Lowland · Limestone · North West / Donegal, IE

Erne Estuary

Erne Estuary terrain map
Today · Prime conditions — go now
Pink Shrimp
Forecast · Today
Prime conditions — go now
Settled and taking. Work it methodically.
90% projected
Today's fly
Pink Shrimp
Pink Shrimp
Conditions on the water · Today
Proxy gauge
Level
Steady
Proxy
via Drowes
Water temp14.9°C
ClarityClear
Weather14°C
WindN 35 km/h
Pressure998 hPa
Rain · recent4.2 mm
Rain · ahead4.7 mm

No gauge on this water — conditions are inferred from Drowes. The trend transfers, the absolute level does not.

Water temperature for Sea Trout
Ideal
15°C est.ideal 8–15°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Sea Trout
When
From dusk into the first half of the night.
Where
Deeper pools and slower glides · hold water and current seams.
Method
Fish dark patterns on a sink-tip or lightly sunk line, especially near structure.
Kit
10 ft #6/7 rod, floating line with a sink-tip option, 8–10 lb fluoro tippet for the swing.
Why this works
Excellent — conditions well-balanced, with water temperature particularly in your favour.
Likely species
Caddisflies
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 11 Uhr

12 Uhr(now) — Black Gnat

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 93%
Also:Cinnamon Sedge64%Heather Fly55%Pale Watery48%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost11 food groups active

Peak activity at 11 Uhr — Black Gnat (Black Gnat, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 4 guilds as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Mayfly (Green Drake)Hatch
2
2
Large Cinnamon SedgeHatch
2
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
CapererHatch
2
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Erne special local licence (€26)
  • Tidal/estuarine fishing — tides can be dangerous, plan around safe water levels and never fish out a route that the rising tide will cut off
  • State rod licence required.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
River Erne (Ballyshannon)
< 1 km
0
Salmon · Sea trout
Assaroe Lake
2.0 km
Brown trout
Drowes
6.0 km
0
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Lough Melvin
12 km
Brown trout
Duff River
13 km
84
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

WFD ecological status Poor → Moderate corrected to EEA WISE 2022 (3rd RBMP) classification for waterbody IEUKGBNI1NW363604085. Source: EEA WISE SWB_SurfaceWaterBody (discodata.eea.europa.eu), verified 2026-06-18. | Prior note: EPA WFD 2019-2024 — Poor ecological status; corrected (was Moderate) 2026-06-18. Source: EPA Ireland WFD 2019-2024 classification (catchments.ie / EDEN).

EPA (Ireland) · IEUKGBNI1NW363604085

Why this score · for Sea Trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time9513% weight
  • Pressure857% weight
  • Insect activity8012% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 March → 30 September

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
ConnemaraIrish fishingEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts