Limestone · South / Tipperary

Suir

The weir on the River Suir at Cahir, turbulent water over the stone sill and calm pool below.
Poor · Atlantic Salmon
Ally's Shrimp · 10–14 doubles
Poorlive now
Slow going — better windows ahead
Low and clear — careful approach country. Stale fish in low clear water spook easily — pick your hour.
85% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.11 mLast reading 7h ago
  • Water temp18.9°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Ally's Shrimp
Ally's Shrimp10–14 doubles
Shrimp-style pattern essential for SW Irish salmon. The Munster Blackwater system in particular responds well to orange shrimp dressings in the spring months; Ally's Shrimp or similar covers the traditional approach.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.11 m
Last reading 7h ago
Water temp18.9°C
ClarityClear
Weather19°C
WindSW 9 km/h
Pressure1020 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow
18.9°Cideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Spring run from March; grilse from late May; main run summer through autumn. The Suir is a substantial river — fish the dropping water 12 to 24 hours after rain.
Where
Beats from Cahir through Clonmel to Carrick-on-Suir. Heads, tails, and named lies on the assigned beat.
Method
Spring: tube on a sink-tip swung deep through the main pools. Summer and autumn: small doubles on a floater across-and-down. Catch-and-release on most beats.
Kit
12 to 13 ft #8 double-hander on the bigger water; 11 ft switch on smaller beats. Floating line plus fast-sink tip. 10 to 12 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Conditions are tough, but salmon can always surprise you. Peak summer — grilse and summer salmon are active and willing. Small flies, lightly dressed, fished with purpose. August is a decent month for salmon here, though not the peak.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 6 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 with Pro.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Mix of club and private water
  • Cahir and Ardfinnan are key salmon beats
  • State rod licence required
  • Brown trout C&R on many stretches.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Water here at 18.9°C. Nothing cooler within range.
Gallery · 6
  1. The weir on the River Suir at Cahir, turbulent water over the stone sill and calm pool below.
    Cahir weir of the River Suir
  2. The River Suir east of Gashouse Bridge at Clonmel, a wide smooth-flowing reach flanked by wooded banks.
    The River Suir at Clonmel
  3. The River Suir flowing through open countryside near Cahir, green riparian banks and shallow riffles.
    River Suir near Cahir
  4. The River Suir near Holycross, a wide glide with overhanging trees on the far bank.
    River Suir near Holycross
  5. The River Suir at Holycross with the medieval Abbey reflected in the still water and waterfowl on the surface.
    River Suir at Holycross Abbey
  6. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

EPA WFD 2019-2024 — Moderate ecological status; corrected (was Good) 2026-06-18. Source: EPA Ireland WFD 2019-2024 classification (catchments.ie / EDEN).

EPA (Ireland) · IESE_16S021700

The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 85%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightVery Low-2.2
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftDropping Too Far Towards Low Clear+1.0
Water temperatureWarm-3.5
Time in seasonSummer Peak Window+0.8
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base-1.5
Will they take?Dourcaps the band

Taking mood is dour — clearing, stained water, very low flow.

Can you trust it?
Water temperaturelive gauge readinggauge
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
A pressure change or a fresh lift would improve the taking mood.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 17 March → 30 SeptemberC&R
  • Trout 17 March → 30 September

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsIrish Salmon Rivers Guidefive great salmon fisheriesConnemaraIrish fishing
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts