Spate · Limestone · North West / Leitrim-Donegal, IE

Drowes

Drowes Salmon Fishery venue image
Poor · Atlantic Salmon
Bann Special Shrimp · 12-16
Closed season
Out of season. File this water for the right month.
Closed — confidence not applicable today.
What moved it
  • Level0.54 mLast reading 5h ago
  • Water temp14.7°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Bann Special Shrimp
Bann Special Shrimp12-16
From the river-specific salmon pack.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.54 m
Last reading 5h ago
Water temp14.7°C
ClarityClear
Weather15°C
WindS 29 km/h
Pressure994 hPa
Rain · recent1.9 mm
Rain · ahead6.3 mm

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

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Ideal
14.7°Cideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Earliest opening Irish salmon river — opens 1 January. Spring fish from January through May; grilse from June. Fish the named pools methodically; the Drowes rewards patient water-craft.
Where
Named beats from Lennox's Bridge to the sea. Pool heads and tails; the river is wadeable through the lower beats.
Method
Small doubles 10 to 12 across-and-down on a floating line; small tubes on a sink-tip in spring water. Catch-and-release encouraged across most Irish salmon water.
Kit
10 ft #7 single-hander on the smaller spate rivers; 11 ft switch where the river opens out. Floating line plus light sink-tip. 10 to 12 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
The signs are strong. Water starting to fall after a rise — early stages of coming into shape. Still coloured but fining — improving conditions. 14.7°C — in the ideal taking range for autumn salmon. Conditions are moving in the right direction and should be fishable soon if not already.
Likely species
Caddisflies
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6h

Hatch predictions

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

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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 3 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
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Sea trout runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
CapererHatch
2
3
3
2
Heather FlyHatch
2
2
Autumn DunHatch
2
3
2

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

Ranked for today
Fly box · Atlantic Salmon
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Drowes Fishery — day tickets available; State rod licence required
  • The Drowes traditionally produces Ireland's first salmon of the year
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
River Erne (Ballyshannon)
6.0 km
0
Salmon · Sea trout
Duff River
8.0 km
0
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Erne Estuary
6.0 km
Brown trout · Sea trout
Lough Melvin
14 km
Brown trout
Eany Water
18 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

EPA WFD 2019-2024 — Good ecological status; corrected (was Moderate) 2026-06-18. Source: EPA Ireland WFD 2019-2024 classification (catchments.ie / EDEN).

EPA (Ireland) · IEUKGBNI1NW353504082

The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightLow But Fishable-1.0
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftFalling Slightly After Lift+4.1
Water temperatureCool To Moderate+2.5
Time in seasonLate Season-0.6
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base7.4
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 January → 30 September
  • Sea trout 1 March → 30 September

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsIrish Salmon Rivers Guidefive great salmon fisheriesConnemaraIrish fishing
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations
  • Drowes Salmon Fishery
    Day tickets