Fishery:
River Shannon,
Meelick Salmon Fishery, Co Offaly & Galway
Open Season:
March 1st - September 30th
Species: Salmon and Wild Brown Trout averaging
8ozs to 2lbs
Size Limit trout: 8 inches River Shannon
Ref: Bye Law No 488
Salmon: Subject to Bye Law 781
Daily Bag Limit trout: Not Applicable
Salmon; Subject to Bye Law 781
Angling Methods:
All legal methods. Prawn and shrimp are prohibited on ESB waters which
this fishery is located. Also please observe the following Bye Laws
and salmon tagging scheme.
Conservation of
Salmon and Sea Trout Bye-law No 786, 2002
A bag limit of 1 salmon or 1 Sea Trout per angler
per day from January 1st to 31st May, and a bag limit of 3 fish (being either
salmon or sea trout) per angler per day from 1st June to the end of the fishing
season subject to a total allowable catch of 20 fish (being either salmon or sea
trout or any combination of both fish) per year with effect from January 1st,
2003.
(Bye Law No 781 is revoked )
Conservation of
Salmon and Sea Trout Bye-law No 797, 2004
This Bye-law provides for a bag limit of 1 fish being either a
salmon or sea trout per angler per day from 1 September 2004 to 31 December 2004
and continues the imposition of a bag
limit of 1 fish per angler per day from 1 January to 31 May, and 3 fish from 1
June to the end of the fishing season, subject to a total allowable catch of 20
fish per year.
CLICK HERE to download full
Bye-Law in Word
Wild
Carcass Tagging and Logbook Scheme
Anglers must be in compliance with
the wild salmon carcass and log book scheme as introduced by the Dept of the
Marine & Natural Resources on January 1st 2001. There
are a series of leaflets for anglers on tagging their catch and
recording relevant details in their logbooks. In brief,
all salmon rod licence holders shall affix a tag to
These tags will identify salmon and sea
trout (over 40cms), which have been caught legally, and will therefore
allow for an enumeration of the catch.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON
ANGLING LEGISLATION CLICK HERE
Salmon
Fishing Licence: A Salmon licence is required. SEE
ANGLING FEES and can be purchased at your local tackle store/agent or
you can
BUY YOUR SALMON LICENCE ONLINE
CLICK HERE
Access: Access is via road on the Co
Offaly bank near Lusmagh outside Banagher and the Co Galway bank near Eyrecourt.
Facilities: Open bank fishing into fast steamy
water and pools, a boat offers a distinct advantage to access many
hidden waters inaccessible by land
Angling Fees: A Share Certificate from the North
Shannon Development Co-Operative Society is voluntary to fish the
Shannon at Meelick as it lies downstream of Bangher bridge. A Share Certificate can be purchased from most of
the larger tackle dealers which are advertised on this site.
SEE ROD FEES
The Fishery: Meelick is a known angling location
when the salmon are running and has some lovely varied and interesting
waters ranging from fast runs to glides and pools to slow deep
stretches. THere are islands separating an Artificial cut on the Co
Offaly with the main River Shannon at Meelick on the Co Galway bank.
Both sides of the river have ideal waters for salmon and trout fishing.
It has a very small spring salmon run best time April into mid
May. Grilse, summer salmon arrive generally from mid June in normal
years and fishing is best up to mid July and its at this time that
anglers tend to fish the area. Runs are moderate. There are no official
catch statistics but feedback would suggest that up to a couple of
hundred salmon could be caught here on rod and line on an average year.
If you hit it right when fish are moving and you can expect to get a
salmon or two in a session. Worms, Fly and Spinning are best methods,
prawn and shrimp are prohibited as per ESB policy for fishing the
Shannon
Salmon Fishing Co Offaly Bank: On the Co Offaly
bank access to the river involves a drive along country roads from
Banagher into Victoria Lock, a distance of about 4 to 5 miles. Bank
fishing is possible off the bank at the point of the Artificial Cut or
the CUT as its known locally. Other than this bank fishing is extremely
limited, a boat is required to get to all the known hotspots up and down
river. At the top end of the Cut is generally fast streamy water, flow
is controlled by sluices at Shaughnessy's Weir and flow rate
depends on the number of gates that are open at a given time. If water
levels get very low, the gates can be closed by the Board of Works, so
water flow will affect fishing prospects here, check conditions if you
have local contacts. When a few gates are open this is a salmon fishing
hotspot when the fish are running and bank space at these times is at a
premium and well competed for. Again to fish and explore all the pools
and runs along the river a boat is required. Boats are not generally
available for hire locally and visiting anglers are advised to enquire
locally to try and arrange a resident boat if possible (generally moored
in the canal adjacent to the mouth of the Little Brosna River),
otherwise you will have to be content to compete for the limited bank
space with other anglers.
Trout Fishing Co Offaly Bank: Trout fishing can
be good with dry fly in the summer months as the Croneen (lake trout
start to migrate) and also for local native stock. Native trout are
about 8 to 12 ozs with larger specimens possible to about 2lbs.
Generally anglers wade down the pools in chest waders using dry sedges
and wet flies, various olives. Due care should be exercised while
wading these or any local waters.
Salmon Fishing Co Galway Bank: Access is from
Banagher on the Eyrecourt road, about 6-7 miles by road from Banagher.
Follow the signs to Meelick or ask for local directions to Meelick
Church. This requires driving along about three miles of small narrow
country roads. At Meelick there is about 200 to 300 m of bank fishing in
total. The more upstream sections are the fast runs ideal for fly
fishing and spinning. You will need waders here to fish properly . Flies
such as Garry Dog and Hairy Mary are popular for salmon. Spinning a
brass or copper spoon or Flying C will work well. To access all hotspots
a boat offers a distinct advantage to get to those more hidden
waters of which there are many.
Trout Fishing Co Galway Bank: Fast runs at
the upstream side of Meelick church and the far bank if you have a boat
to access the bank below the weir at what's called locally as the Queens
gap are good trout waters, producing trout averaging 8 to 12ozs
generally with fish to 2lbs possible. Wet flies, Olives and sedges
during the summer will work.
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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