Upper Lough Erne

Nearest Town: - Enniskillen
Area/Length: - 15,303 hectares
Species: - Brown trout, Salmon, Pike, Perch, Rudd, Bream and Roach.
Season: - 1st March - 30th September for Brown Trout and Salmon. All year for Pike and other coarse fish.
Methods: - All lawful methods including ground bait and maggots for coarse fish. When trolling, fishing rods and lines or hand lines only a maximunm of:- (a)four are allowed in a boat occupied by two,three or more people. (b)two in a boat occupied by one person.
Daily Bag Limit: - 1 pike / 4 coarse per day.
Size Limit: - Pike of 4 kg (8.8 lb) and over and coarse greater than 25 cms must be returned to the water
Boats: - Fishing from mechanical and non mechanical boats is permitted.
Disabled Facilities: - See Disabled Fisheries
Further Guidance for fishing Lough Erne (Pdf; file size 521Kb)
Licence: - DCAL Game fishing licence
Permit: - DCAL Game Fishing Permit

There are some productive areas in the upper lough for trout but the Lower lough is the main fishing area.

Pike are found in the mainly weedy and reed fringed bays. They congregate there from November to March after which they spread throughout the lough. Winter fishing is best in deeper water, calmer areas in river sections. Ballinaleck quay is a favourite angling area. During warmer months pike are taken on spinners, spoons and plugs in shallow reed bays. On warm days pike will bask on the surface and explosive sport can be had using a fly rod and gaudy pike flies.

The Erne is one of the finest coarse fishing waters in Europe and has become popular as a competition venue for British anglers. Fishing in the Upper lough is concentrated between Enniskillen and Newtonbutler with Broadmeadow, Scotch store and Schools stretches being popular. For the specialst angler Tench can be found in the weedy areas in the summer. Roach are everywhere with bream, pike, perch and eels, in abundance.

Enniskillen is the best starting place. There is a visitor’s centre and tourist information office just off the A4 in the town at the Lakeland Centre, telephone: 028 66 323110.Boats can be hired at various locations and this information as well as that on ghillies is avaialble from any tourist office.