One of the best documented Irish pike-fly venue systems, with active guide services and reported fly-caught fish. Two ESB reservoirs on the River Lee west of Cork city — Inniscarra (larger, deeper) and Carrigadrohid (smaller, shallower). Both hold big pike and offer excellent fly-fishing opportunities from boat and bank. The sheltered valley location means they fish well even when exposed loughs are blown out.
Rules at a glance
- Permit plus club or public
Reasonable late spring fishing likely at Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid)
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid). The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
56% confidence in this read
This venue is often best in spring through autumn.
Live now
Conditions on the water
Trends shown where the gauge supports them
Wind
W 15 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
20 cm ripple
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
7°C
Cloud
Overcast
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
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid). The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
Where
Start with Buzzer (14-16) on a slow figure-of-eight or hang under indicator. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
Method
Method not yet authored.
Kit
Kit not yet authored.
Today's tactical plan
The plan
Plan A · Plan B · what to watch · bank or boat
The plan
Plan A
Start with Buzzer (14-16) on a slow figure-of-eight or hang under indicator. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
Plan B
If fish refuse on top, drop to a buzzer under an indicator at different depths.
Watch for
Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.
Either bank or boat
Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.
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
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
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
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 overcast 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
Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid) · profile
Who this water suits
Strengths · watch-outs · best for
About this water
Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid), on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedLee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid) · about
What this water is
Background · character · contributors
About this water
One of the best documented Irish pike-fly venue systems, with active guide services and reported fly-caught fish. Two ESB reservoirs on the River Lee west of Cork city — Inniscarra (larger, deeper) and Carrigadrohid (smaller, shallower). Both hold big pike and offer excellent fly-fishing opportunities from boat and bank. The sheltered valley location means they fish well even when exposed loughs are blown out.
- Reservoir
- Mixed
Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid) · directions
How to get to the water
Directions
Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid) · permits
Licences, sorteo, the rules
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- ESB-managed reservoirs (Inniscarra + Carrigadrohid)
- Catch-and-release ONLY
- Maximum 2 rods per angler
- 150 m exclusion zones from dams
- No fishing upstream of Carrigadrohid Bridge from 1 September to 31 December (habitat protection)
- Permits via IFI Permit Shop (day, weekly, seasonal)
Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid)
Terrain map
One of the best documented Irish pike-fly venue systems, with active guide services and reported fly-caught fish.
Species
Reasonable late spring fishing likely at Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid)
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid). The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
56% confidence in this read
This venue is often best in spring through autumn.
Conditions
Wind
W 15 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
20 cm ripple
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
7°C
Cloud
Overcast
Pressure
—
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
Condition match
59%
Cloud50%
Wind65%
Temp60%
A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Conditions are not ideal but fishable at Lee Reservoirs (Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid). The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently.
Where
Start with Buzzer (14-16) on a slow figure-of-eight or hang under indicator. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
Method
Method not yet authored.
Kit
Kit not yet authored.
The plan
Plan A
Start with Buzzer (14-16) on a slow figure-of-eight or hang under indicator. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
Plan B
If fish refuse on top, drop to a buzzer under an indicator at different depths.
Watch for
Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.
Either bank or boat
Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.
Why this score
- late spring conditions with overcast skies and breezy wind.
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
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
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- ESB-managed reservoirs (Inniscarra + Carrigadrohid)
- Catch-and-release ONLY
- Maximum 2 rods per angler
- 150 m exclusion zones from dams
- No fishing upstream of Carrigadrohid Bridge from 1 September to 31 December (habitat protection)
- Permits via IFI Permit Shop (day, weekly, seasonal)
Directions
About this water
One of the best documented Irish pike-fly venue systems, with active guide services and reported fly-caught fish. Two ESB reservoirs on the River Lee west of Cork city — Inniscarra (larger, deeper) and Carrigadrohid (smaller, shallower). Both hold big pike and offer excellent fly-fishing opportunities from boat and bank. The sheltered valley location means they fish well even when exposed loughs are blown out.
- Reservoir
- Mixed
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
One of the best documented Irish pike-fly venue systems, with active guide services and reported fly-caught fish. Two ESB reservoirs on the River Lee west of Cork city — Inniscarra (larger, deeper) and Carrigadrohid (smaller, shallower). Both hold big pike and offer excellent fly-fishing opportunities from boat and bank. The sheltered valley location means they fish well even when exposed loughs are blown out.
Other water nearby · 5