Season
Open for 2024
- The Salmon season is from 1st January to 30th September inclusive.
- The Brown Trout season is from 15th February to 30th September inclusive.
Overview
The River Drowes is famous for regularly producing the first salmon of the year, being one of the few rivers opening on 1st January. Rarely is there a year when a fish is not caught on opening day. Indeed this is a very festive occasion with some 250 anglers fishing, all striving to land the first salmon of the year. The river flows for about 5 miles draining the 103 square mile catchment into the Atlantic. The river generally keeps good water levels right through the season being fed by Lough Melvin. There is a good run of spring salmon from the 1st January through to April/May with some summer and autumn fish. The main grilse run starts around the end of May peaking around June/July.
There are 81 named pools throughout the whole river. The upper section from the Lough to Four Masters Bridge has a lovely series of streams and pools and is usually reserved for anglers staying in the holiday bungalows at Lareen Park. The middle section from Four Masters Bridge downstream to Lennox’s Bridge is generally fast flowing and fishes best in medium to low water. The third section from Lennox’s Bridge downstream to the Tullaghan Bridge has streamy water and pools in the upper section with deeper slower water towards the bottom. The original Sea Pool is located at the bottom of this stretch and can be a very productive pool at high tide (spring tides particularly).
Popular flies include Lady Eithne, Silver Rat, Stoat’s Tail, Red Shrimp, Silver Doctor, Hairy Mary & Blue Charm. All legitimate angling methods are allowed.
The river holds a stock of small brown trout in which little interest is shown. Unusually Gillaroo up to 4lb are caught in June and July at dusk, mostly on small white flies. This could be due in part to work carried out to improve spawning habitat on feeder streams flowing into Melvin.
DROWES ESTUARY
The Drowse Estuary comprises the three pools downstream of the Bundrowes Bridge in Tullaghan, Co. Leitrim, down to the sea. It gets a good run of spring salmon from the 1st January through to April/May with some summer and autumn salmon. The main grilse run starts around the end of May. This is a prolific little fishery since all salmon that run into the Drowes/Melvin system pass through this section. It is controlled by a syndicate, which issues six permits per day, from 8am to 5pm and from 6pm to 10pm.
Permits
River Drowse:
A permit is required to fish the river,
- Day ticket; €25.
- Week ticket; €100.
These are available from 9 to 10am and 1 to 2pm from the Fishery Office, Lareen Park, Kinlough, Co. Leitrim. Tel:& Fax: (071) 9841055.
Tel: +353 (0)71 9841055
Web: www.drowessalmonfishery.com
Drowse Estuary:
A permit is required to fish the Estuary. Permits are available as a day or evening ticket.
- Day ticket (8am to 5pm) costs €40
- Evening ticket (6pm to 10pm) costs €30.
These can be purchased from Fishery Office, Lareen Park, Kinlough, Co. Leitrim.
Tel: +353 (0)71 9841055
Local guides:
For guide information contact:
- The Fishery Office, Lareen Park, Kinlough, Co. Leitrim. Tel & Fax: 071 9841055
