Game Angling						Sea Angling							Coarse Angling

Introduction

The Western Fisheries Region embraces the west coast of Ireland from Westport in Co. Mayo to the Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare. Its landscape contrasts every few miles and is majestically beautiful. The scenery for the angler by lake, river or sea is always gloriously impressive.

From the rich limestone wild brown trout waters of the Corrib system to the dozens of salmon and sea trout rivers and lakes along the west coast, the angler has a wide choice wherever he/she casts a line. It is little wonder, then, that anglers from all over the world come to the region's many rivers and loughs to fish for wild salmon and trout. There is no overcrowding. Indeed, visiting anglers are always astounded to have so much to themselves, often miles of river without another angler in sight.

While most of the region's salmon and sea trout angling is with fly, one can also visit a number of fisheries where shrimp and spinning are allowed for salmon.

The Western Fisheries Region takes in the three large wild brown trout lakes of Corrib, Mask and Carra, where trout angling is free. Lough Corrib also holds thousands of salmon and fishing for them on the lough is also free.

The Western Regional Fisheries Board is the Government agency responsible for the development and protection of these lakes. For thousands of years, the Corrib System of lakes has held wild brown trout and for centuries, it has been classed as the best fishing in Europe. The Board's staff, along with its fisheries biologists, continue to improve stocks, based on over fifty years of scientific research.

Coarse angling has been developing rapidly in the region with the now well established fisheries on the Moycullen Lakes providing excellent fishing quality roach, bream, rudd and tench. More recently, the lakes around Claremorris have been opened up to anglers with quality roach and bream providing 100lbs plus bags regularly.

The Clare River holds very good stocks of roach, hybrids and pike.

Most of the lakes in the area produce pike well into double figures with the winter period being particularly productive.

Sea angling from both boat and shore has also developed greatly over the past ten years, with a number of purpose built charter boats now plying for business from a number of centres. Shark fishing is a major attraction particularly in the months of August and September, but a wide range of other species are available from the hundreds of offshore reefs and banks. Some of the best rock fishing in Ireland is to be found in the region especially from the deep water marks of North Clare which are extremely popular for shore angling festivals.

The Western Regional Fisheries Board has a full time angling advice service and anglers coming to the region can be assured of the best and most up to date information available.