Stillwater · Mixed · North West / Donegal, IE

Lough Eske

Lough Eske venue image
Fair · Atlantic Salmon
Cascade · 10-14
Fairlive now
Decent — worth a look
Low and clear — careful approach country. Low water tactics — small singles, riffling hitch in the smooth glides.
50% confidence
What moved it
  • LevelLight rain recentlyNo gauge reading
  • Water temp17.2°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Cascade
Cascade10-14
Regional salmon default — river-specific evidence is thin.
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Level
Light rain recently
No gauge reading
Water temp17.2°C
ClarityClear
Weather12°C
WindW 10 km/h
Pressure1022 hPa
Rain · recent4.2 mm
Rain · ahead13.4 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 1014°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
All day — lough fishing is best in a good wave. Early morning and evening can produce in calm conditions.
Where
Work the drift lanes from the upwind shore across the productive zones. Cover bay edges, underwater reefs, and any areas where the bottom shoals.
Method
Fish a sensible line-and-fly combination for the height and pace of water.
Kit
10 ft #7/8 single-hander, floating line, 10–12 lb fluoro leader. Boat seat and waterproofs for the drift.
Why this works
Fair — water clarity is working for you, but time of day is the limiting factor today.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 9 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

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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 · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
1
Sea trout runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
2
3
2
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
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
Permits & access
Free state water
State rod licence required for trout / salmon as applicable.
  • Eske Fishery managed
  • Boats, ghillies, and day permits available.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • EcologyUnknown
  • ChemicalUnknown
Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature3630% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time1015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 April30 SeptemberC&R
  • Sea trout 1 March30 September

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — Lough Eske (Donegal) — managed migratory lough with documented runs but the Donegal cluster operates at regional rather than national-flagship scale. Boatman knowledge essential; runs vary year to year.

Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts