Fishing
Relax, unwind, with rod and reel, and enjoy many endless hours fishing the abundant and well stocked waters of Down.
Licences are required for game and coarse fishing,
and can be obtained from:
Fishing Visitors Guide 2010
Four Seasons
47 Main Street,
Newcastle
T: 0 28 4372 5078
Forest Office
Castlewellan,
Forest Park
T: 0 28 4377 8664
The Fly Box
95 Burren Road,
Ballynahinch
T: 0 28 9753 3311
Sea Angling boat trips can be arranged at Strangford and Newcastle Harbours. DCAL waters are managed by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.
T: 0 28 4377 8937
Ballylough Lake
Managed by Castlewellan and Annsborough Angling Club
Ballybannion Hill
Clough Road, Annsborough
Game: Rainbow and Brown Trout
Season: 1 March - 31 October
Methods: Fly Fishing only.
Bag Limits: Normally Four.
Permit/Licence: Game Rod licence is required for over 18s. Day ticket required from Castlewellan and Annsborough Angling Club, call the Chestnut Inn, Castlewellan on 0 28 4377 8247, or from day
ticket outlet at
Paula’s, Main Street,
Castlewellan.
Parking: Lay-by at Lough.
Directions: Annsborough, near Castlewellan.
Carrickmannon Fishery
Rainbow Trout Put and Take
(Worm, Spinning or Fly Fishing)
130 Station Road
Saintfield
T: 0 28 9751 0654
M: 07787 853903
E: carrickmannonfishery@btinternet.com
Carrickmannon Fishery offers a range of facilities. Fly fishing from boat or bank and bait or spinning from bank only. Fly pond regularly stocked with rainbows up to 10lb. Children's pond heavily stocked. Bait pond heavily stocked. Bait pond for worm only. Children 10 years and under must be supervised by an adult. Boats are available for hire and anglers must wear life jackets provided. Car park, toilet, small shop, barbecue and picnic facilities are provided at the fishery. Rod licence is necessary.
Opening Hours: The fishery is open all year from 9:00 with evening fishing from April to September.
Castlewellan Lake
Managed by DCAL. Contact Mr Peter Lynch (Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure) on 0 28 4377 8937.
Game: Brown and Rainbow Trout.
Season: 1 March - 31 October.
Methods: Spinning and worm. Fly only from own boat.
Bag limits: 4 fish per rod per day; minimum takeable size 10".
Licence/permit: Game rod licence required by over 18s; DCAL game fishing permit required (Juvenile permit by under 18s). Available from Castlewellan Forest Park, call 0 28 4377 8664.
Parking: In Forest Park car park.
Directions: Castlewellan Forest Park.
Costs: Boat hire available at £10 per session.
Lough Island Reavy Club Water
93 hectare reservoir. Managed by Belfast Angling Association.
T: 0 28 4065 0537
Game: Brown Trout, some Pike and Perch.
Season: 1 April - 30 September.
Methods: Fly fishing only.
Bag limits: 3 fish per rod per day.
All fish under 12” must be returned to the water.
Permit/licence: No Sunday fishing.
Game rod licence needed for over 18s. 6 permits per day available.
Parking: On Lacken Road.
Directions: Between Castlewellan and Kilcoo on Rathfriland Road.
Lough Money
Managed by DCAL. Contact Mr Peter Lynch (Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure) on 0 28 4377 8937.
Game: Rainbow Trout. Bank fishing and wading from firm shores.
Season: 1 February - 31 December.
Methods: All lawful methods - ground bait and maggots not permitted.
Bag limits: There is a bag limit of 4 Rainbow Trout.
Permit/licence: Rod licence required for over 18s. Game fishing permit from DCAL.
Parking: Car park at Ballyalton end of Lough.
Directions: From Downpatrick take Ballyhornan Road. Turn left onto Ballyculter Road. Lough Money is situated on left.
Moneycarragh River, Dundrum
Dundrum Angling Club
Game: Sea Trout and Salmon.
Season: 1 March – 31 October.
License Authority: Fisheries Conservancy Board.
Day Ticket: There are six day tickets available which run from 9:00 for twenty-four hours.
Day Ticket Outlet:
The Spar,
133 Main Street,
Dundrum.
T: 0 28 4375 1656
The Moneycarragh is a small (3-5m) river best known for its Sea Trout and the occasional Salmon. The Sea Trout fishing is at its best from June to September while the opportunity of a Salmon is at its peak from September to the end of the season. Fly fishing, spinning and worming are the permitted methods, and a ghillie can be arranged with prior notice.
Quoile Basin
Managed by DCAL.
Contact Mr Peter Lynch (Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure) on
0 28 4377 8937.
Coarse and Game: Pike, Perch, Rudd, Eels and Brown Trout.
Season: All year for Pike, Perch, Rudd and Eels, 1 March - 31 October for Brown Trout.
Method: Coarse fish - all lawful methods (no bait digging allowed.) Brown Trout - fly fishing, spinning and worms.
Bag limits: 2 Pike per day.
Permit/licence: DCAL coarse fishing rod licence for over 18s. Brown Trout - juvenile game.
Parking: There are ample car parks available.
Directions: Follow Strangford Road from Downpatrick, turn left at sign for Quoile Countryside Centre.
Shimna River
Managed by Shimna Angling Club and DCAL.
Game: Salmon and Sea Trout.
Season: 1 March - 31 October.
Methods: Fly, spinning and worm.
Bag limits: 2 Salmon or Sea Trout per rod per day - no size limits. Permit/licence: Game rod licence for over 18s. Permit through Shimna Anglers from Four Seasons Sport Tackle in Newcastle. Sold on Mondays for the week.
Parking: At Islands Park, Bryansford Road, Newcastle.
Directions: River flows between Tollymore Park and the sea at Newcastle.
The Shimna River holds the Irish Record for Sea Trout.
Accommodation
Accommodation Castlewellan
Accommodation Downpatrick
Accommodation Newcastle
Accommodation Saintfield
Contacts
Downpatrick Tourist Information
The Saint Patrick Centre,
53a Market Street
Downpatrick, BT30 6LZ
T 0 28 4461 2233
F 0 28 4461 2350
E downpatrick.tic@downdc.gov.uk
Newcastle Tourist Information Centre
10-14 Central Promenade,
Newcastle, BT33 0AA
T 0 28 4372 2222
F 0 28 4372 2400
E newcastle.tic@downdc.gov.uk