Spate · Granite · West / Mayo

Burrishoole

Burrishoole terrain map

Marine Institute research fishery near Newport, Mayo — one of the most studied salmon and sea trout rivers in Europe.

Poor · Atlantic Salmon
Closed season
Out of season. File this water for the right month.
Closed — confidence not applicable today.
What moved it
  • LevelProxyvia Owenmore (Erris)
  • Water temp18.5°C
  • ClarityVery colouredColouring up
Conditions on the water
Proxy gauge
Level
Rising
Proxy
via Owenmore (Erris)
Water temp18.5°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather17°C
WindNW 17 km/h
Pressure1022 hPa
Rain · recent11.6 mm
Rain · ahead3.6 mm

No gauge on this water — conditions are inferred from Owenmore (Erris). The trend transfers, the absolute level does not.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow
19°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Fish early morning (first light to 9am) and late evening (7pm to dark) only. Midday heat stresses fish — stop fishing and rest pools when the sun is high. This is welfare-critical above 20°C.
Where
River still rising — fish the margins and slacker water where running fish pause. Avoid the main current. Eddies and backwaters behind boulders can hold fish temporarily.
Method
Lively swing near the surface. Floating line, the fly fishing in the top 12 inches. The fly should look alive — a small mend to accelerate at the right moment can trigger a snapping take.. Floating line. Small: size 10-14 doubles or small tubes. Classic summer size — bright, lightly dressed patterns that swim near the surface.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Conditions are favourable — this is a day to be on the water. 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 8pm

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 9 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

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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
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
2
3
2
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1

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

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Marine Institute research fishery — rod access is managed
  • Check with Marine Institute Newport
  • Important scientific monitoring site
  • State rod licence required.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Water here around 19°C. Nothing cooler within range — carry a thermometer.
About this water

Marine Institute research fishery near Newport, Mayo — one of the most studied salmon and sea trout rivers in Europe. Fish traps at Loughs Furnace and Feeagh count every migrating fish, providing critical data on wild salmon stocks. A short river between lakes with immediate responsibility to science. Grilse from June; sea trout from May. Fish it methodically understanding its research purpose. The Newport House beats offer historic sport. Salmon angling here is closed for 2026 under the conservation regulations; check Inland Fisheries Ireland for the current status. Atlantic salmon and sea trout are managed under IFI's Wild Salmon & Sea Trout Tagging Scheme — many rivers are catch-and-release and harvest is allowed only where a confirmed surplus exists, so check the river's current status before fishing.

Hatches & food

EPA monitoring of the Burrishoole's Srahmore reach records mayflies (Serratella ignita), stoneflies (Leuctra), caddis (Limnephilidae), chironomids and gammarus present. The record is sparse and presence-only from kick sampling, with no indication of emergence timing or a visible hatch.

  • Lough system
  • Granite
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

WFD code normalized 2026-06-18: IE_WE_32S020100 → IEWE_32S020100 (EPA national format → EEA WISE euSurfaceWaterBodyCode; same water body, now joinable to WISE). Status confirmed against EEA WISE 2022 (3rd RBMP). Source: discodata.eea.europa.eu. | Prior note: EPA WFD 2019-2024 — Srahmore / Burrishoole system, Newport: Good status. Corrected 2026-06-18 from IEWE_32O020100 (a tributary/wrong river). Source: EPA Ireland WFD 2019-2024 classification (catchments.ie / EDEN).

EPA (Ireland) · IEWE_32S020100

The full read · show the working · for Atlantic Salmon · confidence 85%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightMedium Ideal+1.9
Recent riseClear Recent Rise+6.3
Falling after liftStill Rising Hard-0.5
Water temperatureWarm-3.0
Time in seasonSummer Peak Window+3.0
ClarityClearing+2.4
Hydrology base10.1
Will they take?Neutralcaps the band

Taking mood is fair — clearing, stained water, fresh fish moving on the lift.

Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowproxy via Owenmore (Erris)proxy
What would change the calculation
No prolonged stable spell before the current rise.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 10 June → 30 SeptemberClosed

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Irish Loughs Playbooklough-style fishingThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperatureAtlantic Salmonsalmon tactics
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts