Angling in the Cork and Kerry region is a special experience. It is an area of spectacular beauty with 1000 kilometres of coastline ranging from rugged inlets to sweeping bays. Over a hundred fishable loughs and miles upon miles of superb salmon, sea trout and brown trout rivers are also available. The environment is fresh, clean and virtually unspoilt and the gentle warmth of the North Atlantic Drift laps the coast ensuring a comfortable climate for all year round angling. Many fisheries in the South West are World famous, such as Lough Currane, which is regarded by many as one of the truly great sea trout fisheries. Angling in the south west is pleasurable and stress free with easy access to angling sites, friendly locals and game fishing tariffs that wont break the bank. A days game fishing for instance on most rivers and loughs can be had for as little as £12 to £15 per day. Indeed many areas such as Lough Currane and the Killarney Lakes are free, although a State Rod Licence is required for game fishing in the region.

Splendid Spring salmon fishing is available on a number of rivers and loughs from as early as mid January and a Summer spate is virtually certain to induce a run of grilse up the rivers and into the loughs. In general the salmon season runs from the beginning of February to the end of September although a check should be made prior to making a trip as open and close dates vary between areas. The numbers of salmon and sea trout caught in the regions rivers each year compare favourably with those caught in Scotland, Iceland and farther afield. The River Bandon in County Cork for instance produced well over a thousand sea trout in 1995. Brown Trout are widespread and although they may not be the biggest in the country, the South West fisheries hold some of the most prolific stocks. These fisheries present the angler with a variety of exciting challenges ranging from wet fly fishing on a mountain Lough to casting a dry fly to trout feeding heavily on Blue Winged Olives in the balmy dusk of a Killarney summers evening.

Sea angling in the south west is a unique experience and the 1000 km coastline provides the adventurous angler with the opportunity to try his hand at beach, rock and estuary fishing on the shore and boat fishing over deep water reefs, sunken wrecks and sand banks. Stocks of fish are excellent and as a result of the diverse nature of the seabed and the warming influence of the North Atlantic drift, a very wide range of species is available. It is also not uncommon for visiting anglers to find they have much of this fishing to themselves, possibly never seeing another fisherman, as many of the areas are remote. Access, however, is generally quite easily managed particularly where Fisheries Board signposts have been erected to guide visitors to the "hotspots".

Coarse angling in the south west although confined to the Cork region nevertheless offers on Inniscarra Lake, some of the best bream and rudd fishing to be found in Ireland. Here South Yorkshireman, Terry Smith, caught 350 lb. of Bream in just five hours in 1995. This is a considerably heavier catch than the World five hour match record. It is not uncommon for the average angler to catch over 100 lb. of bream in a day. There is also good pike, carp and tench fishing locally. The South Western Regional Fisheries Board are always ready to assist visiting anglers and for further information, you can contact them at 1 Nevilles Terrace, Masseytown, Macroom, Co. Cork. Telephone (026) 41221, Fax (026) 41223.