Waterville in west Kerry is the perfect base for the angler in pursuit of freshwater game fishing or sea fishing. With countless lakes and rivers, which are noted for their Atlantic salmon, sea trout and brown trout, as well as large storm beaches, rocky shorelines and an abundance of deep-sea marks, your biggest challenge may be choosing where to fish.
When it comes to fresh-water angling, Lough Currane is the main lake in a catchment of six lakes and nestles between the mountains and western Atlantic seashore. It’s famous for its large sea trout which can exceed 10lbs. Boosting the large stocks of these migratory fish, it gets runs of large spring salmon and grilse every year. These enter the system of lakes and rivers from as early as January.
The Upper Waterville Lakes, which are set in splendid scenery, also offer excellent brown trout fishing with sea trout and salmon also a feature.
As for shore angling, you’ll be spoiled for choice as there is always a sheltered mark available, regardless of the wind direction, along Kerry’s magnificent coastline. Bass, flounder, wrasse and pollack are the main quarry with saltwater fly-fishing for bass, mullet and pollack also a possibility.
With a well-developed deep-sea charter fleet within 30 minutes’ drive of Waterville, deep-sea angling is also popular. Numerous experienced skippers have boats for hire and will take you out to catch conger, ling, cod, skate, bullhuss, spurdog and blue shark.
And the man-made facilities in and around Waterville are just as good as the natural ones. Visitors can expect angler-friendly accommodation, bait and tackle shops, as well as excellent eateries and vibrant pubs to complete the picture of an excellent angler’s destination.