Rules
Anglers
can only fish one rod per angler
Rods
must not be left unattended.
All
under sized fish must be returned to the water
with as little injury as possible
The
Management reserve the right to refuse and revoke
a permit to anyone violating, these regulations
or acting in a manner detrimental to the fishery,
fishing or the surrounding countryside.
Anglers
who are found to have acted in an 'unsporting
manner' may have their permit revoked
The Fishery:
Lough
Ennell is situated to the right of the Mullingar to Kilbeggan Rd, 4 miles south of Mullingar. There is good
public access to the shores off the Mullingar - Kilbeggan
road and off the Mullingar - Castletown Geoghegan road.
Public piers and jetties are located at Buttlersbridge,
Whitesbridge Bay, Ladestown and Lilliput.
The Lough is approximately 4.5
(7Km) miles long by 2 miles (3Km) wide, with an area of
about 3540 acres. A dominant feature of this Lough is its
huge area of shallow water. Nearly two - thirds of its
area is less than 25 ( 8m )feet and almost half of it is
under 10 ft (3m) deep. It is a high pH ( 7.5) with the
potential to produce vast quantities of fish food and to
carry big numbers of trout. In recent years the average
size of trout has been nearly 2lbs. ( 0.9Kg), and 3
pounders are taken frequently. The largest fish taken in
recent years has exceeded 6lbs. (3.3 Kg). It is
interesting to note that Lough Ennell produced Irelands
largest ever lake brown trout at 26lbs (11.8 Kg).
The conformation and colour of
Ennell trout is remarkable, shaped more like a summer
salmon ( grilse ) than a trout and coloured like a
seatrout and they are renowned for being a very hard
fighting fish.
Early
Season - March to Mid April
The season opens in March, at
which time the fly fishing areas are limited. Depending
on weather conditions, the best areas are Kilcooley Bay
and from the Burrow Hill to Hump Shallow - both on the
west shore. It’s the areas along the east shore that
are most likely to produce a trout at this time of year
and are located from Bog Island northwards along the
Robinstown shore, Brackagh and Carrick Bay, and around
the blind Island and Rinn Point. The flies most commonly
used are Bibio, Watsons Fancy, Sooty Olive and March
Brown, sizes 10 and 12 are best. You can find the
dressings and colour photographs of these flies by
clicking here.
Early -
Mid Season - April Fly Hatches
The Duckfly, chironomid Sp,
hatch commences around the middle of April and usually
peaks between the 18th - 25th of
April. Ennell gets the heaviest hatches of any lough in
the country and species that hatch there is unusually
large, with the pupa measuring almost .75 inch ( 19mm).
The hatch distribution is quite localised and tends to be
concentrated in the middle areas of the Lough. The best
areas are located west of Blind Island and from Dysart
Island and Geoghegans Bay. The hatch commences shortly
before noon and can last for a couple of hours if weather
conditions permit.. A second hatch occurs during later
evening at about 8 p.m. and with a lot of egg laying
females can produce plenty of activity. Useful imitations
for the duckfly are Connemara Black, Blae Sooty Olive,
Fiery Brown, Mallard & Claret, Duckfly and various
pupae imitations. Sizes in the range 10-14 are fished.
Mid
Season May - June
Lake Olives make their
appearance during the first week of May and lasts for
about three weeks. The hatch is localised. The important
areas are along the Keoltown Reeds, the southern part of
the Lough from Malachys Island to Lady's Island, Bog
Island and along by the Robinstown Shore. The Alder make
its appearance at this time.
The Olives are an important
group of flies. Fish with take a range of flies this time
of year. Good imitations are Golden Olive, Greenwells
Glory light and dark ( represents collectively all the
green olive species), Sooty Olive, Olive Nymph, Claret
& Mallard and size 10 is the most popular size.
The Mayfly hatch is the second most important hatch of
fly on the lake. It starts in or around the 19th of May and
can go on for three weeks. The hatch starts on the Robinstown shore and
is concentrated along the Belvedere shore. There have been some heavy
hatchs in recent years. Trout seem to prefer the Green Drake rather
then the spent gnat? Though on a suitable evening the Spent Gnat can be
good.
The Midge Chironomid Spp emerge
around the 20th May and lasts for about three
weeks into mid June. The two most important species are
the Apple Green Midge ( Blagdon Green Midge ) and the
Campto Chironomid the later a large coloured specimen.
