www.anglingwestireland.com
 
 
Hello and welcome to the Fortland Fisheries web site.
We purchased the fishery as a derelict concern in 1999 & following a year of bank side clearance, refurbishment, & fisheries protection works during which the fishery remained closed, we opened to anglers in June of 2000.
Our inaugural season was a tremendous success with many people visiting the fishery for the first time, and others who had visited during the years of abuse & mismanagement that had preceded our ownership coming back to view the transformation. Across the board our guests were delighted with what they saw & good sport was enjoyed by almost all visitors.
Since the close of the 2000 season 6 new pools have been opened up for angling giving the double bank fishery a total of 20 named pools; the fishery now comprises of approximately 3 miles of double bank angling for Salmon & Seatrout in a beautiful & secluded wooded estate setting.
In addition the bankside access has been improved to all of the pools including a footbridge to facilitate easier double bank angling. This now provides the visiting angler with a wonderfully varied range of pools suited to all angling methods but in particular suited to fly fishing with the single-handed rod.
The previously inaccessible areas of the upper section of the fishery have been unfished for many years and are sure to provide exciting sport especially to the fly angler.
Although open from mid February, the typical season begins in June with the first spate bringing spring Seatrout (up to 3 lbs) and the first early Grilse. The odd Spring Salmon will also be present at this stage such fish having entered the river from early May onwards.
The action begins in earnest with the first flood after the third week in June when large runs of eager Grilse, Seatrout, and Finnock arrive and in good water provide hectic sport. Every fresh water thereafter will bring fresh fish with Summer Salmon up to 20lbs being a possibility at any stage up until the end of the season. Peak time for fresh Grilse is usually mid July with August and September providing excellent sport from large numbers of resident fish along side the new arrivals. Evening and nightime fishing in low water at any stage from mid June to late August can give heart-stopping angling for Seatrout and Finnock.
The final weeks of the season offer potentially epic sport and in September of 2000 some 70 Salmon, including over a dozen double figure fish, mostly on the fly, were returned despite low angling pressure. The total catch for the 2000 season was 210 Salmon and 108 Seatrout with less than 200 guests! A good catch ratio by any standards. Best Salmon of the season was 13 1/2lbs and the best Seatrout was 2 3/4 lbs.

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