Game Angling						Sea Angling							Coarse Angling

Introduction:

The Southern Region has a relatively short coastline - only miles between Ballyteigue Bay in Co.Wexford and Balllycotton in Co. Cork. However, the region contains four of the country's largest rivers - the Blackwater in the west which flows into Youghal harbour and in the east, there are the locally called "Three Sisters" - the River's Suir, Nore and Barrow, which together enter the sea at Waterford harbour.

The Region has very few stillwater fisheries - just a few reservoirs and small lakes which means that practically all the freshwater fishing in the region is riverline angling.

The areas freshwater reputation is based on its excellent game fishing for salmon, sea trout and brown trout followed by its coarse fishing for pike, bream, tench, rudd, etc.

The River Blackwater is internationally recognised for its quality salmon fishing which is available all along its length from Lismore in the east to Rathmore in the west. Salmon are also available in the Lower reaches of each of the Three Sisters but upstream, both the Suir and the Nore have excellent wild brown trout fishing. Some sections of the Barrows provide good brown trout fishing also, as does the Blackwater, though in the latter, the average size of trout may be smaller than the others.

Sea trout fishing can be good when they run the lower reaches of the Corock, Tay, Colligan and North Bride during June and July.

Good quality coarse fishing is available on the Barrow. Bream, rudd, tench and pike are available and there is as always an exciting fishery in May when the Twaite Shad run up the Barrow to St. Mullins. There is good fishing for roach and dace in sections of the Blackwater.

Ireland's international reputation for quality sea angling was founded in the early part of the century when the" Dreadnought" Sea Angling Club of Great Britain caught huge draughts of pollack, cod, large skate and deep sea charter in the Ballycotton area. Since then the sea angling has developed and deep sea charter boats, some specialising in wreck fishing, operate out of Dunmore East, Youghal, Dumgarvan and Ballycotton. Shore angling is also developed (and well signposted) for bass, ray, pollack, wrasse, etc., from numerous beaches and rocky outcrops.

As angling tourism is so important to the area, there is a good infrastructure available to cater for the needs of anglers including a professionally run angling school on the Suir.