Coarse & Pike Fishing in Ireland
Lough Muckno
Lough Muckno, the recent host of the “European Coarse Angling Championships”, is a large lake in Castleblaney with an array of excellent coarse & pike fishing swims and stretches. Top spots for roach, bream and hybrids include Concra Wood Stretch, White Island stretch, Black Island’s deep swims and the swims of Gas Lake, while the renowned Belfast Steps at the end of the new Concra Wood stretch is a magnificent spot for big pike. Best baits here include: casters, corn, maggots and worms
Image from: https://daytours.ie/blog/ulster-in-pictures-9-counties-9-pictures
Portumna
The River Shannon and Lough Derg at Portumna, Co. Galway, are famous spots for both coarse and pike fishing. Top spots for bream, hybrids and roach include the town stretch (below and above the bridge), Sheebeen Match stretch and below the weir, the Meelick stretch, as well as the the Salmon Run. Thanks to vast bream, roach and fodder fish populations, big pike can be found both on and along the banks of the river and in Lough Derg’s upper part. Here, too, casters, corn, maggots and worms make the best baits.
Image from: http://www.portumna.net/home/history.html
Grand Canal at Edenberry
The Grand Canal at Edenberry, Co. Offaly, offers a selection of excellent stretches for bream, rudd and tench; roach, perch and hybrids, as well as some pike. Top stretches for these species include the Tunnel, the Harbour (which also has a good stock of large carp) and Trimblestown; Daingean, Rhode and Toberdaly. The best baits to use on these stretches include bread, maggots and casters; corn and worms.
Other fantastic coarse fishing locations in Ireland include:
Ballycullian Lake, Corofin, Co.Clare – Species: tench, roach, bream and rudd/bream hybrids; best baits: bread, casters, corn, maggots and worms
Cootehill, Dromore Lakeland, Co.Cavan – Species: bream, hybrids, roach, rudd, pike and tench; best baits: bread, casters, corn, maggots and worms
Inniscarra Lake, Lee Reservoir, Cork – Species: bream, carp, hybrids, roach, rudd and pike; best baits: bread, casters, corn, maggots and worms
River Shannon, Lanesboro, Co. Longford – Species: bream, hybrids, roach, tench and pike; best baits: bread, casters, corn, maggots and worms
Lough Oughter, Killykeen, Co. Cavan – Species: bream, hybrids, roach and pike; best baits: bread, casters, corn, maggots and worms
River Shannon, Shannonbridge, Co. Offaly – Species: bream, hybrids, roach and pike; best baits: bread, casters, corn, maggots and worms
The Royal Canal, Mullingar, Co. Longford – Species: bream, hybrids and roach; best baits: bread, casters, corn, maggots and worms
River Shannon-Loch Ree, Athlone, Co. Westmeath – Species: bream, roach, rudd, tench and pike; best baits: casters, corn, red maggots and worms
Carrick-on-Shannon & Leitrim Lakes, Co. Leitrim – Species: bream, hybrids, roach, rudd and tench; best baits: casters, corn, red maggots and worms
Ballinamoore, Ballyconnell, Leatrim Lakeland, Co. Leitrim – Species: bream, hybrids, roach, rudd, tench and pike; best baits: casters, corn, red maggots and worms
River Suck & Lakes, Castlecoote & Athleague, Co. Galway – Species: bream, hybrids, roach, tench and pike; best baits: casters, corn, maggots and worms
River Blackwater (Munster), Fermoy, Co. Cork – Species: dace, roach and some perch; best baits: casters, corn, maggots and worms
Lough Gowna, Gowna & Arva, Co. Cavan – Species: bream, roach, hybrids, perch, pike and some trout; best baits: casters, corn, maggots and worms
Tulsk/Strokestown, Co. Roscommon – Species: bream, hybrids, rudd and some tench; best baits: casters, corn, maggots and worms
East Clare Lakes, Tulla, Co. Clare – Species: bream, carp, dace, hybrids, roach, rudd and tench; best baits: casters, corn, maggots and worms
Virginia-Bailieboro Area Lakes, Co. Cavan – Species: bream, roach, hybrids, perch and pike; best baits: casters, corn, maggots and worms
Lough Derravaragh & River Inny, Mullingar, Co. Longford – Species: roach, bream, hybrids and pike; best baits: casters, corn, maggots and worms