Half Day – Costello and Fermoyle River Beat

Fees:

Feb- Sept €30 per angler – Morning 10am – 13.30 pm, Afternoon 14.30pm – 6.00pm, Evening 7pm – 10.30pm
As it is a Salmon/Sea Trout Fishery a State Licence is also required. (See Below)

Costello & Fermoyle Fishery was noted in the past for its prolific run of sea trout as well as both spring and summer salmon. Extensive mention is made of the system in the angling publication, A Man May Fish by the late Mr Justice Kingsmill Moore who fished the system for many years. The fishery has a number of river beats as well as numerous loughs with boats and fishery huts. It is one of the largest and best known fisheries in Connemara. Ghillies can be provided with advancenotice or at time of booking through the web site.

From the 1 st February, the system is open for spring salmon which are generally bigger fish ranging from 7lbs up to 20 lbs. While the numbers of these fish are small, their numbers coming into the system increases as the months go by, when, by June, the grilse or summer salmon, weighing 3-4 lbs and up to 7lbs make their appearance together with the larger sea trout. All during the summer, sea trout continue to run into the system from the sea and populate the various loughs where they are eagerly fished for.

The normal tackle used for both salmon and sea trout is a single handed rod 10-11 1/2 ft, using a floating or intermediate 5-6 fly line. The cast would be made from 12-15 lb breaking strain. For salmon a single or double fly in sizes 10/12 in spring going to smaller sizes in summer. Some of the more used flies are Black Scrimp, Garry Dog, Black Pennell, Delphi and Butchers. The secret to successful angling on the river beats is stealth and low profile as it is open ground as there is no cover along the river banks.

Most sea trout are fished for on the loughs and similar tackle is used though the cast of three flies would be tied on a 6-8 lb breaking strain. The flies used are Bibio, Black Pennell, Watson’s fancy, Claret Bumble, Green Peter and later in the season daddys’. Wet fly is the main type of fishing though in past some people used to dap for both salmon and sea trout on the loughs. The season ends on the 30th September when up to 500-1,000 salmon will have come into the system as well as up to 4,000 sea trout depending on water conditions during the season.