Flyfishing on Ireland's River Slaney

The Slaney rises beneath the Wicklow Hills and flows some 75 miles southwards through Baltinglass, Rathvilly, Tullow, Bunclody and Enniscorthy before entering the Irish Sea at Wexford.

Salmon fishing
A noted spring salmon river, the Slaney still has its best runs in April, May and early June, with a few summer grilse and then some larger fish in September. A 13 ft rod is adequate on the lower Slaney, up as far as Tullow, above which point there is limited salmon fishing. Come equipped with a range of lines to suit the varying water conditions of springtime. A floater or intermediate will do in low water, but a Wetcell II or equivalent is necessary when rain has filled the river.

Salmon fishing near Bunclody

It takes three days or so for the Slaney to fine down after a spate, and fishing is best as the river is falling. A sink-tip line can be helpful when fish are running towards the end of a spate. Wading is difficult in all but drought conditions, but in most places there is room to cast from the banks. Spey casting skills are a great help, because the bank-side vegetation and bushes limit the opportunity for overhead casting. (Incidentally, our introductory Guide to Salmon and Sea Trout Fishing is available online, and of course we recommend it unreservedly if not altogether impartially!)

Sea Trout Fishing
The lower and middle reaches of the Slaney offer excellent sea trout fishing, with most fish in the 1/2 to 2 pound region but with a sprinkling of three-to-four pound fish and the occasional bigger specimen. Night fishing with an intermediate or sink tip line can be very effective from June to the end of August, and single-hook flies in sizes 12 to 8 are popular with local anglers.

Trout Fishing
The Slaney from Tullow up to Baltinglass is an excellent wild trout fishery. The fish are small by Boyne or Fergus standards - a pound trout is a good one and the majority of adult fish are in the 1/2 to 3/4 lb region - but there are plenty of them anda few fish can always be found rising even on the hottest of summer days. The evening rise often brings up fish of well over a pound. The River between Rathvilly and Baltinglass has several very accessible stretches suitable for newcomers to river flyfishing.

If you need detailed advice on river trout flyfishing, our Beginners' Guide to Trout and Grayling Fishing is available online...

There are a few mayflies in May and early June, but olives and summer sedges make up the main diet of Slaney trout for most of the season. (Pat O'Reilly's bestselling illustrated book Matching the Hatch covers all of these aspects.) In summer the water is usually gin clear, and so a long, fine leader is a great help. A 9ft rod rated at AFTM #5 or #6 is ideal.

Pat O'Reilly fishing for Slaney trout

Some stretches are tree-lined but there are many areas where you can cast from the bank. Wading is moderately easy above Rathvilly but more difficult around Tullow; chest waders are essential on most of the Slaney.

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