Strokestown is located in the Irish Midlands, 95 miles west of Dublin (on the N5 road corridor)
WHERE TO FISH
There are 14 lakes described on this guide collectively known as the Strokestown Lakes. Many of these lakes have very good access and facilities provided by the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board which includes fishing stands, disabled angling facilities, access roads and car parks etc. Some offer excellent fishing while others less known but worth exploring and experimenting. Neighbouring angling centres describe a myriad of other lake fisheries and hotspots on the River Shannon See fishing guides CARRICK ON SHANNON, TARMONBARRY, MOHILL/DROMOD .
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
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** |
*** |
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* |
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*** |
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*** |
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P |
* |
*** |
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P |
P |
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* |
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** |
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**** |
*** |
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P |
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P |
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*** |
*** |
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P |
**** |
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Black Lake |
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** |
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P |
* |
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P |
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P |
*** |
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* |
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** |
Lough na Blaithi
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
*** |
** |
* |
** |
** |
*** |
Lough Na Blaithi is a 600-acre lake. The lake is located 5 miles north of the town and is sign posted from Strokestown. The lake holds good stocks of Bream, Roach, and Hybrids and some rudd and fishing is available. The most prolific area for tench is the northern end of the lake. There is also a good stock of Pike in the lake and there are regular reports of good fish caught every year.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: Access roadway and car park. For pike fishing it is recommended that you launch your boat at facilities located on the south western end of the lake.
TO GET THERE: From Strokestown follow the signposts for Lough na Blaithi.
Cloonahee Lake
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
** |
* |
** |
** |
** |
*** |
Cloonahee Lake is 6 miles north of Strokestown and is easily located with good sign posting from the town. Fishing is into 15 feet of water and the lake holds good stocks of Bream, Rudd and Hybrids and has a very good stock of Pike.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: The Inland Fisheries Ireland has developed the lake with access roadway, car park and 30 fishing spaces on a continuous boardwalk. Three of these spaces have been erected for use for anglers with disabilities.
TO GET THERE: From Strokestown the fishery is signposted all the way and is therefore very easy to locate.
Annaghmore Lake
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
P |
* |
*** |
** |
P |
P |
This is a very shallow lake of about 250+ acres. The lake has produced specimen Rudd to 3.86 lbs. In fact a rudd of 3.86lbs was caught by Mr. Garnett Coulter of Kilmore, Co Armagh who held the Irish record for 11 days in May 1995. There is a limited stock of good Tench and there is Perch to over 1 lb present.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: There is a car park area with open bank fishing. For the best results a boat will be required to access the island.
TO GET THERE: Annaghmore Lake is located 3 miles northwest of Strokestown on the R368 Elphin road.
Blasbarnagh Lake
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
** |
** |
** |
** |
** |
** |
This is a relatively shallow lake of about 200 acres, located 2½ miles northwest of Strokestown. The lake holds good stocks of all the usual coarse fish including Rudd, Tench, Bream, Perch and Pike.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: Access to the lake is along the public roadway to a number of open bank pegs.
TO GET THERE: From Strokestown take the Elphin road for 2 miles, turn left and the lake is to your left about a mile in this road.
Lough Lee
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
** |
** |
** |
** |
* |
* |
his is a group of small lakes to the west of Strokestown, which appear as one lake in high water. The lake has a very good stock of Bream. Other important species are Hybrids, Rudd and Tench to 6 lbs.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: The Inland Fisheries Ireland has provided four double stands, three stiles and two footbridges on the lake to help angler access.
TO GET THERE: Take the Tulsk road out of Strokestown for about 2 miles and the lake is located on your right.
Cloonfree Lake
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
*** |
** |
** |
** |
** |
** |
Cloonfree Lake is located 2 miles southwest of Strokestown off the Tulsk road. It has good depth, has a good stock of Bream and Roach. Other important species are Tench to 6lbs, Rudd to 3 lbs and has a stock of wild brown trout as the Mountain River drains the lake.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: Foot access only across private land where permission must be obtained. The lake can also be accessed by boat via a slipway which is sited off the local roadway leading to Finlough on the Mountain River.
TO GET THERE: Take the Tulsk road out of Strokestown, taking the first left at the church. Travel this road for about 2 miles where you will cross the Mountain River and access the slipway on the right hand side of the road. Lake access is half a mile further on, parking is on the left hand side of the road, the lake is on the right.
