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FISHING HOLIDAYS

Specialist knowledge of the local rivers and the richest pools to fish according to conditions and time of year

Fishing holidays local guide

Finn Valley Cottages is approximately 5 minutes from the River Mourne where salmon and trout can be fished locally.

We can organise a Loughs Agency License and day tickets as required. The Rivers Mourne and Finn are the nearest and provide some of the best fishing in Europe.

Specialist knowledge of the local rivers and the richest pools to fish according to conditions and time of year

Fishing holidays local guide

Finn Valley Cottages is approximately 5 minutes from the River Mourne where salmon and trout can be fished locally.

We can organise a Loughs Agency License and day tickets as required. The Rivers Mourne and Finn are the nearest and provide some of the best fishing in europe.

Finn Valley Cottages are passionate about the local area and with that comes a specialist knowledge of the region’s world-renowned activities. Our owner, Anne, is an avid fly-fisher and can offer first hand experience of the fishing around the region. One of our sporting and cultural delights is the abundance of fishing available in our locality. 

Deeply entrenched in the fishing community, Finn Valley Cottages can deliver specific information about the richest pools to fish in according to the conditions and the time of the year. Located only five minutes from the illustrious River Mourne, plentiful in salmon and trout, it’s one of the many rivers that are in the near vicinity.  

One of the added benefits to staying at Finn Valley Cottages is the ability to organise a Loughs Agency License and day tickets as required. With nothing to do but fish, let Finn Valley make your angling experience a successful one. 

Another benefit of staying at Finn Valley Cottages is Anne’s relationship with local vendors. Anne works in conjunction with the local tackle shops and with several of the private estate waters. An example of this is her association with Jarlath and Barney Winters and Glenmore Estates. This provides visiting anglers with access to some of the best waters in Tyrone and Donegal. 

BENEFITS

Weather Updates and Water Conditions

Ghillie Guide Service

Licences and Day Tickets Arranged

Personalised Shopping Service

LOCAL FISHING SPOTS

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Local Fishing Spots

At Finn Valley Cottages, we pride ourselves on knowing the best places in the local area to reel in a quality catch. Here are some of our favourite spots:

  • River Mourne: Ideally located from the Finn Valley Cottages, the River Mourne has a long season that runs from the 1st of April to the 20th of October. Despite being a large, spate river, this stretch of water doesn’t necessarily require a spate, with some anglers believing that it fishes better in lower waters. It is plentiful with a good run of spring salmon, with most of the grilse and salmon arriving between June and July. It is also in this period that the sea trout are found in their droves. Considered to have some of the best fishing in Europe, River Mourne has an array of spring salmon, summer grilse, and autumn salmon fishing – it’s good to fish all year round!
  • River Finn: Rising high in the Blue Stack Mountains, the River Finn forms Lough Finn in its higher reaches before dropping over 50-kilometre length to form the River Foyle at its confluence with the River Mourne at Lifford. The Finn and its main tributary, the Reelan, are the most prolific salmon and grilse rivers in County Donegal. While its season runs from the 1st of March to the 15th of September, and it is well known for its spring fish, the River maintains a good head of salmon throughout the season. The lower sections of the river are tidal, with tides of up to three metres, perfect for sea trout.
  • River Deele: Flowing through the charming village of Convoy, the River Deele manages to reach the Foyle below Lifford. Its season runs from the 1st of April to the 20th of October and boasts a rich amount of brown trout, but is renowned for its sea trout from June onwards. With a late run of salmon from mid-August to early September, it has fantastic fishing opportunities.
  • River Dennet: A medium-sized spate river, the River Dennet rises on the northern flanks of the main Sperrins ridge. In an idyllic setting, the river drops northwards through Donemana and swings west through native woodlands and pastures. The river eventually meanders across broad flats to reach the River Foyle upstream of the walled city of Londonderry. With a season that runs from the 20th of May to the 20th of October, sea trout are widely available between June and August, with grilse between July and August, and a rich display of salmon in August and September.
  • River Derg: Finding its source high in the Donegal hills, the River Derg flows out of the lough that shares its name to combine with the River Strule to form the Mourne downstream of Newtownstewart. Renowned for its summer season of salmon, grilse, and sea trout are also abundant. The River Derg is an example of a large, spate river, with its upper reaches in mountainous areas while the lower stretches flow through pasture and cereal fields. Despite some freshwater being required to encourage runs of fish, the grilse and sea trout edge upstream without a flood, making it a perfect place for fishing.
  • Owenkillew River: Rising in the centre of the Sperrin Mountains, the Owenkillew makes its way westwards to the River Strule through the mountain, rough pasture, and broad flood plains in its lower reaches. It is acclaimed for its run of sea trout, good grilse, and salmon. Its season runs for a steady few months, opening on April 1st and subsiding on the 20th of October. Holding a good amount of brown trout as well, Owenkillew River is a wonderful place to fish. This is one of Anne, our owner’s, favourite places to fish as it is easy wading with lots of areas with gravel beds. Another benefit to staying at Finn Valley Cottages is that Anne can obtain day tickets for private sections of the river.
  • Quiggery Water: Winding through rich pastures and wetlands, the Quiggery Water meets Dumragh upstream of Omagh in County Tyrone. Enjoying a substantial amount of mayfly hatch in the middle of May, trout flock to enjoy Quiggery Water’s spoils. Spate affords the opportunity to bring on the bigger fish in the evening. Quiggery Water is a specialist area for trout and has become renowned across Ireland for its trout fishing.
  • River Strule: Forming at the confluence of the Drumragh and Carnowen rivers in the centre of Omagh, County Tyrone, the Strule runs northwards. Running for twelve miles, it is bounded by rich pastures and occasional cereal crops. It is a large river that is joined by Fairy Water and the Owenkillew before meeting the Derg below Newtownstewart to form the River Mourne.

