The biggest stillwater fly water within an hour of Dublin — an ESB reservoir of roughly 5,500 acres / 2,200 ha on the upper Liffey, holding stocked brown and rainbow trout, a small population of wild brown trout, and a serious pike fishery that IFI specifically flag as productive on the fly. The trout season runs 1 March – 30 September on a single-rod, daylight-only permit with a daily bag of 4 trout (minimum size 9 inches) and no fishing in the buoyed dam headrace. Pike and coarse run year-round except a closed month in October; coarse is currently catch-and-release only. The trout fishing is hatch-led when it works — duckfly in early spring, buzzers building into summer, sedges and terrestrials through the warm months. For pike on the fly, this is one of the better waters within easy reach of Dublin: 8–9 weight, wire trace, big baitfish patterns, careful handling.
- Permit required
Surface temperature is high enough to cause stress even with thermal stratification. The oxythermal squeeze narrows the comfort band — the thermocline may have warmer water than ideal and the deep water may be low in oxygen. Fish only during the coolest windows (first light to mid-morning, late evening). When you do catch, keep the fish in the water, use barbless hooks, and release without lifting. Playing time must be minimal. If fish are struggling to recover after release, stop fishing.
- DepthFish only the narrow comfort band at 15–30 ft. Wind-stirred inflows and dam towers where mixing occurs are the best remaining lies
- TimingFish the first two hours after dawn and the last hour before dark only. Avoid midday and afternoon entirely.
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
Conditions on the water
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
The brief
The plan
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
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.
Green Drake should come on through the afternoon as the water warms.
Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.
What's on, when
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Top pattern + the box
Why today scores what it does
- Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes, on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedWhat this water is
The biggest stillwater fly water within an hour of Dublin — an ESB reservoir of roughly 5,500 acres / 2,200 ha on the upper Liffey, holding stocked brown and rainbow trout, a small population of wild brown trout, and a serious pike fishery that IFI specifically flag as productive on the fly. The trout season runs 1 March – 30 September on a single-rod, daylight-only permit with a daily bag of 4 trout (minimum size 9 inches) and no fishing in the buoyed dam headrace. Pike and coarse run year-round except a closed month in October; coarse is currently catch-and-release only. The trout fishing is hatch-led when it works — duckfly in early spring, buzzers building into summer, sedges and terrestrials through the warm months. For pike on the fly, this is one of the better waters within easy reach of Dublin: 8–9 weight, wire trace, big baitfish patterns, careful handling.
- Reservoir
- Granite
How to get to the water
Where the rules change
- Trout1 March → 30 September
- Pike1 November → 30 September
Good to know
- ESB-managed reservoir
- Adult trout permit ~€30 via permits.fishinginireland.info
- Single rod, daylight only, no maggots
- Daily bag 4 trout, minimum size 9 inches
- No fishing in buoyed dam headrace
- Separate ESB boat permit required
Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes
No photos yet for this water.
The biggest stillwater fly water within an hour of Dublin — an ESB reservoir of roughly 5,500 acres / 2,200 ha on the upper Liffey, holding stocked brown and rainbow trout, a small population of wild brown trout, and a serious pike fishery that IFI specifically flag as productive on the fly.
Surface temperature is high enough to cause stress even with thermal stratification. The oxythermal squeeze narrows the comfort band — the thermocline may have warmer water than ideal and the deep water may be low in oxygen. Fish only during the coolest windows (first light to mid-morning, late evening). When you do catch, keep the fish in the water, use barbless hooks, and release without lifting. Playing time must be minimal. If fish are struggling to recover after release, stop fishing.
- DepthFish only the narrow comfort band at 15–30 ft. Wind-stirred inflows and dam towers where mixing occurs are the best remaining lies
- TimingFish the first two hours after dawn and the last hour before dark only. Avoid midday and afternoon entirely.
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
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.
Green Drake should come on through the afternoon as the water warms.
Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.
- Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
- ESB-managed reservoir
- Adult trout permit ~€30 via permits.fishinginireland.info
- Single rod, daylight only, no maggots
- Daily bag 4 trout, minimum size 9 inches
- No fishing in buoyed dam headrace
- Separate ESB boat permit required
The biggest stillwater fly water within an hour of Dublin — an ESB reservoir of roughly 5,500 acres / 2,200 ha on the upper Liffey, holding stocked brown and rainbow trout, a small population of wild brown trout, and a serious pike fishery that IFI specifically flag as productive on the fly. The trout season runs 1 March – 30 September on a single-rod, daylight-only permit with a daily bag of 4 trout (minimum size 9 inches) and no fishing in the buoyed dam headrace. Pike and coarse run year-round except a closed month in October; coarse is currently catch-and-release only. The trout fishing is hatch-led when it works — duckfly in early spring, buzzers building into summer, sedges and terrestrials through the warm months. For pike on the fly, this is one of the better waters within easy reach of Dublin: 8–9 weight, wire trace, big baitfish patterns, careful handling.
- Reservoir
- Granite
- Trout1 March → 30 September
- Pike1 November → 30 September
The biggest stillwater fly water within an hour of Dublin — an ESB reservoir of roughly 5,500 acres / 2,200 ha on the upper Liffey, holding stocked brown and rainbow trout, a small population of wild brown trout, and a serious pike fishery that IFI specifically flag as productive on the fly. The trout season runs 1 March – 30 September on a single-rod, daylight-only permit with a daily bag of 4 trout (minimum size 9 inches) and no fishing in the buoyed dam headrace. Pike and coarse run year-round except a closed month in October; coarse is currently catch-and-release only. The trout fishing is hatch-led when it works — duckfly in early spring, buzzers building into summer, sedges and terrestrials through the warm months. For pike on the fly, this is one of the better waters within easy reach of Dublin: 8–9 weight, wire trace, big baitfish patterns, careful handling.