◀ Locations

Inniscarra Reservoir

Lee Valley · lake · ⭐ Beginner-friendly

Fish you'll catch here

Brown Trout

How to fish it

Fly FishingSpinning

Gear & bait

Fly Rod Setup Flies

When to go

Late February–September (typical brown trout season; confirm per season)

Inniscarra Reservoir is the lower of the two ESB impoundments on the River Lee, situated roughly 10 miles west of Cork City. The reservoir was created when the Lee hydroelectric scheme was built in the 1950s and the impoundment now supports a good population of wild brown trout. The upstream Carrigadrohid Reservoir (a further few miles up the Lee Valley) similarly holds wild brown trout and forms part of the same system.

The Fishery

Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid are open still-water trout fisheries rather than put-and-take operations — the fish are wild, resident in the reservoir, and self-sustaining. Trout here can grow larger than their counterparts in the smaller upland streams, given the greater food resource of a productive impoundment. Fish between 1 and 3 lb are achievable on a good day, and larger specimens are caught each season.

The reservoirs fish well from early in the season when water temperatures are still cool and insects begin to hatch, through to September. Mayfly hatches, if they occur, can produce excellent dry fly fishing. Evening rises to midges and sedges in summer and early autumn are productive on calm evenings.

Permits

A day permit for the ESB Lee reservoirs is required and available from ESB Fisheries and authorised distributors. This permit covers both Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid. No State salmon rod licence is required for brown trout fishing.

Methods

Fly fishing from the bank or from a boat is the preferred and most rewarding approach. Traditional Irish lough-style fishing — a team of wet flies worked on the drift — is effective, as is dry fly on the surface when fish are rising. A 9–10 ft single-handed rod in #5 or #6 suits the reservoir well.

Spinning with small metal lures (5–15 g) is also permitted and is an accessible option for those still developing fly casting skills.

No salmon rod licence is required, and the reservoirs are generally considered beginner-friendly from a logistical and regulatory standpoint — though as with any open water fishing, conditions can change quickly.

Where it is