Stillwater · Mixed · North West / Donegal, IE

Lough Beagh

Lough Beagh — Glenveagh National Park - geograph.org.uk - 51682

Lough Beagh sits in Glenveagh National Park, drained by the Owencarrow / Lackagh river system to Sheephaven Bay.

Today · Closed season
Black Gnat
Forecast · Today
Closed season
Out of season. File this water for the right month.
50% projected
Today's fly
Black Gnat
Black Gnat
Conditions on the water · Today
Estimate
Level
Light rain recently
No gauge reading
Water temp17.1°C
ClarityClearing
Weather14°C
WindN 32 km/h
Pressure997 hPa
Rain · recent6.5 mm
Rain · ahead3.0 mm

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

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow
17°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Morning and evening are prime, but midday can still produce if there's cloud cover or a breeze to ruffle the surface. Overcast days fish well all day in summer.
Where
Work the classic drift lanes — from upwind shore across the productive zones. Cover the bay edges, underwater reefs, and any areas where the bottom shoals up. Keep the boat moving at drift speed and watch for fish following the fly.
Method
Lively swing near the surface. Floating line, the fly fishing in the top 12 inches. The fly should look alive — a small mend to accelerate at the right moment can trigger a snapping take.. Floating line. Small-medium: size 8-12. Match temperature and water colour — go smaller if clear, bigger if any colour.
Kit
10 ft #7/8 single-hander, floating line, 10–12 lb fluoro leader. Boat seat and waterproofs for the drift.
Why this works
Very few salmon are historically caught on this river in September (based on guide reports and fishery knowledge). Current conditions matter, but expectations should be modest. Conditions are reasonable, though not ideal. Late season — fish are beginning to colour up as spawning approaches. They become more territorial and can take aggressively. Autumnal colours (orange, copper, gold) work well.
Likely species
Stoneflies
Caddisflies
Chironomids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 12pm

12pm(now) — Heather Fly

Stage: Terrestrials on topApproach: Dry flyActivity: 95%
Also:Daddy Long Legs52%Pond Olive29%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost9 food groups active

Peak activity at 12pm — Heather Fly (Heather Fly, Peak emergence window)

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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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
1
Sea trout runRun
1
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
Atlantic Salmon fly box

Connemara/Mayo low water: a lightly-dressed shrimp on a floating line with sink tip, sized down from 8s in cold spring water to 12s and 14s as summer water warms and clears. Where the current runs faster, a slim tube or hairwing swung through tracks better than a shrimp.

Permits & access
Free state water
State rod licence required for trout / salmon as applicable.
  • Day permits €25–35
  • Catch-and-release for salmon
  • Boats available.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Tullaghobegley / Ray
14 km
0
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Gweebarra
29 km
0
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Lackagh / Lough Beagh
< 1 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Clady (Gweedore)
21 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Lennon
21 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Gallery · 2
  1. Lough Beagh — Glenveagh National Park - geograph.org.uk - 51682
    Glenveagh National Park - geograph.org.uk - 51682
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Lough Beagh sits in Glenveagh National Park, drained by the Owencarrow / Lackagh river system to Sheephaven Bay. The lough opens for fishing notably late — 15 July through 30 September — making it a specialist late-season migratory venue distinct from the river beats below. Boats with engines available; fly-only. C&R required for salmon and sea trout 40cm+. Part of the Lackagh / Lough Beagh fishery system. For 2026 this is a catch-and-release fishery under the Wild Salmon & Sea Trout Tagging Scheme — all salmon and grilse must be returned.

Hatches & food

A 2017 Inland Fisheries Ireland stock survey found invertebrates in the majority of Lough Beagh's brown trout stomachs that contained food, sampled in July/August, confirming aquatic prey is a real part of the diet even though the taxa aren't identified. Otherwise the food character here is modelled, not observed: general lough guidance suggests chironomids present from spring into autumn, small olives building through late spring, and sedges and terrestrial falls on warm summer evenings — general expectations for this lough type, not confirmed local hatches.

Sea trout here

Lough Beagh is part of the Lackagh system in Glenveagh National Park — NOT the Eske system. Sea-trout identity inherited from the Lackagh/Lough Beagh headline system (Phase 2, tier_2). The lough has a notably late season (15 July–30 September) and is a specialist migratory-lough venue.

  • Lough
  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Unknown
  • Chemical: Unknown
The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightMedium Ideal+2.3
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftDropping Too Far Towards Low Clear+1.1
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+3.0
Time in seasonLate Season+0.5
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base9.3
Will they take?Willingcaps the band

Fish should be willing to take — clearing, stained water.

Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 15 July → 30 SeptemberC&R
  • Sea trout 15 July → 30 September
Related guides
Irish Loughs Playbooklough-style fishingThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperatureAtlantic Salmonsalmon tactics
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts