until early June when the various species congregate at well known venues prior to spawning - Lanesborough on the middle Shannon and Portumna on the lower Shannon are typical examples.

Never Been Before?

Whilst current rules state that passports are NOT required for travel to Ireland, you are advised to travel with photo ID. Norfolk Line and all airlines insist on this. If you have a passport, take it with you. For all other ferry routes ensure you have some form of identification.

Fishing in Ireland is generally free of charge with no licence requirements. There are a couple of exceptions such as on the River Lee and Inniscarra Reservoir in Cork and parts of the middle Shannon, River Inny and Suck, which will be detailed in our new and fact-filled information sheets. Fishing rod licences are needed on all waters in Northern Ireland and are available from tackle shops and most accommodations.

The Irish drive on the same side of the road, their petrol is the cheapest in Europe and the currency in the Republic of Ireland is the Euro.

Bait & Tackle

The mere fact that you are considering one of our holidays means that you are probably an experienced angler with your favourite baits and methods.

There is one major consideration; in Ireland you are likely to be faced with a large lake that is rarely fished and because of that, you will only achieve exceptional results by pre-baiting with groundbait to attract the fish, or if you concentrate on one swim for two or three days. Otherwise the fishing becomes a total lottery.
Yes, you will catch roach and hybrids on most water and have lots of fun, but on the other hand you will probably not experience a real red letter day.

Inexpensive ingredients for pre-baiting can be bought locally and include maize meal and cattle pellets. All other baits from casters to specialist groundbaits can be ordered from Irish Bait and Tackle for delivery almost anywhere in Ireland.

Go to their website: www.irishbaitandtackle.com (opens in a new window)

Bring your normal fishing tackle but think about hook sizes ranging from 16-10, medium and large open-ended swimfeeders, slightly heavier reel line than in the UK and pole gear to cope with large bream and tench.

Pike Fishing in Ireland

Pike are everywhere in Ireland. There is no close season, no licences required and they provide brilliant sport whether it is a 6lb fish on a fly or a 30lb monster on a deadbait.

Pike specialists can arrive in Ireland confident of enjoying fast, exciting, fishing on those prolific waters holding vast shoals of fodder fish like bream, roach and hybrids. Ireland’s big loughs, such as Derg, Ree and the Shannon’s inner lakes around Strokestown, are this very day producing 30lb pike. A member of our staff fished Lough Derg and shared in a catch of 28 pike over two days, the biggest 20lb 14oz with most of the fish hovering between 12 and 15lb.

The biggest pike in the latest official Irish Specimen Fish give a clue to the standards - though many massive fish go unrecorded. The heaviest ‘lake’ pike weighed-in at 40lb 7oz. and the best specimen ‘river’ fish 32lb 6oz.

It is boom time for Irish pike. The benefit of restrictions imposed on killing pike over the past 15 years has been especially fruitful on all of the small lakes and river systems throughout the country - a fact emphasised by the growing number of pike angling guides that have emerged.

Pike fishing can be a day’s break from general coarse fishing, a week of intense shore and boat work on the best known loughs, or a short ‘lifestyle’ weekend travelling by air and fishing from a boat with a professional guide who supplies all tackle, baits and even waterproofs.

For the best accommodation within close proximty to excellent pike fishing look out for our Pike Fishing Symbol.

SEA FISHING - NORTHERN IRELAND.. Predator 11 operated by Hamish Currie offers fantastic skippered fishing at great value prices. He has the most record species of any skipper in Ireland. Just awarded Irish, UK and European skate record with a 249 pound skate.

SEA FISHING AT CORK. The Bella Vista Hotel with self use Warrior boats offers great sea fishing. 4 people travelling 7 nights with 5 days fishing from... £434 pp.

CORK SMALL BOATS SEA FISHING FESTIVAL... now booking, great package prices, 24th September 2010.