Salmon fishing in Ireland

Ireland is a royal country for any self-respecting angler! If you, too, would like to go on the hunt for wild Irish salmon, here’s a quick rundown on the regulations, and how to obtain an official permit. You’ll be all set to go after this exceptional fish!

Regulations for Irish salmon fishing

Fishing permits and licenses: a must!

Regardless of the type of fishing, in most situations Ireland requires :

• an adapted license: costing between €20 and €50
• as well as a license: this gives you permission to fish in certain areas, and can range from €10 to €100.

Licenses can be collected from local tackle stores, as well as from IFI Offices (Inland Fisheries Ireland), official centers dedicated to the art of Irish fishing. They can also be purchased online at www.salmonlicences.ie. They’re available at all prices, and for all durations, whether for the duration of your stay or for a year!

Here’s an overview of the different licenses generally available for salmon fishing in Ireland. The price includes the license and the cost of a tax stamp:

• Salmon A: €100. The license is annual.
• Salmon B: €56. The license is regional and cannot be used just anywhere.
• Salmon P: €10. The license is for minors under the age of 18.
• Salmon R: €40. This license is limited to 21 fishing days.
• Salmon S: €20. This permit is valid for 24 hours.
• Salmon X: €24. This permit only allows you to fish locally, within a restricted perimeter.

Please note: purchasing a license alone will not allow you to fish legally. To be in the clear, you’ll need to purchase an official permit, in addition to the license.

The latter can be obtained by requesting it on the government website: www.dcenr.gov.ie. Once you’ve paid the necessary fees, you can fish for salmon in Ireland with complete peace of mind, and hope to bring home some magnificent specimens!

License

To fish for Atlantic salmon and be in the right, you’ll need to buy a license first. These are generally purchased online, or from fisheries or tackle stores.

Expect to pay between €20 and €100, depending on the type of license you require. This purchase will allow you to fish in predetermined areas and for a defined duration.

This license will be delivered with :

• bracelets (to attach to your guarded plug),
• alogbook, in which you must record all your catches (kept and unkept).

Fishing season

The season may vary slightly from one area to another, but in general, Atlantic salmon fishing opens from February 1 to September 30. Be sure to get the facts beforehand: fishing outside the rules could result in a fine.

Quota :

The annual quota is set at a maximum of 10 fish per angler. But more specifically :

• from January 1 to May 11, the daily quota is set at a maximum of one salmon and 3 fish over the entire period
• from May 12 to August 31, the daily quota is set at a maximum of three salmon
  with the exception of runs where the local permit allows only one fish per day.
  
• from September 1st to the end of the season, the daily quota is set at a maximum of one salmon.

Important

The rules set out above are widely applied in the Republic of Ireland. But certain fishing sectors may involve other subtleties. Don’t hesitate to ask around beforehand: local fishing clubs, fishing guides and specialist stores will be able to advise you.

It’s best to take your time and plan ahead: it could save you a fine!

Where to fish for salmon?

River fishing

Irish salmon can be found in just about every good river in the country. But fishing guides all have their own favourite spots, and are careful not to share them with anyone but their clients!

Generally speaking, wild Irish salmon are good fighters, heavy and lively, sometimes weighing in at over 3/4 kilos. Make sure you have the right equipment for the occasion: it’ll make all the difference when you’re up against a monster at the end of your line!

Several formulas are possible: you can try your hand at both bait and fly fishing. The hardest part will be spotting the salmon: the fish likes to rest in certain corners of the river. It’s up to you to find them!

Finally, don’t miss out on the moment: salmon fishing in the Irish wilderness is a luxury that many anglers envy!

Lake fishing

To fish for salmon on a lake, you’ll need to use the services of a boat rental company. In fact, anglers on the edge of the river generally achieve poor results.

Don’t forget to wear out the fish when your catch is shod: the services of a motor or a good rower will be essential to get your precious salmon!

Table of authorized salmon fishing areas in Ireland

East and south-east	South West and Shannon	West and Galway	West – Ballina	Northwest
EAST River Boyne River Castletown River Fane River Dee River Glyde   SOUTH EAST River Slaney River Nore River Suir	CORK River Blackwater River Lee River Bandon River Arigideen River Ilen River Coomhola River Glengarriff   KERRY River Sheen River Croanshaugh / Glenmore River Roughty River Blackwater Waterville Lakes River Inny Caragh Lakes Laune, Flesk Killarney Lakes River Maine SHANNON River Feale Mulcair River Castleconnell	GALWAY Lough Corrib Galway Fishery   CONNEMARA Ballynahinch and Lough Inagh Screebe Fishery Costello & Fermoyle Fishery   BALLINAKILL River Erriff Bunowen Carrowniskey Owenwee River The Delphi Fishery Culfin Dawros and Kylemore Owenglin	River MoyLough Conn and Cullin Carrowmore Lake and Owenmore River Owenduff River Glenamoy River Burrishoole Lough Beltra Newport River Ballisodare River Easkey River Glencar Lake Drumcliff River Lough Gill and Bonet River	Duff Drowes Melvin Erne Estuary Eske Eany Glen Owenea Gweebarra Rosses Clady and Crolly Lackagh & Lough Beagh Crana and Fullerton

So much more to discover...