Ireland, where to stay?

I am possibly going to Ireland next year! I have been 5 times but not since 1995. What are the best angling areas to opt for nowadays ladies and gents?

Lough Derg is good for bags of Bream and Hybrids.
I go several times a year and always do well. If you stay in the Killaloe area at the southern end of the lough there are loads of pubs and restraunts and you are also within a short drive of countless lakes in east clare and the majority of them are very rarely fished so you will have the places to your self.

Eddie
What time of year are you thinking of going?

Derg would be my vote, assuming bream are the main target, but it's fished poor early season for the past two years.

Reading recent reports, it's just started producing good weights from mid August onwards. So, I probably only consider it for the autumn time, when it's more likely to be dull and breezy which offers the best chance of daytime catches in clear water. I fished it in July and it fished well in the lower light conditions during the evenings.

The East Clare Lakes ---especially "The Cullaun Chain"

See <a target='_new' href="http://www.infowing.ie/fishing/Coarse/Cc2.htm
">HERE</a>

For some reason the link wont work so copy this into your browser :


www.infowing.ie/fishing/Coarse/Cc2.htm

or the Lee Valley in Cork at Inniscarra

SEE HERE

But beware Tulla! It has an uncanny resemblance to Royston Vasey....

You'll never leave!!

September is best on derg I am going there on Thursday but only for a couple of days so wont have much time for fishing perhaps only one or two evening sessions.

Possibly going next July lads, thaks for the advice, just had to be sure from the horses mouth?

Killaloe then?

Theres a pub 2 or 3 miles outside Killaloe on the loughside road called The Pipers and I stayed a week there once, lovely food and the guinness wasn't bad either. It was very reasonable then but that was about 12 years ago. Means you don't have far to stagger from the bar to your bed, very handy.

The road in question is the R463 Scarriff road, just had a look.

Ive been in there once a couple of years ago and it was a bit crap to be honest I didnt eat in there though so couldnt comment on the food but the pub was very run down and spit and sawdust.

I can highly recomend the holiday park on the opposite side of the main road to the Pipers though they have 10 lovley houses on the marina and lease boats too. You realy need a boat as there arnt many places you can fish from the bank although the holiday park has quite a large lake frontage that regularly fishes well for the Bream. They also have a Caravan and Tent park and lots of holiday flats.
On the site there is a great bar that serves until late and also does great food.

see for your self. http://www.loughderg.net/index.html

If you want to be a little closer to the town then I can recoment this house that over looks the water and the bridge that links the two towns of Killaloe and Ballina. I have seen this house and met these people but have never stayed there myself. They too can hire you a boat for the duration of your stay.

Look here
http://www.dergangling.com/index.html

I can also recomend to you a few good B&Bs in killaloe its self and I have eaten and drunk in every bar and resteraunt in the twin towns of Ballina and Kilaloe.

If you want bait or guided trips on prebaited swims TJ O'brian is the guy to speak to at the local tackle shop in ballina. You can order your bait from him at very reasonable prices.

Here is his web site. http://www.tjsangling.com/

For fishing reports on the Shannon reigon have a look at TJs website and also here.

http://www.shannon-fishery-board.ie/guides/coarse/fishing-reports.htm

If you decide to go to killaloe email me and I can give you loads of advice based on my experience of staying in the area and fishing there several times a year for the past 12 or so years.

Not the way I remember the Pipers but it was a long time ago when I was there and I know things can change over time, sorry about that Eddie, bit of a false lead it would seem.

For the past two years we've stayed at Clareville House in Tuamgraney (near Scariff). Excellent place and they have a tackle shed and fridge etc..

It's handy for the areas you can shore fish on Derg and closer to the East Clare lakes, Lough Bridget etc...
The pub is 50 yards away and serves the biggest and best fillet steaks I have ever had in my life...

In the spring the bream tend to move up to the north of Lough Derg, round the Portumna area, where it reverts back to the Shannon, presumably they breed there and some enormous catches are made there every year. Lough Derg itself doesn't usually start to fish well till the middle of July but there are some enormous bream shoals in Derg its just finding them, thats where a good guide and a boat come in, you can have a bad week very easily without either.

I once heard a very reliable guide say that the amount of bream in Lough Derg are best measured in tons, theres too many to count.

No worries Graham, thanks for taking the time mate.

So Derg/Clare lakeland seems to be the general consensus for the best area then!

Looking to go self catering, pref with (or very near) to waterfront access, and a boat on site or locally.

Also I don't want to pay the earth for the accomodation. Anglers world have quoted us approx ?270-350 which I thought was a bit steep.

Any other recommendations accomodation wise?

Don't forget though Eddie, you have to take the price of the ferry into consideration and the Anglers World holidays include that in the price. It costs a small fortune for the ferry these days with a car, ?170 or thereabouts for a return if you go normal from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire. Theres usually supplements on top of that as well.

Eddie we had a gret time last time we went to Ireland.
Lough Derg and county Clare lakes good area, the Shannon was also brilliant.
We were bream fishing and Salmon were jumping in front of us, two rod lengths out! Amazing!
Avoid Limerick night clubs if you have short hair!
We were asked if we were "squaddies" and all eyes were on us!
When a fight broke out on the dance floor (two ladies!) we made a sharp exit!

Try looking for B+B's around County Clare there are loads and book your own ferry tickets, I am sure you will save money that way.

Good luck mate.

Your certainly right about the Pub in Tuamgraney Paul it realy does serve the Biggest and best Steaks in Ireland Cooked just perfect.

have you looked at the lough Derg holiday park Website yet Eddie? they list all there prices on there too.

You should do ok on Derg for Bream in july Eddie but the later you can leave it the better.

like the others have said its the ferry thats the expensive bit and in July should set you back around ?300 return.

Shortest sailing from me Oxford area is Swansea to Cork. It is an over night sailing but it means we get there by 9am and so we have a full day to launch our boat and set out markers and pre bait. We also take the scuba gear and check out the swim for Snags and clear any weed etc.