Stillwater · Granite · East / Wicklow, IE

Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes

Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes — File:Poulaphouca Dam.JPG
Fair · Rainbow
Perch Fry · 8-10_long_shank
ReopenedReported 31 Jul 2026

Reopened — water temperatures have fallen

ESB reopened the Shannon and Liffey systems (including Blessington Lake) to angling from Friday 31 July 2026 as water temperatures dropped to acceptable levels. Permits are available again through the IFI permit site.

Shannon & Liffey systems reopen for fishing

Temporary notices from official orders and recent fishery reports — they clear automatically once out of date. Always confirm locally before travelling.

Fairlive now
Reasonable summer fishing likely at Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
56% confidence

Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindSE 9 km/hLight breeze
Today's fly
Perch Fry
Perch Fry8-10_long_shank
Retrieve
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Light breeze
SE 9 km/h
N
SE
from the south-east
WaveRipple
Water temp
Air temp12°C
CloudClear
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

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

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently. Early morning is often the most productive window in summer — make the most of it.
Where
Start with Perch Fry (8-10_long_shank) — on the point. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Perch Fry (8-10_long_shank) — on the point. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses.

Plan B

Fish early and late, try deeper during the heat of the day with a fast-sinking line.

Watch for

Murrough should come on through the afternoon as the water warms.

Either bank or boat

Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 4 guilds with Pro.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Reservoir BuzzerHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1

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

Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • ESB-managed reservoir
  • Adult trout permit ~€30 via permits.fishinginireland.info
  • Single rod, daylight only, no maggots
  • Daily bag 4 trout, minimum size 9 inches
  • No fishing in buoyed dam headrace
  • Separate ESB boat permit required
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
66%
Cloud25%
Wind100%
Temp60%

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

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
  1. Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes — File:Poulaphouca Dam.JPG
    File:Poulaphouca Dam.JPG
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • EcologyUnknown
  • ChemicalUnknown
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • Murrough is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 March30 September
  • Pike 1 November30 September
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts