Sea Fish species
- Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) This blue backed, silver cousin of the American striped bass is one of Ireland’s most sought after sport fish.
- Flounder (Platichthys flesus)
- Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)
- Pollack (Pollachius pollachius)
- Cod (Gadus morhua)
- Ling (Molva molva)
- Wrasse (Lubrus)
- Gurnard (Triglidae)
What fish can you catch and eat in Ireland?
Some species of fish are protected in Ireland including salmon, sea trout, sea bass, molluscs, eels and all freshwater fish. You must get a state licence to fish for salmon or sea trout in Ireland.
Introduction
- Sea fishing.
- Pike.
- Salmon and sea trout.
- Coarse fishing.
- River trout.
Is there any good fishing in Ireland?
Ireland is one of the best countries in Europe for fishing, from river and lake fishing to sea fishing. It’s renowned for its variety and quality of fish species and the scenic destinations they can be caught in. This guide features some of the best Irish rivers and lakes for pike, salmon and trout fishing.
What fish are in season in Ireland?
Fishing seasons are as follows: salmon, January 1 to September 30; brown trout, February 15 to October 12; sea trout, June 1 to September 30; coarse fishing and sea angling, all year. A license is required only for salmon and sea trout angling; the cost is €20 for a day, €46 for 21 days, or €120 annually.
What kind of fish can be caught in Ireland? – Related Questions
What is the biggest fish caught in Ireland?
Irish Record Fish – Marine Species
| Species |
Weight |
| Angler Fish |
42.985 kg |
| Bass |
17 lbs |
13 ozs |
| Black Bream |
1.46 kg |
| Black Sole |
6.32 lbs |
Can you catch tuna in Ireland?
Recreational angling for bluefin tuna is not currently permitted in Ireland; however, as part of Tuna CHART, authorised charter skippers can catch, tag and release bluefin during the open season.
Can you fish all year round in Ireland?
There is no close season for coarse fishing in Ireland. Fish feeding throughout the year, particularly roach and perch, can be fished all year round. Species such as tench, bream and rudd, which are most active in warmer weather, have a natural season extending from April to October.
Are the mackerel in yet 2022 Ireland?
The 2022 Mackerel Hook & Line fishery is to open by Fisheries Management Notice for all eligible vessels under 15 metres in length overall on 1st May 2022.
What is the salmon season in Ireland?
Salmon can be caught in Irish waters from January right through to the end of September and, with approximately 70,000 kilometres of rivers and streams, there is an abundance of spawning and nursery habitat for juvenile fish.
What is bass season in Ireland?
Bass can be fished for all year in Ireland but they are predominantly targeted in the April to October period. However, along the south coast bass can be caught regularly through the winter months, with bait fishing usually the most productive method.
Do you need a fishing license in Ireland?
Anglers are required to have a licence when fishing for salmon or sea trout.
Can I fish on the beach in Ireland?
Ireland as a Sea Angling Destination
Shore Angling: (spinning, fly fishing, bottom fishing) from beaches, rocks, estuaries, quays and piers. This is probably the most widely practised form of sea fishing, and is enjoyed all round the coast, being most popular south of a line from Galway to Dublin.
Are there trout in Ireland?
The brown trout (Salmo trutta) or Breac Donn (Gaelic) is a native Irish species and the most widely distributed freshwater fish in Ireland. It thrives in waters of all types, from small mountain streams to broad limestone rivers and loughs. It’s main requirements are clean water and gravel in which to spawn.
Can you catch wild salmon in Ireland?
The Irish Government allow a limited number of individual fisherman to catch Wild Atlantic Salmon by hand with simple nets in selected rivers and estuaries that have a strong population of Wild Atlantic Salmon. This traditional and sustainable method of catching Wild Salmon is called draft net fishing.
Can you catch salmon in Ireland?
Fly-Fishing for Salmon on the River Blackwater
The Cork Blackwater is Ireland’s finest Salmon River and one of the most important salmon rivers in Europe, stretching for over 150 kilometres from its source in Kerry to the sea at Youghal. The season for salmon opens on 1st February and continues until 30th September.
Are there salmon in Ireland?
Breadcrumb. The Atlantic salmon is native to Ireland, and its geographic range includes the North Atlantic Ocean and in rivers around the Atlantic coasts of Europe and eastern North America. The Atlantic salmon is one of the most widespread fish in Ireland and is found in most of our rivers.
Can you catch lobster in Ireland?
Lobster is a particularly important species for the inshore fishing fleet and is fished predominantly using pots right around the coast. Any Irish sea-fishing boat with the appropriate licence conditions is eligible to fish for lobster.
Are there lobsters in Ireland?
The lobster fishery is one of the most traditional fisheries among Irish coastal communities & mainstay of many small-scale fishers around the Irish coast.
Can you catch cod in Ireland?
WATERFORD HARBOUR
Reefs yield ling, pollack, coalfish, cod, conger and pouting. Excellent cod fishing in the estuary October to Easter. Shore Fishing: Some of the beaches produce catches of bass off Duncannon, Dollar Bay and Woodstown. Codling caught up to Waterford Quays during the winter months.
Can you catch prawns in Ireland?
Prawns are caught over a range of depths, from shallow coastal waters to around 800m on the continental shelf. They are predominately caught using otter board single-rig and twin-rig trawls in the Irish Sea, Celtic Seas and on distinctive grounds such as the ‘Smalls’ and Aran grounds off the west coast of Ireland.