Salmon Fishing In Lismore The Blackwater River The Blackwater River streams through West County Waterford before it enters the roughness of the sea at Youghal. This river is extremely popular and is well known for salmon fishing, offering spring, summer and autumn fishing. The River Blackwater is fast flowing and caters for all kinds of angling, but is mainly suited to fly fishing.
The Seasons The salmon angling season runs from February 1st till September 30th . In more recent times, Atlantic Salmon have become extremely erratic in many rivers, and the Blackwater is no exception to this. The focal grilse run arrives in or around the 2nd week of June and lasts until the end of July. August & September typically sees grilse and other large salmon coming together in realistic numbers.
Beats & Booking
Many of the popular beats are privately owned and used comprehensively for tourist fishing. If you are a visiting angler, you will be well catered for in a friendly and organised manner - with pre-booking of your accommodation, fishing and also a ghillie if needed. These options are all available via the Ballyrafter House Hotel. The high demand for fishing on the Blackwater River is extremely high & people who are visiting are also advised to book well in advance.
The Catch The normal weight of Salmon that can be caught throughout the Blackwater River can differ between 5 to 8 pounds. The largest fish in the Lismore region was caught by a Hotel guest in 1999, weighing a whopping 17.5 pounds.
Just a few years ago 2 guests managed to catch 22 salmon within a week. They put most of the salmon back. I hear you ask what did they do with the rest? Here at the Ballyrafter House Hotel, we have many options that enables you to enjoy your valued catch long after you have returned home.
Here are just a few options:
Cooking - You can enjoy your fish dinner right here at the Ballyrafter Hotel, cooked to your exact requirements. We can then vacuum pack the rest of the fish and freeze it, ready to send home with you. Salmon really is our speciality.Freezing - We can vacuum pack and freeze your salmon. Our team will wrap it in newspaper and place it into a plastic bag, making your salmon last your desired journey back to the UK or USA.Smoking - Our smoking process includes smoking your salon over an oak wood fire. We advise that natural smoking can't be rushed, so 1 or 1 and a half days are required. We can handle all your individual arrangements.
Salmon
Salmon Features - You can recognise mature salmon by their silver bodies and small adipose fins. The male salmon at spawning time can be told apart from the females by their hook formed lower jaw.Spawning - Spawning is carried out in freshwater usually in gravelly areas of the river, from November to January.Fecundity - The average adult salmon can lay between 3000 and 12000 eggs.Longevity - Salmon can spend between 1 and 4 years within the fresh river waters, before then migrating to the sea. Irish Salmon are well known to travel to the east coasts of Greenland and even to the Faroe Islands to feed.Diet - Young salmon feed on mainly insects, crustaceans & benthic invertebrates, whilst adult salmon feed only when they are at sea - on a diet of smaller fish, sprat, krill and other pelagic creatures.Salmon Weight - 9kgs which is 20 poundsAt Ballyrafter House Hotel, we have the perfect location for any guests looking for salmon fishing. With our also assisting when you have caught salmon, you can enjoy all your catches. For more information, call us today on
00 35358 54002 .