Limestone · West / Galway

Corrib / Galway Weir

Corrib / Galway Weir fishing venue photo
Editorial photo

Just below the weir

Damian Rafferty

Unique — a short, intensely fished stretch of the Corrib outflow running through the heart of Galway city.

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
9°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for atlantic salmon
  • Temperature6730% weight
  • Flow4525% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time2015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
8.6°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
9°C
Wind
W 26 km/h
Moderate breeze
Pressure
1008 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
18.1 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 through May concentrate at the weir; grilse from late May. Fish the rising water on the second day after rain through the dropping water — sluice management defines the heights.
Where
Galway Weir pools and the Corrib River below the weir to the tidal limit. The water is sluice-controlled freshwater — heights track upstream rainfall and weir management, not tide.
Method
Spring: tube on a sink-tip swung deep through the main pools. Summer and autumn: small doubles on a floater across-and-down. Catch-and-release on most beats.
Kit
12 to 13 ft #8 double-hander on the bigger water; 11 ft switch on smaller beats. Floating line plus fast-sink tip. 10 to 12 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Good conditions. Clarity is favourable (95), Feeding time is weakest (20).
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
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
Iron BlueHatch
1
2
2
1

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

Gallery · 2
  1. Just below the weir
    Just below the weir
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Galway Weir is one of Ireland's most iconic and accessible salmon fisheries
  • Day tickets from the Galway Fishery
  • State rod licence required.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Unique — a short, intensely fished stretch of the Corrib outflow running through the heart of Galway city. Barely six kilometres from Lough Corrib to Galway Bay, yet the Galway Weir fishery is one of Ireland's most iconic salmon destinations. Salmon queue below the weir on their way to Lough Corrib. The sluice gates are the single most important factor: fly conditions are excellent when one or two gates are open, creating controlled flow that concentrates fish in the taking lies. The gates are the river's equivalent of a spate — engineered, not weather-driven. Despite its compact setting, the Galway Weir is usually fished on a two-handed rod — a 12–13 foot Spey rod is standard. Many of the best-known taking lies are on the far side of the River Corrib and reaching them requires a good cast. A single-handed rod will cover the nearer lies but an angler limited to short-range overhead casting will miss the most productive water. Spring fish from February; the best grilse fishing runs from late May through June and into July — peak season 1 June–20 July: €125/day, dropping to €65 from late July. Evening fly-only sessions at €20–25. The New Beat is cheaper; upstream from the university to Lough Corrib is free. Floating line with small doubles (10–14) in summer; sink-tip and size 8–10 in spring. The fish are often visible, which is both an advantage and a torment — a careless cast will put them down. When the gates first open, be ready. The response time is slow (24+ hours) because the lough buffers rainfall. Lough Corrib itself is world-class for wild brown trout with legendary mayfly from mid-May.

  • River
  • Limestone
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon1 February → 30 September
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