Angling in Ballyconnell
It’s said that Cavan has 365 lakes – one for each day of the year. The Shannon-Erne Waterway links the two rivers, which spring from the barren Cuilcagh Mountains in Cavan’s north-west. The mystical source of the Shannon, known as the ‘Shannon Pot’, is just a few miles north of Dowra, on the Cavan Way. Is there a song about Cavan? Indeed, there is. “Come back Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff” by Percy French.An Cabhán which means “the hollow” is the most southerly of the Ulster counties. It features a greatly diversified topography – from mountains and low hills to a maze of small sheets of water-separated promontories and islands of every shape and size. Dotted with numerous lakes and small picturesque villages, the region is very popular with visitors – especially anglers.
Indeed, Cavan is a fisherman’s paradise! Roach, bream, tench, perch, eels, hybrids and pike abound in the lakes, rivers and streams around the towns and villages of Cavan, Ballyconnell, Bawnboy, Belturbet, Cootehill, Gowna and Arva. And, while coarse angling is one of Cavan’s biggest attractions, there is also game fishing for brown trout in Lough Sheelin to the south.
Ballyconnell Town has the Woodford River running through its centre and while there are plenty of fish to be caught there, local lakes such as Culliaghan and Killywilly are bursting with bream, roach and hybrids and give superior catch returns. Ballyconnell is at the heart of an enormous warren of lakes and rivers containing everything from tench to monster pike.
| Cuillaghan Lake | Bream, Roach, Perch, Pike, Hybrids, Eel and Rudd. Medium depth water and great ease of access only 1.5 miles from the town |
| Killywilly | Bream, Roach, Perch, Hybrids and Eel. Medium depth water and great ease of access only 1.5 miles from the town |
| Ballymagauran Lake | Bream, Roach, Perch, Pike, Rudd, Hybrids and Trout. Shallow water lake 6 miles from the town |
| Brakley Lake | Bream, Roach, Perch and Hybrids. Medium depth water and great ease of access and only 5 miles away. |
| Dungimmon Lake | Well stocked with Trout, Pike, Perch, Roach, Rudd and Beam, only 3 miles from Ballyconnell. |
| Gortnaleck | Pike, Rudd and Perch 4 miles away |
| Aghavoher | Bream, Roach, Pike, Perch, Eels and Hybrids. 2 miles away |
Ballinamore can boast of fishing on the Shannon-Erne Waterway and dozens of prolific lakes means you should pack a pole, waggler and strong feeder rod for success in Ballinamore. Garadice Lough is outstanding for big catches of bream, roach and hybrids – and there are 100 swims you can drive to! Within a 10 minute drive catch specimen tench on Drumlonan and Corgar lakes or great nets full of hybrids and roach at Derrycassan Lake.
Bawnboy has five lakes within a few minutes drive of the village. Brackley is the most popular because it produces great mixed fishing and regularly chucks up large nets of bream and there are several quiet spots to park and fish. Bream to 5lb are also common on Templeport Lake, along with rudd, roach and hybrids, and it is a similar story on Bellaboy, Lakefield and Bunerky. For a change of scene there is Ballyconnell and Ballinamore less than thirty minutes away.
Belturbet is a renowned Irish angling centre. The River Erne and its many lakes dominate the area and the river is joined by the Shannon-Erne Waterway below the town. Excellent all-round fishing throughout the year for roach, bream, hybrids, perch, pike and tench. The best lakes by reputation are Ardan, Drummany, Bun, Killylea, Drumard and Amoneen. The river itself provides excellent fishing for skimmers, roach and hybrids.
Fermanagh is famous for brilliant coarse fishing coarse fishing on the River Erne and Upper Lough Erne, which are only 30 minutes from our front door. The waterway is a maze of lakes and backwaters alive with bream, roach, hybrids, pike, perch and an increasing number of tench. Francis will willingly advise on exact spots, where and when to fish. An Cabh
