Lough Ree

Lough Ree is a large, very large, 41 square mile lake in the midlands of Ireland. It is the second largest of three major lakes on the River Shannon; Lough Derg, Lough Ree and Lough Allen.

With such a large surface area, Lough Ree is a popular boating and angling lake, with Lanesborough town at the Northern end the lake providing pike angling with Lanseborough Angling Club, and the vibrant town of Athlone at the South end of the lake providing a harbour and boats. Lough Ree is a designated Special Area of Conservation.

The Angling

With such a vast expanse of water, Lough Ree has good stocks of pike, trout and coarse fish. Coarse fishing for bream, roach, tench can be done at the Hot Water Stretch beside ESB Lough Ree Power station in Lanesborough, and there is also have predator fishing for Pike, Perch Trout and Zander available on Lough Ree North fishery.

Home to the recently founded International Pike Classic at Ballyleague, Lanesborough, there are some amazing examples of specimen of pike.

Trout fishing can also be very good, with trolling and fly fishing proving to be the most effective methods. Known fly angling hotspots are Inch More, Hare Island and Inch Turk, with some spectacular specimens of brown trout up for grabs.

Both wet and dry fly work equally well, with the mainstay fly hatches typical of an Irish limestone lake being mayfly, duckfly, olives, sedges and even daddy longlegs in September.

Fishery Costs

A licence that costs €25 euro covers angling on the tributary rivers. Angling on Lough Ree is currently free of permit.

Opening Hours

Open Season is March 1st thru September 30th.