Assaroe

Assaroe Lake is a 578-acre artificial lake created by the Cathleen falls and Cliff Hydro schemes and is controlled by the ESB. Fishing is restricted in parts of the lake and shore areas. The E.S.B. have carried out bank development at Cliff and installed fishing stands on the back lough to facilitate angling. Shore fishing is permitted along the North shore only.

Trout fishing

Season: 01 March – 30 September

The lake has a low density but high average size of brown trout with fish up to 7lb caught in recent years. Salmon also run into the lake and are usually taken up at Cliff off the shore (no boating is allowed near the Hydro Stations). Shore fishing is permitted along the North shore only and is best fished with fly, spinner or worm.

Brown trout fishing is usually at its best during the mayfly and productive areas include the old river course where the lake is constricted (Edenagor), Patsy Quinn’s shore and from this shore to the small headland to the west. The bay inside this shore is very shallow.

Coarse and pike fishing

Season: 01 November – 30 September

Assaroe Lake is also a very under-fished but superb coarse fishery with very good bream, roach and hybrid fishing. 100lb+ of bream is a distinct possibility if pre-baiting with good quantities of ground bait. There are also some good roach.  Shore fishing is permitted along the North shore but additional angling stands are available.

Assaroe holds some very big pike (a 46lb pike was caught in 1997, one of 42lb in 2000 and a 41lb fish in 2001!).

Season

The season for Salmon & Trout is from 1st March to 30th September inclusive.

Coarse and pike fishing is closed in October.