Where to fish?
Loughs Agency
FOYLE AND CARLINGFORD LOUGHS
A Loughs Agency Licence is required to fish in the Foyle and Carlingford catchments. These waters lie in the North West and South East of Northern Ireland plus parts of counties Donegal and Louth in the Republic of Ireland.
There is only limited coarse angling in the area.
Angling Regulations
Coarse fish. It is prohibited to kill coarse fish (however, see regulation on pike, below) in the Foyle and Carlingford areas waters.
Eels. It is prohibited to kill eels in the Foyle and Carlingford areas.
All such coarse fish and eels caught, must be carefully handled and returned alive and unharmed to the water.
Pike. There is a bag limit of 2 pike weighing 4 kg or less, on any one day. Pike of 4kg or more must be returned unharmed to the water. There is an exception for specimen pike with a bag limit of 1 specimen pike in any one day (a specimen pike in a river is 9 kg or more; a specimen pike in a lake is 13.6 kg or more).
Live bait. Live fish cannot be used as bait in fresh waters in the Foyle and Carlingford areas.
Lough Shark
(sometimes known as Acton Lake)
This 25 hectare (58 acre) lake lies on the watershed of the Carlingford system, adjacent to the Newry Canal.
There is coarse fishing, mainly for bream, roach and hybrids. Access should be with landowners’
permission!
CANALS
Newry Canal (inland from Newry city)
This is a summit level canal with several locks designed to ‘lift’ barges over the watershed between Newry and the Lough Neagh basin. The locks lie open today and there is a flow of fresh water through the canal. On the lower sections the canal is weed grown. The canal is controlled by Newry and Mourne District Council. There is coarse fishing for perch, roach, bream and pike. A permit is not required for this water – although an angler must hold a rod licence!
Newry Ship Canal
(seaward of Newry city)
The old ship canal was built to link Newry to the sea. It runs for 3 miles from the Albert Basin in the town to Victoria Lock where it meets the waters of Carlingford Lough. There is parking in the city of Newry and at Victoria Lock. Several platforms (pegs) have bee built along the Newry to Omeath road. Car parking is limited and care is required on this busy length of road!
The canal is controlled by Newry and Mourne District Council. There is coarse fishing for perch, roach, bream and pike. A permit is not required for this water – although an angler must hold a Loughs Agency rod licence!
Loughs
Milltown Lough and Greenan Lough
These two lakes (or loughs!) are reasonably close together and lie amongst the foothills of the Mourne Mountains. Each can be described as elongated, lying along the bottom of quite narrow valleys. Milltown is 19 hectares (45 acres) in area and Greenan 11 hectares (26 acres).
Coarse fishing for the usual species, including reasonable pike fishing. In the case of each lough, access should be with landowners’
permission.
There are some platforms at Greenan Lough but care should be exercised if using them as there appears to have been little maintenance!
TACKLE & BAIT SUPPLIERS
E J Cassells & Sons 41/43 Main Street, Ballymoney, BT53 6AN Tel: +44 (0)28 2766 3216
Jack Smyth Angling and Outdoors Unit 1F Altona Retail Park, Lisburn, BT27 5QB Tel: +44 (0)28 9267 6600
Mid-Antrim Angling Centre 14 William Street, Ballymena, BT43 6AW Tel: +44 (0)28 2564 8159
Pete’s Tackle 29/31 Balmoral Avenue Whitehead Carrickfergus BT38 9QD Tel: +44 (0)28 93353283
The Great Outdoors 22 Broughshane Street, Ballymena, BT43 6EB Tel: +44 (0) 28 2564 7187
The Tackle Box 6 New Street Randalstown Co.Antrim BT41 3AF Tel: +44 (0)28 94479010
Angling Centre 71 Coleraine Road, Garvagh, BT51 5HR Tel: +44 (0)28 2955 7691 S.J. Mitchell & Co. 29 Central Car Park, Limavady, BT49 0ER Tel: +44 (0)28 7772 2128 62
Smyths Country Sports 1 Park Street, Coleraine, BT52 1BD Tel: +44 (0)28 7034 3970
The Great Outdoors 58 Society Street, Coleraine, BT52 1LA Tel: + 44 (0)28 7032 0701
Tom’s Fishing Tackle Shop 31 Ardlough Road, Drumnahoe, BT47 5SP Tel: +44 (0)28 7134 626
G I Stores 5 Dobbin Street, Armagh,BT61 7QQ Tel: +44 (0)28 3752 2335
McIlduff’s Fishing & Fieldsports Store Unit 2B Gilpinstown Road Lurgan BT66 8RL Tel: +44 (0)28 38349707
Outdoor Experience 29-31 Castle Street, Portadown, BT62 1BA Tel: +44 (0)28 3833 9333
Belleek Angling Centre The Thatch, Main Street, Belleek, BT93 3FX Tel: +44 (0)28 6865 8181
Cloughbally Mills Angling Centre Unit 3 Sligo Road, Enniskillen, BT74 7JY Tel: +44 (0)28 66322008
Country Sports 52 Drumadravey Road, Irvinestown, BT94 1LQ +44 (0)28 6862 1788
Erne Tackle 121 Main Street, Lisnaskea, BT92 0JD Tel: +44 (0)28 6772 1969 Home, Field & Stream 18 – 20 Church Street, Enniskillen, BT74 7EJ +44 (0)28 6632 2114 63