Finlough
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
** |
**** |
*** |
** |
P |
** |
Finlough is an important coarse angling lake in the Strokestown area. The lake lies 2½-miles southwest of the town. This is a noted Tench water and has quality Rudd also. The lake has produced specimen Tench in the past giving it a 4 star rating.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: The Inland Fisheries Ireland has two double stands along the southwest shoreline with two access stiles and two footbridges. Cars can be parked along the shoreline near the access gate.
TO GET THERE: Take the Tulsk road out of Strokestown and take the first left at the Church. Follow the the road for 2 miles approx and the lake is to your right.
Grange Lake
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
** |
** |
** |
** |
P |
** |
Grange is a large lake located 5 miles north east of Strokestown. This is an attractive water which holds good stocks of Bream, Rudd and Hybrids to 3lbs.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: Angling access is poor. The lake can be accessed by boat via the Kilglass lake system.
TO GET THERE: Take the Carrick-on-Shannon roadway out of Strokestown for about 3 miles till you come to a fork in the roadway at Black lake. Keeping to your right the lake will be visible on your right close to the public roadway.
Kilglass Lake
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
*** |
*** |
** |
** |
*** |
P |
**** |
Kilglass Lake is a very important fishery located 5 miles to the north east of Strokestown and lies to the west of Rooskey. The lake holds excellent stocks of Bream, Roach, Tench, Hybrids and Rudd over 3lbs. The lake as with most lakes in the area also has a good stock of Pike where very good reports are received every year from anglers. This is a venue for the Pike fishing Winter Leagues.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: The access point is at Kilglass Marina (Waterways Ireland)
TO GET THERE: There are a number of access points to this fishery and you should enquire with your guest house as to the one nearest to you. The nearest one to Strokestown is as follows, From Strokestown take the Longford road for about 2 miles. Turn left for Rooskey, follow the road for about 2 miles, then turn left for Kilglass Lake (signposted Waterways Ireland).
Black Lake
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
Black lake is currently closed to fishing.
Lough Incha
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
** |
** |
** |
** |
P |
* |
Lough Incha is located 5 miles north of Strokestown and is only across the road from Lough na Blaithi described on this guide. The fishery holds a stock of most coarse fish.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: The Inland Fisheries Ireland provides one double stand on the lake.
TO GET THERE: Follow the signs for Lough Na Blaithi from Strokestown. The lake is to the left across the roadway from the entrance to Lough na Blaithi.
Lough O’Donra
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
** |
** |
* |
** |
P |
* |
Lough O’Donra is 5 miles to the north east of Strokestown, close to the Carrick-on-Shannon road. The lake holds a stock of Bream, Rudd and Tench. Based on a recent survey indications are that tench tend to congregate in the northeastern end of the lake which can be difficult to access.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: The Inland Fisheries Ireland provides one double stand and one access stile on this water.
TO GET THERE: Take the Carrick-on-Shannon road out of Strokestown for about 5 miles and the lake is to your left along the roadway.
Little Grange Lake
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
** |
** |
* |
* |
** |
P |
*** |
Little Grange is a small lake 4½ miles to the north of Strokestown. The lake holds good stocks of Bream, Rudd , Hybrids. This is better known as a Pike fishery.
ACCESS AND FACILITIES: The Inland Fisheries Ireland has no angling structures on the lake and most of the angling is done by boat access via Lough Na Blaithi.
TO GET THERE: You can only gain boat access via Lough na Blaithi. Access to Lough na Blaithi is sign posted from Strokestown.
Hillstreet Lakes
Bream |
Roach |
Tench |
Rudd |
Hybrids |
Perch |
Pike |
*** |
*** |
* |
*** |
*** |
** |
The Hillstreet lakes are a group of small interlinked lakes 5½ miles to the north of Strokestown and just south of the village of Hillstreet. This is just a short distance from Drumsna village. These lakes have a good stock of Bream, Rudd, Hybrids Roach. This is also a very good Pike fishery, particularly productive during the winter months.
ACCESS & FACILITIES: Access points are well sign posted and the Inland Fisheries Ireland provide four stands, two stiles and four footbridges to facilitate anglers.
TO GET THERE: From Strokestown take the Carrick on Shannon road for about 4 miles, turn right for Hillstreet.