Lake Fishing

River fishing isn’t always accessible or fishable. For days when that isn’t possible, the region has an array of lake fishing to enjoy. Here are some lake fishing spots we would recommend:

  • Lough Ash: Lough Ash is located in the mountains above Donemana. A wonderful place to fish for brown trout and rainbow trout, it’s a fifteen hectare lake with easy wading. Accessibility to the lake is also done with ease as it is close to the Plumbridge to Donemana Road.
  • Moor Lough: Another lake that is off the Plumbridge to Donemana Road, Moor Lough is a stocked mountain lake which has an abundance of rainbow trout and brown trout. At sixteen hectares, it is a perfect lake for all ages and abilities. 

Pike Fishing

  • Baronscourt Lakes: Baronscourt is a private estate in County Tyrone. It comprises three lakes within the estate, Lough Catherine at 91.51 acres, Lough Fanny at 29.05 acres, and Lough Mary at 15.47 acres. They are all interconnected with Lough Catherine pouring into the River Derg. Renowned for its pike fishing, Baronscourt was, for a time, the venue that hosted the Northern Ireland Pike Fishing Championships.
  • Oaks Fishery: Only a few miles from the City of Derry, the Oak’s fishery has some of the finest trout and pike fishing on fly, lure, and bait fishing. With over fifteen acres of water, it is fed by natural springs. Having this excellent quality of water allows for the fishermen to get a real opportunity to stalk the pike. 

Less Experienced Fishing

Not everyone who comes to Finn Valley Cottages has to be an expert fisherman. The Birchwood Fishery at Drumquin is a perfect place to try fishing for the first time. Birchwood is situated a mile outside of Drumquin and it is a well-stocked lake with rainbow trout and steel-head trout. The fishery has two dedicated fly fishing lakes and a bait lake, and is accessible to those who have mobility issues. The fishery also provides tackle and angling equipment for hire and instructors on request. Now there’s no excuse to try your hand at angling!

INTERNATIONAL ANGLERS

Finn Valley has been able to host world-renowned anglers in our humble cottages. Located close to the major rivers of the north coast of Ireland, Finn Valley Cottages are a popular destination for those wanting the ultimate angling experience: beautiful views, fantastic facilities, and comfortable accommodation.

Rudy Van Duijnhoven Fishing holiday

Rudy Van Duijnhoven

One of our illustrious guests who we have had the pleasure of hosting is Rudy van Duijnhoven. A well known freelance writer and photographer in the northern European fishing community, van Duijnhoven’s work is a common sight in fishing magazines and websites. Passionate about angling, van Duijnhoven is an active angler in the fly fishing and fly tying scenes. Beginning his fishing career at the age of twelve, he had progressed into fly fishing at the age of eighteen to much success. Enjoying photography, he incorporated his two great loves of photography and fishing and his work is universally enjoyed by other avid anglers. Now considered one of anglings, top fishing journalists, van Duijnhoven has contributed much to the angling community.

To find out more about the fishing opportunities all close to Finn Valley Cottages please visit Loughs Agency website