Salmon Fishing in Ireland

Ireland is a royal country for any self-respecting fisherman! If you too want to try your hand at Irish wild salmon, here’s a quick overview of the regulations, as well as how to get an official licence. You’ll be ready to go and tease this exceptional fish!

Regulations for fishing Irish salmon

The fishing permit and the licence: the essential element!

Whatever the type of fishing, Ireland requires for most situations to have :

• an adapted permit: whose price varies between 20 and 50€
• as well as a licence: it gives you the authorization to fish in certain places, and can go from 10 to 100€.

Licences can be withdrawn at local fishing shops, as well as at the IFI Offices (Inland Fisheries Ireland), official centres dedicated to the art of Irish fishing. They can also be purchased directly on the web at www.salmonlicences.ie. They are available at all prices, and especially for all lengths of time, whether it is for the duration of your stay or for one year!

The following is an overview of the various licences generally available for salmon fishing in Ireland. The price includes the licence and the cost of a tax stamp:

• Salmon A: 100€. The licence is annual.
• Salmon B: 56€. The licence is regional and cannot be used anywhere.
• Salmon P: 10€. The licence is for minors under 18 years old.
• Salmon R: 40€. This licence 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, on a tight perimeter.

Warning: buying the licence alone will not allow you to fish legally. To be in the nails, you will have to buy an official permit in addition to the licence.

The latter can be obtained upon request on the government website: www.dcenr.gov.ie. Once you have fulfilled the terms and conditions, you can then fish for salmon in Ireland in complete peace and quiet, and hope to bring back magnificent specimens!

Where to fish for salmon?

River fishing

Irish salmon can be found in just about every good river in the country. But the fishing guides have all their favourite spots, and don’t want to share them with anyone except their clients!

Generally speaking, wild Irish salmon is a good fighter, heavy and lively, sometimes weighing up to more than 3/4 kilos. It’s best to have good equipment for the occasion: it will make the difference when you are confronted with a monster at the end of your line!

Several formulas are possible: you can try to fish it with bait as well as fly fishing. The hardest thing will be to spot the salmon: the fish likes to rest in certain corners of the river. It will be up to you to find them!

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

Lake fishing

To fish for salmon in the lake, you will have to use the services of a boat rental company. Indeed, anglers located on the shores generally get bad results.

Remember to use up the fish when your catch is hooked: the services of a motor, or a good rower will be essential to get your precious salmon!

Table of licensed salmon fishing grounds 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 Southeast 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