A Typical Day Out

Answers to some frequently asked questions might help:

What can I book?
It's usually a full day going from roughly 9:30am in the morning to about 5pm or 6pm in the evening, but we can make alterations to suit all requests. The normal day is 10am to 6pm. I like to meet up at 9.30 to discuss our day and be on the water by 10.

How many people can you take on-board?
It's usually 1 or 2 people. For more than 2 people we can help with additional guides and boats.

Can I bring my own equipment?
Yes. Additional rods and tackle will always be available on the day. For example, if the plan for the day is wet fly fishing and conditions change to suit dry fly fishing, we can quickly switch to lighter gear. In general, this is the recommended setup:
- I recommend 9ft 5wt rods for most dry fly fishing, and a soft to medium action.
- For wet fly fishing I recommend 10ft rods 6/7 with either a floating line, intermediate or a fast intermediate.

Please note that no studded wading boots are allowed on the boat.

I'm not familiar with Irish weather, what clothing should I wear?
It's best to plan ahead and adjust for the time of the season when you will be fishing. In general Ireland has a mild temperature climate so some layers and waterproofs are a good starting point. At the beginning and end of the season it can be a bit colder so additional layers are always advised. There are cabinets on the boat to store equipment and clothing. In addition:
- Hats or beanies are always good to bring along.
- We always advise bringing sun cream regardless of the conditions.
- We recommend that you wear polarized sun glasses for eye protection and it helps to see the fish.
- Life Jackets are essential and can be provided if needed.

Should I bring my own food?
We can supply tea and coffee and some food, in general guests bring their own food. Rest assured there will be plenty of coffee available in any event. Our days go from relaxed days out with plenty of breaks, to eating on the boat during fishing to maximise the time on the Lough.

How long is the fishing season and are there any licences required?
A licence is required to fish Glencar Lough for Salmon and Sea Trout, and a permit is required from Sligo Anglers which I can arrange on the day. You can review the Salmon and Sea Trout licence options on the Inland Fisheries website. The fishing dates:
   - For Salmon- 1^st February to 30^th September
   - For Seatrout: 1^st February to 12^th October
   - For Brown Trout: 15^th February to 12^th October

If customers plan on fishing other lakes or fisheries, they should check the guidance on the Fishing Ireland site.

Are there particular times in the season to book?
Key Dates for Glencar Lough:
   - October is particularly good for Sea Trout.
   - June, July, August and September for Salmon and Sea Trout.
   - All season then for Brown Trout, but they are smaller than the other lakes I guide on.

Are there rules on barbed/barbless hooks, or catch and release?
More and more anglers these days are practicing catch and release and while it is not compulsory on the western lakes, we practise a catch and release policy when fishing. There are rules on bag limits and minimum sizes and we can check this with you on the day.

For hooks, guests can use either barbed or barbless. If you are using some of my flies on the day, these are typically barbed but they can be crimped easily.

And away...

Glencar Lough

Glencar Lough, just south-east of Benbulben, is a smaller Lough than Lough Arrow or Lough Melvin measuring just 2 miles long by 1/2 mile wide, but it's one of my favorite places to fish and also offers a chance to catch Sea Trout and Salmon. It is set in beautiful surroundings with the famous Glencar waterfall at its north-east corner, which can be seen while out fishing.

Glencar has smaller Brown Trout and gets a good run of Sea Trout and a fair number of Salmon, both spring fish and Grilse. The average size of the Sea Trout is over 1 & 1/2lb and local anglers claim that the lough produces the largest average size of Sea Trout in the west of Ireland. In recent years Glencar has produced Sea Trout up to 2 & 1/2 lbs. The fish are free-rising, especially when fresh, Glencar has a good hatch of Mayfly, Olives and Sedges.

We meet up in the morning at Glencar Lough Pier:
(click to view on Google Maps)