Stillwater · Limestone · South West / Cork

Ballin Lough (West Cork)

Ballin Lough venue image

A small rainbow-trout fishery near Leap in West Cork, open all year and fished by boat with fly only.

Fair · Rainbow
Gosling · 8-10
Fairlive now
Daddy longlegs expected on Ballin Lough (West Cork)
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
59% confidence

Ballin Lough (West Cork) is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindSW 21 km/hModerate breeze
Today's fly
Gosling
Gosling8-10
High-confidence seasonal pick
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Moderate breeze
SW 21 km/h
N
SW
from the south-west
Wave40 cm chop
Water temp—
Air temp22°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
The daddy longlegs are on. Buzzer may also come into play as the day warms. The ripple is helpful — fish should move onto the feed and a slow-drifted team or single wet will cover water well. The breeze will be blowing terrestrial insects onto the water — check the wind lanes and downwind margins for rising fish.
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
The plan
Plan A

Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

Boat — drift

A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

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Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1

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

Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
59%
Cloud50%
Wind65%
Temp60%

A reasonable day here, though cloud isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 5
Shepperton Lake
3.0 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
River Ilen
11 km
Brown trout · Sea trout
River Ilen
11 km
Brown trout · Sea trout
Lough Bofinne
19 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
River Arigideen
27 km
Sea trout · Brown trout
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

A small rainbow-trout fishery near Leap in West Cork, open all year and fished by boat with fly only. The bag limit is four rainbows; a small stock of wild brown trout shares the water and must be returned unharmed. Thirty-five euro covers the permit and a boat for two for the day, electric motors only. Not to be confused with the Ballin Lough near Westport in Mayo — different lake, different county.

Hatches & food

A small West Cork rainbow fishery on softer limestone-influenced water — chironomid buzzer, sedge and terrestrials provide the natural feeding, but the stocked rainbows are mostly taken on buzzers, damsels and small lures.

  • Lake
  • Limestone
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Unknown
  • Chemical: Unknown
Why this score
  • Daddy longlegs are in their seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Rainbow trout 1 January → 31 December
  • Trout 1 January → 31 December
Related guides
Irish Loughs Playbooklough-style fishingSmall Stillwater Playbookstillwater tacticsThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Permits & access