Stillwater · Granite · North West / Donegal, IE

Lough Anure

Loughanure

One of the larger wild trout loughs in the Rosses cluster near Dungloe, Lough Anure sits within the same boggy quartzite landscape as the wider Rosses Lakes system and is often grouped with it for access and permitting.

Fair · Trout
Green Peter · 10-12
Fairlive now
Daddy Longlegs expected on Lough Anure
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Worth a session if the wind holds.
55% confidence

Lough Anure is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindS 32 km/hFresh breeze
Today's fly
Green Peter
Green Peter10-12
Proven pattern for this period
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Fresh breeze
S 32 km/h
N
S
from the south
Wave60 cm wave
Water temp15.1°C
Air temp15°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure994 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Stale water· 0.6 mm in 48h

Little recent rain — fresh fish runs unlikely. Focus on resident fish and established lies.

Head to
Wind driftS wind
Northern end

A southerly has held for 7 hours at much the same temperature as the 15°C water. No thermal steer either way, but the drift still stacks food against the northern end — the bank it is blowing into — so start there. This reads the upper water, though — a bottom bait at range feels it far less than a floater or a fish in the margins. Treat it as a tiebreaker between good swims rather than an override — features and angling pressure usually count for more.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
May–September; September daddy-long-legs is the autumn highlight
Where
Work Bibio on the bob and Black Pennell on the point.
The plan
Plan A

Work Bibio on the bob and Black Pennell 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 — at anchor

Windy conditions suit anchoring in productive areas rather than open-water drifting.

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 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
1
Heather FlyHatch
2
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Claret DunHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
2
3
2

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

Ranked for today
Trout fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Rosses Anglers' Club
  • Permits from Dungloe
  • State rod licence required.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
57%
Cloud50%
Wind30%
Temp100%

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

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
  1. Loughanure
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

One of the larger wild trout loughs in the Rosses cluster near Dungloe, Lough Anure sits within the same boggy quartzite landscape as the wider Rosses Lakes system and is often grouped with it for access and permitting. Wild brown trout averaging half a pound to a pound, with the occasional specimen to 2 lb or more. Some sea trout when high water connects it to the coastal system. Managed by Rosses Anglers' Club with day permits available locally. A straightforward wild lough — no grand hatches, no famous tradition — but honest fishing in exceptional Donegal landscape.

Hatches & food

A 2020 Inland Fisheries Ireland stock survey found invertebrates in a portion of Lough Anure's brown trout stomachs sampled in August, confirming aquatic prey is part of the diet even though the taxa involved aren't identified. Beyond that, food character here is modelled rather than observed: general upland-lough guidance suggests chironomids present from spring into autumn, small olives building through late spring into summer, and sedges and terrestrial falls picking up on warm evenings from June into September — treat these as generic expectations for this lough type, not confirmed hatches.

  • Lake
  • Granite
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Unknown
  • Chemical: Unknown
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (windy) are not ideal for this water.
  • Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for autumn fishing.
  • Daddy Longlegs are in their seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 15 February → 12 October
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts