Pike fishing around Portumna Angling Centre

Portumna is located on the River Shannon at the Northern end of Lough Derg in Co Galway – about 55 kms from Limerick and 80 km from Shannon Airport.

This is a prime coarse angling centre renowned for its quality angling with specialist operators who are geared to cater for angling tourists.

Portumna offers good fishing waters which have a good track record. On the river there are two stretches up and downstream of Portumna, known locally as the lower  ‘town stretches’ or Rogers Island and upper ESB stretch called   Fairyhill. On the Galway bank farther upriver there is the Salmon Run and the Old Sheebeen Stretch which are back to back with a shared access road. On the County Tipperary bank there are a couple of stretches, Milne’s of Ballymacegan Friars Lough a few kms away near Lorrha village offers further angling possibilities for the angler.

Spring fishing can be brilliant as shoals of Roach and Hybrids leave the vast waters of Lough Derg, move upstream into the river around Portumna. From June through to late October the river returns to normal with a more even spread of species.  Access is excellent with many natural bank swims. For full details see guides below.

	Pike	Perch	Bream	Roach	Tench	Rudd	Hybrids
L Derg Northern Shores	***	P	**	**	*	*	**
Rogers Island	**	P	**	***	P	*	****
Fairyhill – ESB Stretch	**	P	**	**	P	*	**
Salmon Run and Sheebeen Stretch	**	P	**	***	P	*	**
Milne’s Ballymacegan	**	P	**	***	P	*	**

 

L Derg Northern Shores

The lake produces large pike up to 30lbs+

FACILITIES AND ACCESS: Access from Portumna Bay Slipway

TO GET THERE: See contacts for local  Angling Services who will assist.

Rogers Island

The shelf is deep at the top end, with depths graduating from 20 to 50+ft in places. The river near the mouth of Lough Derg farther downstream is quite uniform in depth at about 12 to 15ft.

FACILITIES AND ACCESS: There is public access from the bridge at Portumna with adequate car parking facilities. Anglers have to cross a footbridge and walk a few hundred meters down stream to locate the top 15 swims. More recently a new access road from the swimming pool area  in Portumna Bay on Lough Derg now provides access to the lower section of the river into Rogers Island where there is an angling information board and gate access to peg numbers 15 to 40, where there are  parking bays.

NB: The gate into the venue is only open at the following times  April 1st – October 31st from 8am sharp and closed at 8pm sharp daily. Outside of these times,  special arrangements maybe made by contacting ShRFB Assistant Fisheries Inspector Pat Mc Donnell 00353 (0)87 2152127. 

Fairyhill – ESB Stretch

This can  be a very good angling stretch which fishes best during late spring/early summer and again in September/October weather permitting.

FACILITIES AND ACCESS: This stretch referred to locally as the ESB or upper town stretch. Here you will find over 40 natural swims extending nearly as far as the ESB pumphouse.

TO GET THERE: This stretch can be reached by taking a right turn past The Emerald Star Line Cruiser Marina on the way into Portumna from the Tipperary side of the river. After taking the right turn follow the road around by the OPW Offices and Marina until you come to a gate. This gate is permanently locked and requires a walk to the pegs. To facilitate anglers there is a catwalk recently sited in the flood plain under the ESB gravel path along the section. The catwalk is designed to assist you with gaining access through the soft swampy area to the swims. There are some other access points located along the section off the flood plain where anglers can gain access.

Salmon Run and Sheebeen Stretch

Salmon Run

There are about 50 natural swims available to anglers. The section is used as a match stretch.   River depth is fairly uniform at about 15 to 20 ft with the odd hole.

FACILITIES AND ACCESS:  The Salmon Run and the Old Sheebeen match stretches are back to back and offers shared access road with parking bays along its length for anglers convenience. The Salmon Run  is a lovely clean stretch of bank and has in excess of 40 spaces available for fishing.

TO GET THERE: From Portumna take a right turn immediately past the church, onto the Killimor/Galway road. About one kilometre out this road,  take a right turn in the direction of Ballinasloe, continue for about 8-9 kms, there is a right turn for the village of Ballycrissane. At the top of the village there is another right turn which will bring you past the Old Sheebeen Public House on your left a couple of kilometres along this country road. Continue on for another kilometre or so, where you will locate a brown timber road sign for the river marked ‘Bank Fishing’, turn right here (near gravel pit), down the lane for about 400 meters to the Old Sheebeen Restaurant at Esker Riada. Here you will meet a newly constructed bridge over the ESB canal inlet. Drive over the bridge. After you cross the bridge the Sheebeen stretch is along the access road on your left and the Salmon Run on your right.

NB: The gate into the venue is only open at the following times  April 1st – October 31st from 8am sharp and closed at 8pm sharp daily. Outside of these times,  special arrangements maybe made by contacting IFI Assistant Fisheries Inspector Pat Mc Donnell 00353 (0)87 2152127. 

THE SHEEBEEN STRETCH

Species are similar as the Salmon Run described above. This is a deep backwater off the main Shannon inside Ballymacegan Island. The bank side is wooded in part and offers some shelter from strong winds.

FACILITIES AND ACCESS: With the new development there are about 20+ swims available to anglers

TO GET THERE: See directions above for the Salmon Run above.

Milne’s Ballymacegan

This short stretch is located on the opposite (Tipperary) bank from the Sheebeen stretch described in this guide. Permission is required to fish here from the local land owner.

FACILITIES AND ACCESS: This is a short fishing stretch on the main Shannon channel. Access to the river is possible by taking a left turn beyond Milne’s Pub and proceed down a very narrow lane to the river. There is open bank fishery.

TO GET THERE: From Portumna take the R 489 road for about 6 kms in the direction of Birr . Follow the signs for Ballymacegan and then to Milne’s Pub.

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