These flies can begin hatching as early as 9.30 am and
certainly not later than 11am. The hatch lasts well into
early afternoon and there is further activity around 10
p.m. to well into dusk, to both emerging insects and
females returning to the water. The important areas are
from Lyons Island to Northwall and all the shallow area
towards the river. Other areas worth mentioning are by
the Keoltown Reeds to Dysart Island and in the vicinity
of Malachy’s Island, Lady Island and Bog Island.
Angling tactics depend very much on prevailing weather
conditions and the individual anglers preference. Wetfly
fishing should prove the most successful method and trout
will be taken on patterns such as Sooty Olive, Blae Sooty
Olive, Black & Peacock spider Size 12’s, a
rather odd choice but it works. Various imitations of
chironomid pupae, two of which should have a claret and
the other an apple green in the body. Nymphs will produce
good results and take fish feeding close to the surface,
particularly along a ripple.
Murroughs hatch in large numbers
at dusk by the reed beds and here the trout will take an
artificial fished dry which can be left almost stationary
or twitched along the surface.
Late May and early June can see
a lot of black terrestrials blown onto the water. When
this occurs, the wetfly fisherman could do no better than
tie up a small black fly, size 12 or 14. A Black Pennell
is the best bet. The Halfords Welshman Button, a large dark sedge, which
emerges during the day has become a very important hatch of fly, and it
begins in or around the third or fourth week of May and continues for
about three weeks. A number of fish of 4 6lbs fish are recorded during
this time every year. It can easily be recognised as it sits motionless
on the water for quite long periods. The adult fly is rarely of any
great interest to trout or angler, but the trout readily feed on the
pupae as they rise through the water column. Imitations of the pupa will
produce results during this time.
Perch
Fry
In the latter part of June and
all of July comes a huge explosion of perch fry in the
Lough. The trout prey heavily on the fry, piling on the
weight that transforms them into the magnificent
specimens later in the season. This can be a slow month
for the fly angler. Fish can be taken on suitable
imitations. An Alexander is a good choice.
The latter part of July brings a
return of evening fishing. Various sedges, including
Silverhorns and Mourroughs, get the fish moving near the
surface and buzzers make a return as well, with the apple
green midge predominating once again. The important areas
are along at Keoltown, Malachy’s Island, Bog Island
and from Carrick Bay to Whitesbridge Bay. Tactics are
usually dictated by weather conditions and location. A
small dry sedge or a pupa imitation of the apple green
midge can prove irresistible to trout feeding at dusk in
the lee of an island or by the shore. For wet fly fishing
a good combination worth a try are Claret Mourrough or a
Green Peter, a Golden Olive and a small Black Pennell on
the point. The body of the Green Peter should have a
faintly yellow hue.
Dapping
The dapping season begins in
early August and a Grasshopper or a Daddy Longlegs dapped
during the day can be very effective right up to the end
of the season on October 12th.
The
High Season ( September - October 12th
)
For most Irish trout fisheries,
the end of season peaks in May. This is not the case on
Ennell. Here the high point of the season begins about
the second week of August and continues into the middle
of September. The second seasonal hatch of Lake Olives
begins early in August and Ennell gets a huge hatch. Some
days the trout feed avidly on them and other times they
are ignored serving to demonstrate the unpredictably of
trout fishing. Most parts of the lough fish well and
areas to keep especially in mind are Carrick Bay, Rinn
Point to Northwall, Dysart, Keoltown and the area off
hopes point.. When the trout are taking Olives they are
likely to take a nymph presented on a floating line and
fished slowly with little movement. For wet fly fishing,
a small Black Pennell is a must on the point. Other
useful flies well worth a try are Greenwells Spider,
Green Olive, Green Peter, a small Claret Mourrough,
Raymond, Bibio, Invicta and a Daddy Long Legs on a windy
day when there is a good wave on the lake.
At the end of September to the
close of the season trout are eager to snatch up every
bit of available food they can in preparation for
spawning. Examination of stomach contents will reveal the
remains of many insects from sedges, olives, chironomid
pupae to terrestrial insects and perch fry. You are
likely to pick up a trout anywhere. Many of the afore
mentioned patterns will get results.
Please Observe Our Country Code and Fisheries
Laws.
Anglers are requested to always
observe our country code
Seek permission
from landowners before crossing private lands or property
Do not park cars in
fields except where permission is granted and it is safe to do so.
Leave no litter
Keep our
countryside clean
Normal access is
over footbridges and stiles or where public access is provided.
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