Spate · Sandstone · South / Cork

Bandon

Bandon venue image
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South Cork salmon and sea trout river flowing through productive limestone-influenced reaches.

Species

Decent — worth a look

Low and clear — careful approach country. Low water tactics — small singles, riffling hitch in the smooth glides.

70% confidence in this read
Water temperature for atlantic salmon
Cool — slow
8°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for atlantic salmon
  • Temperature4530% weight
  • Flow4525% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time3015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
7.5°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
11°C
Wind
NW 23 km/h
Moderate breeze
Pressure
1009 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
24.0 mm
Moderate rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for atlantic salmon
When
Spring fish from February; grilse from late May; main run summer. Cork spate river — fish 12 to 24 hours after rain on the drop.
Where
Beats from Dunmanway through Bandon town. Heads, tails, and named lies through the salmon stretches.
Method
Small doubles 10 to 12 across-and-down on a floating line; small tubes on a sink-tip in spring water. Catch-and-release encouraged across most Irish salmon water.
Kit
10 ft #7 single-hander on the smaller spate rivers; 11 ft switch where the river opens out. Floating line plus light sink-tip. 10 to 12 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Fair conditions. Clarity is favourable (95), Feeding time is weakest (30).
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2
Yellow SallyHatch
2
3
2

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

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • West Cork river
  • Mixed club and association access
  • Bandon AA, Dunmanway STAA (fly only, 10 miles, Togher Castle to Manch Bridge), Ballineen & Enniskeane AA (4 miles, day tickets)
  • Best window June–September
  • State rod licence required.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

South Cork salmon and sea trout river flowing through productive limestone-influenced reaches. Season 15 February to 30 September (closure below Innishannon Bridge until 17 March). Spring salmon from February; fish the pools systematically with sunk-tip line, taking the broken water where fish gather. Grilse from June. Sea trout from May onwards. Standard spate-river approach — fish as the river clears after rain.

  • Sandstone
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon15 February → 30 September
Other water nearby · 5