Angling
Ballinrobe can justifiably lay claim to the title of Lake Angling Capital of the West of Ireland. With its proximity to the great lakes of Mask, Carra and Corrib, the town; affords the angler a choice of waters not available anywhere else in Europe.
Apart from the excellent game angling on the lakes, coarse angling is available within easy reach of the town.
A major event in the angling calendar is the World Wet Fly Angling Championships held annually on Lough Mask. This competition now attracts more than 600 competitors.
Game Fishing
The essence of game angling is the pursuit of native fish in wild places; Ireland offers a unique opportunity to experience such fishing. Salmon, trout and sea trout are native species with an honored place in Irish culture. And Ireland's loughs and rivers have preserved their character in a landscape which has changed very little over the centuries.
The angler on Lough Mask, one of the great island-studded western limestone loughs, witnesses a timeless scene looking across the waters to distant mountain ranges which fade into infinity on the skyline. This sense of place, which is one of the pleasures of fishing in Ireland, can be experienced in different ways on the many types of Irish river and lough.
Lough Mask is like an inland sea, but there are also countless small loughs where the lone angler can fish in sheltered solitude. But while Irish game angling is a sport of varied landscapes and many seasons, it has one abiding virtue; it still offers an authentic angling experience in a world where this is becoming increasingly rare.
Open Season
The salmon and sea trout season starts on January 1st in some fisheries. Most fisheries however open at a later date (various dates up to the March 20th). Most brown trout fisheries open between February 15th and March 1st.
Close Season
Most fisheries close on September 30th with some exceptions which close on various dates between September 15th and October 12th. Most brown trout fisheries close on September 30th with some exceptions which close on various dates between September 15th and October 12th.
Useful Links
http://www.wrfb.ie
The Fisheries Boards are the statutory bodies responsible for the conservation, protection, promotion and development of Ireland's inland fisheries and sea angling resources. The Western Regional Fisheries Board is fully committed to the development of the resource to its full potential in a sustainable manner and to fully maximise benefits for the local communities.
http://www.northwestfisheries.ie
The North Western Regional Fisheries Board is the statutory body responsible for the conservation, protection, development, management, promotion and marketing of inland fisheries and sea angling resources in Ireland’s north western fisheries region. The Board is also responsible for protection of mollusc fisheries in its area of jurisdiction.