angling around south antrim

These waters vary in size from 18 acres up to the 127 acres of Lough Mourne. They all lie north of Carrickfergus and the season runs from 1 March to 31 October, except for the North reservoir where the season is announced annually. Angling is not permitted before 8am or after 10pm. There is a 4 trout daily bag limit and an orthodox fly fishing only is allowed on the Upper and Lower South reservoirs. All legitimate methods on the others, except groundbait and maggots. North Woodburn is stocked wi...

This reservoir is situated just south of the A36 Ballymena-Larne road. Bank fishing is easy in normal water levels, but care should be taken when the levels drop in late summer as patches of soft mud can cause problems. Killylane is unusual in that it is entirely dependent on natural recruitment and the trout are small-by reservoir standards-but fight well. It fishes best in April and gets a small hatch of black chironomids. Useful fly patterns are Blae and Black, Mullard and Claret, Sooty Olive...

Dungonnell Reservoir is a long, narrow stretch of water covering some 70 acres on a windswept moor to the south of Craignamaddy. It is approached off the A43 Ballymena-Cushendall road. Turn off at Cargan and the rest of the way is signposted. This water holds a stock of native trout which is supplemented with stocked fish on a regular basis. The west and south shores are firm and well suited to bank fishing but care should be exercided along the north side. The trout average nearly 1lb and there...

This Reservoir is situated at the head of the Bush River, four and a half miles north east of Clough Mills. It is in a very attractive location with pine forest to the north and south. It holds a native stock of free rising trout and in addition, is stocked with brown trout averaging 1lb. There are some quite large fish in there and test nettings have turned up trout to 5lb. Access to the water is good with a car park by the west shore. The season runs from 1 March to 30 September. There is a 10...

Stoneyford Reservoir Stoneyford which is 160 acres and Leathemstown which is 28 acres are two of the most popular trout fisheries in Northern Ireland. They are both to the north west of Lisburn. The reservoirs are stocked with takable brown and rainbow trout. Angling is not allowed before 8am or after 10pm. The season runs from 1 March to 31 October. There is a 4 trout bag limit and a 10 inch size limit. All legitimate methods are allowed but groundbait and maggots are not permitted....

There are six reservoirs in the Woodburn district near Carrickfergus. The reservoirs provide a wide variation of fishing areas....

Lough Neagh has been described as a huge fish factory. It is the biggest lake in the British Isles, and it covers 153 square miles (400 km). Its uncanny similarity in size and shape to the Isle of Man gave rise to the legend that the mythical giant Fiann McCool scooped out a huge lump of earth and threw it into the Irish Sea - the lump of earth formed the Isle of Man, and the hole filled with water became Lough Neagh.

For the tout angler its main interest is the dollaghan, a unique...

Sea fishing for conger, dogfish, mackerel and plaice is popular from the rocks and piers all the way up the coast. Boats can be hired at Larne, Carnlough and Cushendall for deep-sea expeditions to catch blockan, cod, conger, dab, herring, mackerel, plaice, pollack, skate, tope and whiting. Trout fishing is excellent throughout the area. Around Carrickfergus, where there are public reservoirs and waters at Woodburn Forest, Dorisland, Copeland and Lough Mourne and also at the Killylane, Bally...

Fishing is plentiful in the Glens of Antrim. Its superb variety of rivers and lakes are home to most kinds of freshwater fish. Salmon, sea trout and brown trout frequent the Margy, Carey, Glenshesk, Dun, Dall and Glen rivers. The lakes and reservoirs at Larne, Dungonnell and Fair Head are also good for brown trout. You can fish off the rocks, beaches and piers around Larne, Ballygalley, Glenarm, Cushendall and Ballycastle for plaice, cod, pollock, dogfish and mackerel. Boats can be hired at...

The 4,000 year old tradition of eel fishing is still strong on Lough Neagh, with many local communities dependent upon the 'harvesting' of the eels. The eel's life cycle begins when the tiny elvers set out from the Sargasso Sea on a mammoth journey to the mouth of the River Bann near Coleraine. During the final leg of their journey downstream to Lough Neagh many of the maturing brown eels are caught by local fishermen using traditional methods. The surviving eels remain in the lough and at...