Stillwater · Mixed · East / Dublin, IE

Courtlough Trout Fishery

Courtlough Trout Fishery terrain map

A managed stocked rainbow trout fishery near Balbriggan / Stamullen on the north side of Dublin — four spring-fed lakes of roughly four acres each, used regularly by IFI east-region winter trout reports as a year-round east-coast option.

Fair · Rainbow
Daddy Long Legs · 10-12
Fairlive now
Reasonable autumn fishing likely at Courtlough Trout Fishery
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Worth a session if the wind holds.
59% confidence

Courtlough Trout Fishery is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindW 15 km/hGentle breeze
Today's fly
Daddy Long Legs
Daddy Long Legs10-12
Upstream dry, on top
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Gentle breeze
W 15 km/h
N
W
from the west
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp14.4°C
Air temp17°C
CloudOvercast
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
Year-round. Winter (Nov–Feb) excellent on sinking line and lure. Spring (Mar–May) and autumn (Sep–Oct) best for buzzer and nymph.
Where
Start with Floating Fry (8-10) on a Fish as a single fly. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Floating Fry (8-10) on a Fish as a single fly. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely.

Plan B

A fry-imitating pattern stripped through the margins can save a blank in autumn.

Watch for

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Bank

Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.

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 5 as a supporter.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
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.
  • Day permits ~€20 (verify 2026 rate direct)
  • Booking via fishing@courtlough.ie or 087-271-2704
  • Barbless fly-only on certain lakes (varies by lake/day) — phone ahead.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
59%
Cloud50%
Wind65%
Temp60%

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

Other water nearby · 5
About this water

A managed stocked rainbow trout fishery near Balbriggan / Stamullen on the north side of Dublin — four spring-fed lakes of roughly four acres each, used regularly by IFI east-region winter trout reports as a year-round east-coast option. Fills a specific and useful role for the Dublin angler: close to the city, reliable, good for an hour's casting practice with a beginner, and a winter Saturday choice when the rivers are coloured. Not wild-trout country — a managed stillwater stocked with rainbows — but on a quiet weekday it does what it sets out to do.

  • Fishery
  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • EcologyUnknown
  • ChemicalUnknown
Why this score
  • autumn conditions with overcast skies and breezy wind.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 January31 December
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts