The River Suir, including Clodiagh, Lingaun and Waterford Blackwater, is Catch & Release for 2024
Season
- Salmon and sea trout: 17th March to 30 September.
- Current regulations prohibit the use of worms, prawn, shrimp or any other crustacean or artificial forms thereof as bait and any fish hooks other than single or double barbless hooks during the period 17 March to 30 Sept
About the Suir
The source of the river Suir (pronounced ‘shure’) is in the Devil’s Bit Mountain. The Suir is 115 miles long and passes by the Galtees, the Knockmealdown and the Comeragh Mountains before joining her sister rivers the Barrow and Nore, and entering s the sea.
The Suir and its tributaries drain most of county Tipperery. The rivers channel is characterised by a series of shallow and deep glides, interrupted occasionally by shallow riffles. As many of its major tributaries drain large areas of limestone, as does the main river, the Suir has the best characteristics of a chalk stream. This gives it prolific fly hatches and big stocks of trout (with some very large fish). As such this rich river is world renowned for its brown trout fishing.
Historically the Suir was also renowned for producing large salmon. The rod caught Irish record is still a 57 lb fish taken on the river in 1874 by a Mr. Maher. Written off as a salmon fishery in the past, the situation has changed and over the last few seasons this has become a river where those ‘in the know’ have gone to seek the bigger Irish salmon.
The best of the salmon fishing on the Suir extends downstream from Ardfinnan towards Carrick-on-Suir. The Suir gets some early fish though salmon fishing does not really start until the grilse run in June / July. In August and September the Suir has runs of large grilse and an autumn run some of which are very large fish some of which are believed to be multi spawners.
In the Templemore area, severe arterial drainage works have been carried out on the river in recent times, and the fishing at this point cannot be recommended.
Fishing is prohibited north of Suir Island at Clonmel between Oldbridge and a line drawn across the river in continuation of the west side of Abbey Street, and in the mill tail-races discharging into the River Suir within those limits. This prohibition does not apply to fishing with single rod and line from that part of the north bank of the river known as Old Quay.
Methods
Current regulations prohibit the use of worms, prawn, shrimp or any other crustacean or artificial forms thereof as bait and any fish hooks other than single or double barbless hooks during the period 17 March to 30 Sept.
Find out more about the Suir: River Suir Angling Guide (2.94 MB)
