- Ecology: Unknown
- Chemical: Unknown
Rules at a glance
- Free fishing
- Fly only
How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
The murrough is on at Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently. Evening can bring a surface rise — have a dry fly or emerger ready.
Where
Start with Booby (8-10) on a fast strip on floating line or static on sinking. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. In the ripple, a bushy searching dry (Hopper, Shipman's, Elk Hair Caddis) outperforms flush emergers — it stays visible and holds the surface tension.
The plan
Plan A
Start with Booby (8-10) on a fast strip on floating line or static on sinking. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. In the ripple, a bushy searching dry (Hopper, Shipman's, Elk Hair Caddis) outperforms flush emergers — it stays visible and holds the surface tension.
Plan B
If surface work dries up, try a diawl bach or hare's ear on the point and skate a sedge pattern on the bob at last light.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Either bank or boat
Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
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
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
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- ESB-managed reservoir
- Adult trout permit ~€30 via permits.fishinginireland.info
- Single rod, daylight only, no maggots
- Daily bag 4 trout, minimum size 9 inches
- No fishing in buoyed dam headrace
- Separate ESB boat permit required
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
79%
Cloud70%
Wind100%
Temp60%
A good match for Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.
Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
File:Poulaphouca Dam.JPG Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
Why this score
- Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
- Murrough is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Trout 1 March → 30 September
- Pike 1 November → 30 September
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes
How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
The murrough is on at Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes. The ripple should help fish move and feed more confidently. Evening can bring a surface rise — have a dry fly or emerger ready.
Where
Start with Booby (8-10) on a fast strip on floating line or static on sinking. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. In the ripple, a bushy searching dry (Hopper, Shipman's, Elk Hair Caddis) outperforms flush emergers — it stays visible and holds the surface tension.
The plan
Plan A
Start with Booby (8-10) on a fast strip on floating line or static on sinking. Evening can produce explosive surface takes — try a foam beetle or booby on a long leader. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. In the ripple, a bushy searching dry (Hopper, Shipman's, Elk Hair Caddis) outperforms flush emergers — it stays visible and holds the surface tension.
Plan B
If surface work dries up, try a diawl bach or hare's ear on the point and skate a sedge pattern on the bob at last light.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Either bank or boat
Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
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
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
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- ESB-managed reservoir
- Adult trout permit ~€30 via permits.fishinginireland.info
- Single rod, daylight only, no maggots
- Daily bag 4 trout, minimum size 9 inches
- No fishing in buoyed dam headrace
- Separate ESB boat permit required
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
79%
Cloud70%
Wind100%
Temp60%
A good match for Pollaphuca / Blessington Lakes — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.
Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
File:Poulaphouca Dam.JPG Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
- Ecology: Unknown
- Chemical: Unknown
Why this score
- Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
- Murrough is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Trout 1 March → 30 September
- Pike 1 November → 30 September
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts