Flies & Tips

It is advisable for the angler to have a selection of salmon flies in varying sizes from 14 to 6 according to water conditions. The most popular flies are the varied Shrimp patterns including the Curry's Red, Alley's and Cascades. 

The Stoats Tail, Silver Rat, Erriff Green & Gold, Willie Gunn and Munroe Killer will also take fish. 

For sea trout, the Black Pennell, Peter Ross, Teal Blue & Silver are favourite flies.

On Tawnyard Lough, various bumbles work well, as do the Bibio, Clan Chief, Pennell, Connemara Black. 

Another fly worth fishing is the Brigg's Pennell a dressing tied by another famous angler on the river Dr. Francis Briggs from East Sussex in England. Fished on the dropper, it will take both sea trout and salmon including spring fish. It is tied on a single hook size 10 or 12. It is a simple fly but it gives results - the body is black seals fur, the tail is Pheasant Tippet with a broad silver tinsel wound over the seal's fur. The hackle is black hen (soft) finished at the head with black varnish. This fly has now taken many fish for anglers on the fishery over the years.