Spate · Limestone · North West / Sligo, IE

Drumcliff / Glencar

The Drumcliff River flowing dark and peaty beneath overhanging trees, viewed from a stone bridge, County Sligo.
Tomorrow · Closed season
Black Gnat
Forecast · Tomorrow
Closed season
Out of season. File this water for the right month.
70% projected
Today's fly
Black Gnat
Black Gnat
Conditions on the water · Tomorrow
Proxy gauge
Level
Steady
Proxy
via Drowes
Water temp14.7°C
ClarityClear
Weather13°C
WindN 39 km/h
Pressure998 hPa
Rain · recent9.9 mm
Rain · ahead3.1 mm

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

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Ideal
15°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Early morning and late evening are best by far. Low, clear water makes fish spooky in daylight. The first and last hour of light are worth more than the entire middle of the day.
Where
Fish are concentrated in the deeper pools and under any available cover. Focus on the deepest lies — pool hearts and tail croys. Approach very carefully, avoid silhouetting yourself against the sky. Dawn and dusk are your windows.
Method
Surface or just sub-surface. Consider a riffling hitch or Portland hitch to skate the fly across the surface — devastating in warm, low water. Alternatively, dead-drift a small fly upstream like a nymph.. Floating line. Tiny: size 12-16 singles or doubles, hitch tubes. Ultra-discreet presentation for spooky fish in warm, clear water.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Very few salmon are historically caught on this river in September (based on guide reports and fishery knowledge). Current conditions matter, but expectations should be modest. Conditions are reasonable, though not ideal. Late season — fish are beginning to colour up as spawning approaches. They become more territorial and can take aggressively. Autumnal colours (orange, copper, gold) work well.
Likely species
Mayflies
Stoneflies
Caddisflies
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 11:00

12:00(now) — Heather Fly

Stage: Terrestrials on topApproach: Dry flyActivity: 95%
Also:Reed Smut95%Cinnamon Sedge57%Autumn Dun53%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost12 food groups active

Peak activity at 11:00 — Reed Smut (Reed Smut, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 as a supporter.

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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
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
CapererHatch
2
3
3
2
Heather FlyHatch
2
2
Autumn DunHatch
2
3
2

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

Ranked for today
Fly box · Atlantic Salmon
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Mixed access
  • Drumcliff River and Glencar Lough
  • State rod licence required.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Duff River
17 km
0
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Garavogue River
7.0 km
Salmon · Sea trout · Brown trout
Lough Gill & Bonet
11 km
Salmon · Sea trout · Brown trout
Ballisodare
14 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Drowes
23 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Gallery · 2
  1. The Drumcliff River flowing dark and peaty beneath overhanging trees, viewed from a stone bridge, County Sligo.
    The Drumcliff River, County Sligo
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

EPA WFD 2019-2024 — Moderate ecological status; corrected (was Good) 2026-06-18. Source: EPA Ireland WFD 2019-2024 classification (catchments.ie / EDEN).

EPA (Ireland) · IEWE_35D040250

The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightLow But Fishable-0.7
Recent riseSmall Recent Rise+3.5
Falling after liftNot Applicable0.0
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+3.5
Time in seasonLate Season+0.4
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base9.1
Will they take?Willingcaps the band

Fish should be willing to take — clearing, stained water.

Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowproxy via Drowesproxy
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 February → 30 September
  • Trout 15 February → 30 September
Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsIrish Salmon Rivers Guidefive great salmon fisheriesConnemaraIrish fishing
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts