Donegal
Donegal's rivers are short, steep, acidic spate streams draining mountain and bogland straight to the Atlantic — and precisely because they're remote and unglamorous compared to the famous midland loughs, they see relatively few anglers for the quality of fishing on offer. The Gweebarra, Owenea and Eske are the standouts: all classic spate salmon and sea trout fisheries where the fishing is closely tied to rainfall, all set in genuinely wild, uncrowded scenery between the Derryveagh and Bluestack Mountains.
Lough Eske, ringed by the Bluestacks near Donegal Town, adds a picturesque brown trout, pike and char fishery to the mix, and to the south Killybegs is Ireland's premier deep-sea fishing port — full-day charters targeting pollack, cod, ling, coalfish and, further offshore, blue shark.
Rivers
Gweebarra River
20 miles from Lough Barra through Doochary to Gweebarra Bay. A premier spate salmon and sea trout fishery — spring fish April/May, grilse from late June, sea trout best from July, with an annual catch of 400+ salmon. Famous named pools include the Mayo Pool and the Fall's Pool.
Salmon · Sea troutRiver Owenea
21km through Glenties to Loughrosmore Bay at Ardara. Beloved by fly anglers for its streamy runs and pools — when conditions are good, genuinely prolific "free-rising" salmon fishing, primarily grilse (3lb+) from June to August.
Grilse · Sea troutRiver Eany & River Glen
Two further well-regarded Donegal spate rivers near Inver and Frosses — good, consistent, well-managed fisheries with fair grilse runs, best from late July to September.
Salmon · Sea troutRiver Finn & River Drowes
The Finn in the east of the county offers good spring fishing; the Drowes, on the Donegal/Leitrim border, regularly produces the first salmon of the Irish season, usually landed on 1 January.
SalmonLakes
Lough Eske
A 900-acre lake near Donegal Town, ringed by the Bluestack and Tawnawully Mountains. Wild brown trout (1–3lb), pike to 20lb, and occasional spring salmon and char. Season 1 March–30 September.
Trout · Pike · CharLough Melvin
Straddling the Donegal/Leitrim/Fermanagh border — home to four genetically distinct native trout types, a rarity found in this combination almost nowhere else.
Native troutSea & coast
Killybegs
Ireland's premier deep-sea fishing port. Charter boats target pollack, cod, ling and coalfish, with blue shark and porbeagle further offshore under catch-and-release rules. No licence needed for sea fishing.
Pollack · Cod · SharkGweebarra Bay & the North West coast
Sea trout, eels and flounder from the estuary; further north around Fanad Head and Portsalon, wrasse, dabs, plaice, dogfish and mackerel from the shore.
Sea trout · WrasseGeneral guide only — a state licence is required for salmon and sea trout fishing in Ireland, plus a local permit on most rivers (available through Inland Fisheries Ireland or local angling associations). Always confirm current rules, open rivers and season dates before fishing — some Donegal rivers open on a catch-and-release-only basis in a given year.
Check today's conditions for Donegal →