Upper Lough Erne

Nearest Town: - Enniskillen
Area/Length: - 15,303 hectares
Species: - Pike, Perch, Rudd, Bream, Roach, Brown trout and Eels
Season: - 1st March - 30th September for Brown Trout, Sea 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: - 6 trout per rod per day . Salmon limits click here
Salmon - From the opening day of the season until the 31st May there is catch and release only. From the 1st June until the end of the season there is a 2 salmon per day bag limit.
Size Limit: - Minimum takeable size for trout 30 cm
Boats: - Fishing from mechanical and non mechanical boats is permitted
Licence: - A Fisheries Conservancy Board Game Fishing Licence is required when fishing for trout and salmon.  A Fisheries Conservancy Board Coarse Fishing Licence is required when fishing for Pike and the other fish.
Permit: - A DCAL Game Fishing Permit is required when fishing for trout and salmon.
A DCAL Coarse fishing permit is required when fishing for Pike and the other fish.

Pike fishing

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.

Bream, Roach, Perch, Rudd and Eel fishing

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.

Salmom and Trout fishing

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

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