Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Environment and the outdoors
  3. Forests and outdoor recreation
  4. Outdoor recreation
  5. Angling
  6. Where you can fish in Northern Ireland
  7. DAERA Public Angling Estate fisheries
  8. Fisheries in County Down

Angling at Quoile Basin

This is a National Nature Reserve. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) owns the fishing rights from the old barrier (flood gates) at Quoile Bridge to the new barrier at the head of Strangford Lough.

Key information

Nearest town Downpatrick
Area/length 40 hectares
Species Pike, rudd and perch
Season All year
Methods All legal methods including ground bait and maggots for rudd and perch
Daily Bag limit One pike per person/four coarse per day
Size limit Pike weighing 4kg and over and coarse longer than 25cm must be returned to the water
Licence DAERA coarse rod licence: Coarse rod licence prices from DAERA
Permit DAERA coarse permit: Coarse angling permit prices from DAERA
Facilities for people with  disabilities See below 

Pike, rudd and perch fishery

Access to the water is easy on the south side where the road runs near the water. There is a path and some stands. A car park is available at the old flood gates with disabled parking spaces.

DAERA leases the fishing rights of the river from Downpatrick to Kilmore. Good trout fishing is available in the river downstream from Kilmore.

From Steamboat Quay to the Quoile Barrier, fishing is not allowed in the interests of the protection of wildlife.

In all areas where angling is allowed, no other wildlife should be disturbed and anglers should not discard fishing line, lead shot or any other litter.

Facilities for people with disabilities

A new disabled angling platform has been installed on the River Quoile next to the NIEA car park at the old flood gates.

A car park is available at the old flood gates with disabled parking spaces.

There are two other tarmac car parks further downstream - one next to Quoile Quay, the other next to Steamboat Quay. Neither of these car parks have disabled parking bays, however next to each is a disabled fishing platform with disabled access.  Beyond Steamboat Quay access is not allowed.

How to get there

  • Location on Google maps

From Belfast, head south on the A24 and A7 through Saintfield to Downpatrick. Turn left at the roundabout on the A22. Turn right just before the bridge after 0.74 miles. Follow the road along the river to the various locations and the countryside centre is about 0.93 miles (signposted).

Other places to fish

  • DAERA Public Angling Estate fisheries
  • Fisheries outside the Public Angling Estate

More useful links

  • Angling - what you need to go fishing
  • Angling 
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Fisheries in County Down

  • Angling at Ballykeel Lough Erne
  • Angling at Ballynahinch, Annacloy and Quoile Rivers
  • Angling at Castlewellan Lake
  • Angling at Creevy Lough
  • Angling at Hillsborough Lake
  • Angling at Lough Cowey
  • Angling at Lough Money
  • Angling at Loughbrickland Lake
  • Angling at Quoile Basin
  • Angling at River Lagan Iveagh
  • Angling at Shimna River
  • Angling at Spelga Reservoir

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS