Lowland · Mixed · Co. Londonderry / Co. Antrim

Lower Bann

Lower Bann terrain map
Terrain map

The Lower Bann runs from Lough Neagh to the sea at Coleraine — 61 km of powerful, broad river that carries the largest salmon run in Northern Ireland.

Marginal · Atlantic Salmon
Cascade · 10-14
Marginal — persistence required
River lifting fast on the rain. Cover the water properly, fish each lie once.
40% confidence
limited data
What moved it
  • LevelModerate rain recentlyNo gauge reading
  • Water temp14.8°C
  • ClarityVery coloured
Today’s fly
Cascade
Cascade10-14
Regional salmon default — river-specific evidence is thin.
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Level
Moderate rain recently
No gauge reading
Water temp14.8°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather16°C
WindS 16 km/h
Pressure1016 hPa
Rain · recent21.9 mm
Rain · ahead6.3 mm

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

Water temperature for atlantic salmon
Warm — slow
15°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for atlantic salmon
When
Morning into early afternoon.
Where
Pool tails, steadier runs, and any water with pace.
Method
Fish a sensible line-and-fly combination for the height and pace of water.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Poor — time of day is working for you, but water clarity is the limiting factor today.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 2 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalModerate confidence

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

Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Terrestrial BeetlesHatch
2
3
3
2
Blue Winged OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1

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

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 5
River Roe
27 km
64
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
River Agivey
8.0 km
30
Brown trout · Salmon
Clady River
9.0 km
30
Brown trout · Salmon
River Moyola
14 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Dollaghan
River Maine
24 km
Brown trout · Dollaghan
About this water

The Lower Bann runs from Lough Neagh to the sea at Coleraine — 61 km of powerful, broad river that carries the largest salmon run in Northern Ireland. The Carnroe beat near Coleraine is premium water (eight rods per day, historically averaging 1,000+ salmon over a ten-year period). The lower river below the Cutts weir at Coleraine fishes on the tide. Salmon run from April with the main push June–September. The river is big and slow — boat fishing and bank casting both work. The Honourable Irish Society controls several beats. Grilse peak in July. Sea trout are present but secondary. The Bann also holds excellent coarse fishing, pike, and dollaghan from the Lough Neagh feeder system. Atlantic salmon are managed under DAERA and Loughs Agency conservation byelaws, with mandatory catch-and-release on many waters; check current rules before fishing.

  • Mixed
Why this score · for atlantic salmon
  • Temperature8130% weight
  • Flow8025% weight
  • Clarity1520% weight
  • Feeding Time9515% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon1 April → 15 October
Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsIrish Salmon Rivers Guidefive great salmon fisheriesConnemaraIrish fishing
Booking & contacts