Fisheries outside the Public Angling Estate

These are private fisheries in Northern Ireland that are available to the public. Anglers will need to buy a 'Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs' (DAERA) or Loughs Agency rod licence and a permit or day ticket for these fisheries.

Permits and day tickets

To have permission to fish a private water, you need to buy a permit or day ticket from the fishery owner.

A private fishery owner can be a person, company or angling club.

You cannot buy a permit or day ticket without a rod licence.

Buy rod licences, permits and River Bush day tickets

Open seasons for rod and line

The open seasons in the DAERA licensing area are:

1 February to 30 September - Lough Melvin
1 March to 31 October - all other waters

Rainbow trout open season for rod and line

There is no close season for rainbow trout on waters outside the Public Angling Estate which have been designated by DAERA as rainbow trout waters.

The open season for coarse fishing is all year.

Loughs Agency

For more information on fisheries under Loughs Agency control, visit their website:

Loughs agency

Game angling clubs

For information on game angling clubs in Northern Ireland, contact the Ulster Angling Federation.

Coarse fishing

For information on coarse fishing in Northern Ireland, email Jack Tisdall at Ulster Coarse Fishing Federation:

email: jacktisdall@btinternet.com

For enquires about angling licences / permits and refunds contact Inland Fisheries – Portadown Office. For general enquiries contact Inland Fisheries - DAERA.

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