Limestone · South / Limerick, IE

Mulkear

Photo of Mulkear

Ireland's premier limestone brown trout river, the Mulkear drains the Slieveardagh hills and flows into the River Suir near Limerick.

Poor · Atlantic Salmon
Stoat's Tail · 8-12
Closed season
Out of season. File this water for the right month.
Closed — confidence not applicable today.
What moved it
  • Level0.51 m
  • Water temp13.5°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Stoat's Tail
Stoat's Tail8-12
From the river-specific salmon pack.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.51 m
Water temp13.5°C
ClarityClear
Weather15°C
WindS 28 km/h
Pressure1001 hPa
Rain · recent2.6 mm
Rain · ahead8.6 mm

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Ideal
13.5°Cideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
All day is fishable. Peaks around mid-morning (10-12) and late afternoon (4-6pm). A change in light — cloud passing over the sun, or the first shadow reaching the water — can trigger a take.
Where
Fish are concentrated in the deeper pools and under any available cover. Focus on the deepest lies — pool hearts and tail croys. Approach very carefully, avoid silhouetting yourself against the sky. Dawn and dusk are your windows.
Method
Gentle swing or upstream dead-drift for nymph-style presentation. Consider a riffling hitch in smooth water — the surface wake can provoke aggressive takes from fish that refuse the conventional swing.. Floating line, possibly slow intermediate in deeper pools. Small: size 10-14 doubles or trebles, micro-tubes. Low water demands subtlety.
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
The river is in textbook shape. River dropping nicely into shape after a lift — textbook conditions. Clearing nicely — classic taking conditions. 13.5°C — in the ideal taking range for autumn salmon. This is the window experienced salmon anglers wait for — if you can get to the river, go now.
Likely species
Stoneflies
Caddisflies
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 11am

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 12 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

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
2
2
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
CapererHatch
2
3
3
2
Hawthorn FlyHatch
2
2
GrannomHatch
2
2

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

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box

Munster Blackwater and neighbouring SW spring rivers: when the water is cold or running high, a tube fly fished deep on a Skagit head or sinking shooting head with a heavier leader finds fish that a floating line can't reach. Comes down to a 9'-10' single-handed rod and small flies on an 8lb tippet once the river drops into summer trim.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • IFI rod licence (RoI)
  • Dry-fly trout season 15 May–12 October
  • **2026 conservation: salmon catch-and-release ONLY
  • Single barbless hooks required for all species
  • Worms, prawn, and shrimp prohibited.** Fly-only stretch between Ballyclough Weir and Brownes Weir; fixed-spool reels and bubble floats prohibited on this section
  • Beats managed; day tickets €25–€50 depending on season
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Castleconnell (Lower Shannon)
5.0 km
Salmon
River Maigue
22 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Fergus
36 km
Brown trout
River Drish
50 km
Brown trout
River Drish
50 km
Brown trout
Gallery · 2
  1. Photo of Mulkear
    Mulkear
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Ireland's premier limestone brown trout river, the Mulkear drains the Slieveardagh hills and flows into the River Suir near Limerick. A classic limestone river — clear, technical, and rich with insect life. The Mulkear is justly famous for its resident wild brown trout (average 12–14 oz, specimens to 2 lb+) and exceptional dry-fly fishing. Spring salmon from February; sea trout June–September. The river is gin-clear in summer — sight-fishing and fine-tippet nymphing the standard approach. Managed beats; day tickets available. Comparable in standard to the Nore and Barrow. 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

EPA river-invertebrate monitoring confirms mayflies, stoneflies, caddis, aquatic diptera and freshwater crustaceans (including white-clawed crayfish) are present across the Mulkear's monitored segments. This is food-presence evidence only and doesn't establish emergence timing or the strength of any hatch.

  • Limestone
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Good
The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightLow But Fishable-0.7
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftDropping Nicely Into Shape+4.5
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+3.5
Time in seasonLate Season+0.4
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base10.1
Will they take?Willingcaps the band

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

Can you trust it?
Water temperaturelive gauge readinggauge
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 March → 30 SeptemberC&R
  • Trout 15 March → 12 October
Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsIrish Salmon Rivers Guidefive great salmon fisheriesConnemaraIrish fishing
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts