Flyfishing on Ireland's River Boyne

The Boyne rises near Edenderry and flows some 70 miles via Trim and Navan before entering the Irish Sea at Drogheda; it is widely considered to be Ireland's finest trout river. The lower reaches of the main river provide good spring salmon fishing, and there is also a good chance of catching sea trout there. (Incidentally, our introductory Guide to Salmon and Sea Trout Fishing is available online, and of course we recommend it unreservedly if not altogether impartially!) The fishing is all private or club controlled, but permits are readily available.

Sue Parker fishing the River Boyne for wild brown trout

Tributaries
There are several excellent trout streams in the Boyne system. Our particular favourites are the Kells Blackwater, Enfield Blackwater and Stoneyford, where good trout fishing is available throughout the season. On the Deel there is good spring fishing, but this tributary becomes very weedy in summer. Trout up to 3 lbs are not uncommon on these tributaries, while the average is just under a pound.

Trout fishing on the Kells Blackwater in summer

Trout Fishing
It is as a trout fishery that the Boyne is now most famous, with many fish in the two to four pounds region and the occasional fish much bigger. In spring daytime fishing is great and dry flies work very well. Summer dry fly fishing is largely restricted to evenings, when matching the hatch becomes very important. (Pat O'Reilly's bestselling illustrated book Matching the Hatch covers all of these aspects.) Late evening sedges often extend the summer fishing to past midnight. Nymphing in summer is usually the best daytime tactic, but the dense weed growth is a challenge on most stretches. It's generally a good idea to start the evening with an olive dun, switching to a sherry spinner (a spent pattern for preference) and later a sedge pattern. If you see alder flies in the air on a breezy evening, a large sedge (or a specific alder pattern) can provide great sport well into darkness; skitter the fly along the calm surface and don't strike immediately; some big trout rise to alders and they need time to turn down towards the river bed before you tighten up!

The Boyne and most of the Stoneyford and Enfield Blackwater are not an easy fisheries for beginners, but fortunately there is a lot of high-quality and easily accessible water on the Kells Blackwater where the wading and casting are much more straightforward. (See also our Beginners' Guide to Trout and Grayling Fishing, available online...)

Sue Parker fishing the Stoneyford in high summer

A 9 or even 9.5 ft rod is ideal for the main river, while the smaller tributaries can all be fished easily with an 8ft rod. We use an AFTM #5 or a #6 floater with a 10 ft leader tapering to about 3lbs, although on weed-free stretches an even finer tippet can be used to advantage in low-water conditions.

Salmon fishing
A 13 ft rod is adequate on the lower Boyne in spring and again in September, when the autumn fishing up through Trim and even beyond can also be good provided the flow is sufficient to overcome the extensive weed growth.

Sea-trout fishing
The Boyne gets an good run of sea trout, mostly  in the 1/2 lb to 3 lb region, and flyfishing using small traditional sea trout patterns can be very effective in the evening on the lower reaches (below Slane). A #6 rod at least 9ft long is advisable to help clear the tall 'onion beds' that grow in the river.

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