This will be our last Irish Angling Update of 2025, so first and foremost the team of Angling Advisors here at Inland Fisheries Ireland would like to wish all of our readers a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year! Back to the job at hand now, and it’s been a fairly miserable 7 days since the last Update with dull, dark wet days, but at least it’s not been overly cold. There was a fair bit of fishing at the weekend and in general it was tough going…
Coarse angling clubs were busy last weekend fishing various leagues and matches. Munster Coarse Anglers fished the Fur and Feather match of their winter series in Obriensbridge. Steve Grogan won the event, fished in harsh conditions, with 7lb even. In Kildare, Athy Anglers had a much more productive Winter League match at the Marina. Dean Murray was the winner there with an impressive 25lb 9oz. Leinster Coarse Anglers had their Fur & Feather match held on the Grand Canal at Daingean. Again, harsh conditions prevailed and Caullum Pickard finished first with a weight of 2.15kg.
IASCaire Feeder Fishing Club fished the final round of their autumn league at Rockfield in Gowna. Once again the fishing was not easy, but congratulations go to Hiszpan Feeder for emerging as the League winner. CM Lakelands held their last match of 2025 on Houghtons Shore, Lough Garadice, last week. Kevin Norcliffe won the match, fished in strong crosswinds, with 3kg. The CM Lakelands Feeder Club have organised an exciting new league for 2026 – the Ultimate Feeder League – which will be fished over three rounds in February and March at venues in Leitrim and Monaghan for more details see CM Lakelands announce Ultimate Feeder League!
The Newbridge & District Pike Anglers final outing of the 2025 season was held as a joint competition with the Irish Outgoing Pikers. Fishing took place on river and canal venues and some lovely pike were caught. Jamie Hunter won the heaviest fish prize with a pike of 17lb 04oz and the heaviest bag was won by Paul Wally Geoghegan with 31lb 12oz. Jamie also wins our Catch of the Week – congratulations! Steve from the Fishing With Steve YouTube channel was out again in Cavan where heavy rain, high winds and flooding made for a poor day, but the pike didn’t seem to mind and he had some great fishing, you can watch it all on his channel.
Before we leave the freshwater reports here’s a reminder to pike and coarse anglers in the Midlands.
Don’t forget to purchase a Midland Permit before fishing on Lough Derrevaragh and the River Inny.
For the full list of waters covered by the permit see here.
The final leg of the Munster Shore League, which also incorporated the Munster Open Shore Gold, was fished from The Slob Bank, Youghal, at the weekend. Fish showed from the very first cast, with several anglers hitting triple shots early on, and it was great to see some quality flounder showing on the bank throughout the match. Alan Mulcahy won on the day to secure league victory, while Mochara Fraher won the Junior section of the league, and Fiona Ryan took the Ladies’ title. Staying in the south, South Shore SAC have announced Sunday 28th December as the date for their Winter Pairs competition to be held at Kilgorman Strand.
Richard Dodd has an entertaining report of Borough SAC’s last competition of the year, which was fished at Killiney and staying on the east coast, Wicklow Bay SAC held their Christmas Spurdog and Social trip with Kit Dunne of Wicklow Boat Charters on Sunday. The weather was poor, and the spurs on the small side, but there were plenty caught and the catch of the day was a super tope of 156cm. The Killybegs Mariners’ second-last outing of the year was fished at Fintra, where fishing was fast with a good run of coleys providing plenty of sport.
Other news..
Sponsorship Programme 2026
Inland Fisheries Ireland has announced details of its Sponsorship Programme for 2026. The programme aims to promote angling tourism in rural areas in 2026, whilst also supporting activities for novice anglers and supporting Irish international teams at overseas championships. It is one of IFI’s main funding mechanisms to promote sustainable angling in Ireland and in 2026, €40,000 will be awarded to angling clubs, federations and tourism bodies to support their angling events.
State Fisheries
The tender process for IFI State Fisheries for 2026 is now open and a list of available fisheries has been published on fisheriesireland.ie. If your club wants to tender for one or more fisheries please download and fill out the Condition of Tender Questionnaire and return to IFI at the address indicated or you can apply online.
Salmon regulations 2026
We know all the salmon anglers reading are waiting for confirmation of the regulations for 2026. As we write the Public Consultation phase has not yet concluded (there is still one more day to make a submission), but as soon as the new rules are set we’ll update our websites and let you all know.
Salmon licences, logbooks and tags
Salmon anglers who have not yet returned their logbook and unused tags from 2025 are asked to do so now.
And now the weather
There will be a wet and windy start to Saturday with outbreaks of rain spreading northeastwards across the country, becoming patchier as they do so. A clearance to drier conditions, but still with some showers, will follow in the afternoon. Highest daytime temperatures of 6 to 10°C, with moderate to fresh and gusty southeasterly winds veering southwesterly and easing light to moderate with the clearance. Cold overnight with some frost and then the outlook becomes uncertain. Colder weather is likely from Sunday with possible showers of hail. The forecast for next week is far from definite, but there has been talk again of a white Christmas. As long as Santa gets a clear run it’ll be grand…
Don’t forget to double-check the forecast before going fishing, and if you’re going to sea, check the tides.
Safe fishing to all and tight lines, especially here in Ireland.
IFI Staff
Catch, Photo, Release
If you have an angling story to share with the Irish Angling Update, please send it to reports@fisheriesireland.ie.
All the angling news
Coarse Angling Reports
- IASCaire Feeder Fishing Club fish autumn league finale
- CM Lakelands announce Ultimate Feeder League!
- Weather dampens Leinster Coarse Anglers spirits at Daingean
- Dean Murray wins latest Athy match with 25lb 9oz
- Steve Grogan wins 5th round of Munster CAC winter league
Pike Fishing Reports
- Fishing with Steve – Pike Fishing in Cavan
- Plenty of pike (& craic) at joint Newbridge & Irish Outgoing Pikers Competition
Sea Angling Reports
- Killiney Beach – Borough SAC’s Last Stand of 2025
- Cunningham double act tops table at Killybegs Mariners penultimate outing
- Date announced for South Shore SAC Winter Pairs Competition
- Fine tope the pick of the bunch for Wicklow Bay anglers
- Alan Mulcahy wins Munster Shore League with another win in Youghal
