Lowland · Limestone · South / Limerick, IE

Castleconnell (Lower Shannon)

Castleconnell (Lower Shannon) terrain map

The Castleconnell beats on the Lower Shannon, near Limerick and below the Parteen weir, were once among Ireland's great spring-salmon fisheries.

Good · Atlantic Salmon
Cascade · 8–10 doubles
Goodlive now
A good day — worth the effort
River dropping into shape after a lift. A taking window. Cover the heads and tails methodically.
85% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.54 mDropping after lift
  • Water temp16.8°C
  • ClarityClearClearing
Today's fly
Cascade
Cascade8–10 doubles
Universal SW Ireland salmon fly. Works on everything from the Cork Blackwater to the small Kerry spate rivers. Fish on a relaxed swing through the main pools; downsize for low summer water.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.54 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp16.8°C
ClarityClear
Weather14°C
WindW 23 km/h
Pressure1011 hPa
Rain · recent3.3 mm
Rain · ahead2.0 mm

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow
16.8°Cideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Morning into early afternoon.
Where
Pool tails, steadier runs, and any water with pace.
Method
Fish a sensible line-and-fly combination for the height and pace of 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
Good — water clarity is right today, though river flow could be better.
Likely species
Caddisflies
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 11am

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 12 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 4 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
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.

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box

Munster Blackwater and neighbouring SW spring rivers: when the water is cold or running high, a tube fly fished deep on a Skagit head or sinking shooting head with a heavier leader finds fish that a floating line can't reach. Comes down to a 9'-10' single-handed rod and small flies on an 8lb tippet once the river drops into summer trim.

Munroe Killer
Munroe Killer
10–14 doubles · Salmon fly
Traditional Irish salmon fly with long local history. Popular on the Munster rivers; the black/yellow combination has worked reliably for grilse fishing throughout the summer.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Mulkear
5.0 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
River Maigue
27 km
0
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Fergus
35 km
Brown trout
River Drish
48 km
Brown trout
River Drish
48 km
Brown trout
About this water

The Castleconnell beats on the Lower Shannon, near Limerick and below the Parteen weir, were once among Ireland's great spring-salmon fisheries. The river here is hydro-regulated, and the angler reads the water on the flows he is given. For 2026 it is catch-and-release. Note that the upper Shannon above Parteen carries a separate status. Castleconnell and district clubs hold the water; the State Licence is required.

Hatches & food

EPA river-invertebrate monitoring confirms mayflies, stoneflies, caddis, aquatic diptera and freshwater crustaceans are present through this reach's monitored segments. This is food-presence evidence only, not a hatch record, and says nothing about when or how strongly any of these groups emerge on the day.

  • Limestone
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Unknown
  • Chemical: Unknown
Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature6530% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time8015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 March → 30 SeptemberC&R
Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsIrish Salmon Rivers Guidefive great salmon fisheriesConnemaraIrish fishing
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Permits & access