Fishery manager Colin Folan draws the curtains on a good sea trout season on Inagh with his final report for the year…

Mark McDonald, Northern Ireland, 4lbs sea trout on the dap

2018 was a season in which the weather played the lead role.  Similar to most other fisheries the water arrived far too late.  In fact it was the start of August when the first floods of the season arrived.  The salmon numbers were well down, as they stuggled to enter rivers that looked like roads during June and July.   Its good news on the Sea Trout though.  Although angling effort was down, sea trout numbers were up.  Also the average size and condition of fish was amazing to see.  Numerous fish from 2-4lbs were recorded with boats recording catches of 15 or more.

Baet Suez from Switzerland 8lbs Brown on a blue butcher

It was also a brilliant year for Brown trout.  Numbers were up on last year.  We also had a few big browns from Lough Inagh.  Two 9lbs were amongst the largest ones.  The annual end of season competition was held on September 29 and seventeen anglers recorded 1 salmon, 18 sea trout and 30 brown trout in very calm conditions.  First place went to Sean McCloskey for the second year running.  Denis Murphy came second and Michael Heery was third.  The catch totals for 2018 are as follows.  31 salmon,  662 sea trout and 545 brown trout.

Mervyn Bell, Northern Ireland, on a brexit fly

Lough Inagh Lodge would like to thank all its friends and customers for your support and also the IFI staff that work tirelessly for all our benefit.  P.S. please return salmon licenses before October 10.

Info and bookings to hotel reception 095 34706 [email protected]

Colin Folan
Lough Inagh Lodge

Go fishing…

Loughs Derryclare and Inagh lie in the lovely Inagh Valley with the Twelve Pins (Bens) of Connemara rising steeply to the west, and the Maumturk Mountain range to the east. There are two short connecting rivers, which contain four river beats. The fishery has spring salmon, grilse, sea trout and large indigenous brown trout. In recent years the fishery has seen a resurgence of fish numbers, and in 2010 – 2012, the fishery has produced Salmon to 15lbs, Sea Trout to 5lbs and Brown Trout to 12lbs.

Lough Inagh Lodge
Recess, Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland
Tel: +353 095 34706
Web: www.loughinaghlodgehotel.ie