Limestone · Midlands / Cavan-Westmeath

Lough Sheelin

View across Lough Sheelin towards the Derrysheridan shoreline, broad open water with the far shore.
Good · Trout
Peter Ross Dabbler · 10-12
Goodlive now
Good drifting conditions on Lough Sheelin
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
68% confidence
What moved it
  • WindSW 15 km/hGentle breeze
Today's fly
Peter Ross Dabbler
Peter Ross Dabbler10-12
Proven pattern for this period
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Gentle breeze
SW 15 km/h
N
SW
from the south-west
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp—
Air temp20°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1020 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
Late May to early June (mayfly peak); buzzer fishing March–April is the local specialist technique
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work Bibio on the bob and Murrough on the point. Have a sedge or murrough pattern ready on a short leader for the evening rise.
The plan
Plan A

Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work Bibio on the bob and Murrough on the point. Have a sedge or murrough pattern ready on a short leader for the evening rise.

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
1
Green PeterHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
2
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Mayfly (Green Drake)Hatch
2
2

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

Ranked for today
Trout fly box
Permits & access
Free state water
State rod licence required for trout / salmon as applicable.
  • Midlands lough — no permit needed, state rod licence only
  • Boats available from several shores
  • Conservation-focused management
  • C&R encouraged.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
79%
Cloud70%
Wind100%
Temp60%

A good match for Lough Sheelin — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.

Other water nearby · 5
White Lough (Upper Boyne Lakes)
13 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Lough Gowna
15 km
Pike
Lough Bane
17 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Lough Lene
18 km
Brown trout
Lough Derravaragh
18 km
Brown trout
Gallery · 3
  1. View across Lough Sheelin towards the Derrysheridan shoreline, broad open water with the far shore.
    Lough Sheelin towards Derrysheridan
  2. Broad view of Lough Sheelin seen from Sailors Garden, County Cavan, the open lough to the far shore.
    Lough Sheelin from Sailors Garden
  3. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

WFD code normalized 2026-06-18: IE_SH_26_709 → IESH_26_709 (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 (lake layer) — Lough Sheelin: Moderate ecological status. Re-tagged 2026-06-18 from IESH_26G020200 (a river/stream water body, not the lough) to the lough's own EPA lake water body. Source: EPA Ireland WFD 2019-2024 classification (catchments.ie / EDEN).

EPA (Ireland) · IESH_26_709

Why this score
  • Wind conditions (breezy) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • Murrough is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 March → 12 October
Related guides
Irish Loughs Playbooklough-style fishingThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperatureConnemaraIrish fishing
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts