Home The Lennon

    The Lennon

    By
    myleskelly
    -
    5789

    Season

    Catch and Release for 2025

    • The salmon season runs from 1st January to September 30th inclusive.
    • The Sea Trout Season runs from 1st January to 30th September inclusive.
    • The brown trout season runs from February 15th to September 30th inclusive.
    • Use of any fish hooks, other than single or double barbless hooks is prohibited.
    • Use of worms as bait in angling for all species of fish is prohibited.

    Overview

    The fishery includes Lough Fern and Lough Gartan. The Leannan is a 30-mile long river, flowing from the heart of the Glendowan Mountains to lough Swilly at Rathmelton. It was noted for its productivity of spring fish until the unfortunate outbreak of UDN in 1976. Since then the salmon population has slowly recovered and is approaching pre-1976 levels.

    The Leannan gets a good run of salmon from early January with the average salmon weighing approximately 9lbs. The largest recorded salmon was 33lb. The river has a good run of grilse around June. Good flies are the Willie Gunn tube or Waddington early in the season, Badger, Hairy Mary and any of the Shrimp flies. Sea Trout are present only in the lower reaches, where they run as far as Watt’s Pool.

    Note: The section of the River Lennon downstream of the Drummonahan Bridge (Watt’s Pool) is privately owned and permission to fish this should be sought locally.

    Lough Fern

    Lough Fern is still a very productive trout fishery with brownies around 1lb and 2lb fairly common. The western shore is the preferred area for bank fishing but the lough is best fished from a boat. Recommended flies are the Connemara Black, Black Pennell, Bibio and any Sedge pattern. Salmon have been making a comeback in Lough Fern in recent years and are once again taken on the fly.
    Lough Gartan produces occasional salmon and has a resident population of small brown trout averaging between ¼ and ½ lbs.

    Permits

    There are no permit requirements at present for the Lennon upstream of the Rathmelton Fishery Company stretch but Watt’s Pool is a private fishery and permission should be sought locally. A day permit is required for Lough Fern.

    Boat Hire – Lough Fern.

    Boats can be hired from:
    Letterkenny & District Anglers at €20 per day. Contact:

    • Spar Shop, Kilmacrennan, Co. Donegal.
      Tel:  074 9139322
    • Gavin Duffy (Letterkenny & District Anglers Association.)
      Tel: 086 3899810

    Kenneth Bradley at €20 per day. Contact:

    • Kenneth Bradley, Moyle, Milford, Co. Donegal.
      Tel: 074 9153736. Mobile: 086 8384882.