Lough Leane

Catch: Salmon, Sea Trout and Brown Trout

Location: Lough Leane is situated between the north western edge of the Macgillycuddy Reeks and Killarney Town.

Description: The Killarney Lakes, famous for their beauty, also provide free fishing for trout, Seatrout and Salmon. These lakes can be fished from a boat or from the shore but a boat is really essential if you want to catch Salmon or Seatrout. Salmon are readily taken early in the year mostly by trolling.

Lough Leane which is the largest lake in Co.Kerry at 4,500 acres, is probably the best for brown trout and although fish are rather small, on a good day they may average over 1/2 lb. They are very free rising.

Some large Ferox trout are taken from Lough Leane by trolling. The largest I have heard of was over 16lb.

Lough Leane is very good for early Salmon and large numbers of boats are always out as soon as the season gets under way. Whilst salmon can be caught all year from these waters they tend to trail off after April when for the remainder of the season just a few fish are caught each week. Seatrout on the other hand can be caught from early April right through the season. Like most Irish Loughs the largest seatrout tend to be in the Loughs from April to June.

Season: Salmon fishing is during January 17th – September 30th, Sea trout is caught between January 17th – October 12th and Brown trout fishing is during February 15th – October 12th.

Cost: Free. Boats available for hire with or without oars

Methods: Fly, Trolling, Spinning and Worm. Trolling is the preferred fishing method for salmon on these lakes in the early year but there is always the chance of salmon whilst brown trout fishing and any number of people have been broken up by an unexpected summer salmon.

The seatrout and browns tend to take the usual Lough flies i.e. Bibio, Bumbles, Black Pennels, Watsons Fancy, Invictas, Teal blue and silver etc. How ever they do prefer smaller sizes than you might expect even down to fourteens and sixteens.