Watching a CDC dry gently flow down a food line and a trout just sip it gently didn’t get old and the more we saw it the more we craved it and hunted the feeling.

Dan O’Neill, fishery manager at Mount Juliet, reports from the River Nore…

With recent rains the river went up and down quite a bit. A slight colour also came on the river with the higher water. Tactics had to be adjusted accordingly which was no trouble for my guests over the weekend. One thing I love about guiding is meeting new people and also learning their approach to different angling situations. This helps to give you every chance of a fish in even the most harsh conditions.

My guests this week were full of stories about the fish I can only dream of fly fishing for like permit, bonefish and yellowfish. The inquisitive side of me asked many questions which they happily answered about these species. Getting back to business it was up to me to get us in a position where we would have our best chance at a trout. Starting out with dry dropper we managed a few trout some of which were a nice size and gave a great account of themselves in the slightly heavier current. As the evening went on hatches of sedges danced closely behind over hanging trees. Every now and again an eager trout would lash out at them catching our eye in excitement.

Olives also hatched as the evening went on. During these hatches we had multiple trout on the dry. This was a relief to me as i really wanted to show my guests the magic of a River Nore dry fly evening. Watching a CDC dry gently flow down a food line and a trout just sip it gently didn’t get old and the more we saw it the more we craved it and hunted the feeling.

As the evening went on we hit trout after trout, some big, some small. My guests were amazed by their beauty which made me take a second look at these fish and realise I was very lucky to have such a wonderful river with a good population of trout  so close to me.  Hearing that confirmed by the lads was just eye opening. Being able to pass on some hints and tips to them made my weekend.

All in all a great weekend with some excellent company, looking forward to seeing these guys in the future.

Water Level and Temperature at time of fishing
Water Level 0.45m (lowest)-0.67m (at highest)
Water Temp  14.8-15.5°C

Guided fishing

Taking bookings now for guided trips on the River Nore. Anyone wishing to practice a particular technique for trout or learn more about leader setups etc. Full and Half days available, contact me for more information.

Dan O’Neill
Mount Juliet

Go Fishing

Mount Juliet has trout and salmon fishing available on site over 2.5 miles of the river Nore. Classes also available for every skill level – learn or improve on your chosen technique. coarse fish ponds also available on the hotel grounds.

Dan O’Neill, Fishery Manager, Mount Juliet Estate, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, Ireland

Telephone+353 85 7652751
Email[email protected]
Websitehttps://www.mountjuliet.ie/fishing-on-the-estate.html

General Information

The river Nore is a beautiful river that meanders it way through counties Laois and Kilkenny before joining with its sister river the Barrow just upstream of New Ross on its way to the sea. For further information on the Nore please visit:

River Nore trout fishing