Twin loughs connected by a short channel near Pontoon — different characters despite their proximity. Lough Conn is limestone-fed with superb mayfly and olive fishing, clear water and responsive trout. Cullin is darker, peaty water with a different mood entirely. Together they offer the best brown trout fishing in Mayo. Salmon run through from the Moy system. Dapping is excellent when the breeze favours it.
Rules at a glance
- Free state water
A patient day, if you fancy it
Good wave on — drift country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.
33% confidence — limited data
Live now
Conditions on the water
Trends shown where the gauge supports them
Wind
W 18 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
40 cm chop
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
6°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
—
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
How to fish · for brown trout
The brief
When · where · method · kit
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
March and April for the buzzer hatch, before the mayfly arrives. Mayfly mid-May to mid-June across both loughs. Cullin's hatches lag Conn's by a few days — peaty water warms more slowly than limestone.
Where
Pontoon channel between Conn and Cullin is the classic anchor. Limestone shallows on Conn, peaty bays on Cullin — the loughs fish like two different waters.
Method
Drift the limestone shallows on Conn with team wets — Bibio on the bob, Connemara Black on the dropper. In March and April work buzzer patterns slow under a bung. Cullin wants smaller, drabber flies.
Kit
10 to 11 ft #6 boat rod, floating line, 5 to 6 lb fluoro. Spare buzzer leader for the early-season work. Drogue and long-handled net.
Today's tactical plan
The plan
Plan A · Plan B · what to watch · bank or boat
The plan
Plan A
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work Gosling on the bob and Hare's Ear Spider 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 — drift
A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.
Hatches & runs
What's on, when
Twelve months at a glance
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Hawthorn FlyHatch
2
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Today's fly · curated pack
Top pattern + the box
6 patterns from this venue's curated pack
Evidence
Why today scores what it does
The factors driving today's verdict
Why this score
- late spring conditions with cloud skies and breezy wind.
Detail · next 12h
Precipitation
The reading most likely to move tomorrow's verdict
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Lough Conn / Lough Cullin · profile
Who this water suits
Strengths · watch-outs · best for
About this water
Lough Conn / Lough Cullin, on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedLough Conn / Lough Cullin · about
What this water is
Background · character · contributors
About this water
Twin loughs connected by a short channel near Pontoon — different characters despite their proximity. Lough Conn is limestone-fed with superb mayfly and olive fishing, clear water and responsive trout. Cullin is darker, peaty water with a different mood entirely. Together they offer the best brown trout fishing in Mayo. Salmon run through from the Moy system. Dapping is excellent when the breeze favours it.
- Lough system
- Limestone
Lough Conn / Lough Cullin · directions
How to get to the water
Directions
Lough Conn / Lough Cullin · zones
Where the rules change
Seasons · zones · per-species rules
Seasons & zones
- Trout15 February → 30 September
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — Conn (Mayo) carries sea-trout relevance but should not be modelled as a clean "primary open" signal — returns are condition-dependent and stock context tracks the wider western Irish picture.
Lough Conn / Lough Cullin · permits
Licences, sorteo, the rules
Permits & access
Free state water
State rod licence required for trout / salmon as applicable.
- No permit needed — state rod licence only
- Boats from Crossmolina, Pontoon, Foxford
- Salmon licence additional.
Lough Conn / Lough Cullin
Google Places
Twin loughs connected by a short channel near Pontoon — different characters despite their proximity.
Species
A patient day, if you fancy it
Good wave on — drift country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.
33% confidence — limited data
Conditions
Wind
W 18 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
40 cm chop
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
6°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
—
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
Condition match
54%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp25%
A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
March and April for the buzzer hatch, before the mayfly arrives. Mayfly mid-May to mid-June across both loughs. Cullin's hatches lag Conn's by a few days — peaty water warms more slowly than limestone.
Where
Pontoon channel between Conn and Cullin is the classic anchor. Limestone shallows on Conn, peaty bays on Cullin — the loughs fish like two different waters.
Method
Drift the limestone shallows on Conn with team wets — Bibio on the bob, Connemara Black on the dropper. In March and April work buzzer patterns slow under a bung. Cullin wants smaller, drabber flies.
Kit
10 to 11 ft #6 boat rod, floating line, 5 to 6 lb fluoro. Spare buzzer leader for the early-season work. Drogue and long-handled net.
The plan
Plan A
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work Gosling on the bob and Hare's Ear Spider 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 — drift
A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.
Why this score
- late spring conditions with cloud skies and breezy wind.
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Hawthorn FlyHatch
2
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Gallery · 1
Terrain map
Permits & access
Free state water
State rod licence required for trout / salmon as applicable.
- No permit needed — state rod licence only
- Boats from Crossmolina, Pontoon, Foxford
- Salmon licence additional.
Directions
About this water
Twin loughs connected by a short channel near Pontoon — different characters despite their proximity. Lough Conn is limestone-fed with superb mayfly and olive fishing, clear water and responsive trout. Cullin is darker, peaty water with a different mood entirely. Together they offer the best brown trout fishing in Mayo. Salmon run through from the Moy system. Dapping is excellent when the breeze favours it.
- Lough system
- Limestone
Seasons & zones
- Trout15 February → 30 September
Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — Conn (Mayo) carries sea-trout relevance but should not be modelled as a clean "primary open" signal — returns are condition-dependent and stock context tracks the wider western Irish picture.
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Twin loughs connected by a short channel near Pontoon — different characters despite their proximity. Lough Conn is limestone-fed with superb mayfly and olive fishing, clear water and responsive trout. Cullin is darker, peaty water with a different mood entirely. Together they offer the best brown trout fishing in Mayo. Salmon run through from the Moy system. Dapping is excellent when the breeze favours it.
Other water nearby · 5