Fishing & Angling

Angling and Fishing in Galway 🎣

With so many lakes, sea inlets and rivers, County Galway is an angler’s paradise. Fishing in Galway is a wonderful experience; peaceful surroundings, majestic mountain ranges and stunning seascapes…what more could you ask for? The choice for the keen angler includes lake fishing on Lough Corrib, sea fishing in Galway Bay, salmon fishing at the weir on the River Corrib or fresh water fishing in the many rivers and mountain streams of Connemara.

In essence Galway is really one giant fishery, merely intersected by roads, and containing three of the most important Brown Trout fisheries in Europe. It also contains some of the most prolific Atlantic Salmon and Sea Trout fishing anywhere in Europe. A glance at the topography of the region will immediately convey the vast amount of rivers and lakes that have made this region the subject matter of many artists, writers and filmmakers.

In the Southern and central areas of Connemara the lakes are alkaline in nature, providing both ideal conditions and habitats for the Brown Trout for which the area is rightly famous. This contrasts sharply with the more northern and western areas of the region which are interspersed with more acidic lake and river systems which, although they contain Brown Trout, are more famous for their Salmon and Sea Trout fishing.

Lough Corrib is Ireland’s second largest lake and one of Europe’s best examples of a large limestone lake, producing an abundance of wild brown trout. Trolling takes place throughout the season but the lake is famous for high quality fly-fishing and dapping.

Lough Mask is a limestone lake, approximately 10 miles long and 4 miles wide, with an excellent stock of Brown Trout. It is a popular wet fly lake with a Mayfly hatch and exciting dapping. The Mayfly dominates fishing from Mid-May to Mid-June and the East shore of the Mask is the best Mayfly area.

Sea Angling

Sea Angling is a popular pursuit in Galway Bay, with good catches of the predominant species of Pollack, Cod, Bass, Flatfish and indeed good Blue Shark fishing during the summer months. Modern, certified angling boats are available to the travelling angler in addition to ever-ready advice from the experienced skippers. Shore fishing is possible from almost anywhere on the coast.

There are many licensed sea angling boat operators based out of Galway too, however anglers are advised to make their own enquiries in respect of licences and insurance requirements.