Limestone · West / Connacht, IE

Lough Mask

View south across the full expanse of Lough Mask from the western shore, distant southern hills.
Fair · Trout
Perch Fry · 8-10_long_shank
Fairlive now
Buzzer expected on Lough Mask
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Worth a session if the wind holds.
60% confidence
What moved it
  • WindS 28 km/hModerate breeze
Today's fly
Perch Fry
Perch Fry8-10_long_shank
Retrieve
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Moderate breeze
S 28 km/h
N
S
from the south
Wave60 cm wave
Water temp14.6°C
Air temp12°C
CloudBroken
Pressure994 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Head to
Wind driftS wind
Southern end

A southerly has held for 11 hours, running colder than the water (13°C air against 15°C water). The end it blows into is taking that chilled surface water, so try the sheltered southern end instead — off the back of the wind, where the undertow returns food along the bottom. That chill sits in the top of the water, though, and the bed is slower to feel it — on a bottom bait it is the undertow, not the temperature, that puts you at this end. Treat it as a tiebreaker between good swims rather than an override — features and angling pressure usually count for more.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
Mayfly into Green Peter from the third week of May through mid-June — a six-week peak. Daytime through the hatch with a good wave; evenings warm and calm for the sedge fall.
Where
Partry shore and Cushlough Bay are the named drifts. Rocky points, bay margins, and the shallower limestone shelves where food concentrates. Stay off the deep open basin — the trout aren't there.
Method
Drift broadside in a good wave across rocky points and bay margins. Team of three wets early — Bibio on the bob, Fiery Brown on the point. Switch to spent drake during mayfly.
Kit
10 to 11 ft #6 boat rod, floating line, 6 to 8 lb fluoro. Drogue for the big lanes — Mask is exposed and the wind builds. Long-handled net.
The plan
Plan A

Work Muddler Minnow on the bob and Perch Fry on the point.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Boat — at anchor

Windy conditions suit anchoring in productive areas rather than open-water drifting.

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.

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
2
1
Green PeterHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
2
3
2
DuckflyHatch
2
2
Mayfly (Green Drake)Hatch
2
2

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

Ranked for today
Fly box · Trout
Lough Mask Fishing Map
Click to expand

Lough Mask Map

Tap to view full map

Fishery map — attribution pending

Permits & access
Free state water
State rod licence required for trout / salmon as applicable.
  • No permit needed — state rod licence only
  • Boats from Ballinrobe, Tourmakeady, Cushlough
  • A guide who knows how to handle the boat and where to look for fish is worth every penny — the vast lough has moods and hazards that locals know.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
63%
Cloud70%
Wind30%
Temp100%

A reasonable day here, though wind isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 6
  1. View south across the full expanse of Lough Mask from the western shore, distant southern hills.
    Lough Mask from the west shore
  2. Wide panoramic view of Lough Mask showing open water across the southern basin.
    Lough Mask panorama
  3. Rocky shoreline of White Island on Lough Mask at evening, calm water reflecting sunset light.
    Lough Mask evening
  4. Dramatic lenticular clouds above Lough Mask with the lough surface below.
    Lenticular clouds over Lough Mask
  5. Open water of Lough Mask looking west-southwest from the eastern shore.
    Lough Mask
  6. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

WFD code normalized 2026-06-18: IE_WE_30_665a → IEWE_30_665A (EPA national format → EEA WISE euSurfaceWaterBodyCode; same water body, now joinable to WISE). Status confirmed against EEA WISE 2022 (3rd RBMP). Source: discodata.eea.europa.eu. | Prior note: EPA WFD 2019-2024 (lake layer) — Lough Mask: Good ecological status. Re-tagged 2026-06-18 from IEWE_30C060300 (a river/stream water body, not the lough) to the lough's own EPA lake water body. Source: EPA Ireland WFD 2019-2024 classification (catchments.ie / EDEN).

EPA (Ireland) · IEWE_30_665A

Why this score
  • Wind conditions (windy) are not ideal for this water.
  • Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for autumn fishing.
  • Murrough is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 15 February → 30 September
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts