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Game & Course Angling In The Ballymoney Area
Game & Course Angling In Ballymoney Your Guide to the Waters
Opportunities are plentiful for game fishing and coarse angling in Ballymoney. The Lower Bann produces two thirds of all specimen coarse fish in Ireland. The Bann is also one of the best Salmon Rivers in Europe. Other varieties that are popular include Brown Trout, Sea Trout and Dollaghan.
River Bush
| Nearest Town | Bushmills, Ballymoney and Armoy. |
| Area | Causeway Coast, Co.Antrim. |
| Species | Brown Trout and Salmon |
| Season | 1st March - 20th October |
| Methods | All legal Methods |
| Limits | 10inch for Trout. Salmon: 2 fish bag limit per day. |
| Restrictions | No Maggot |
| License | Fishery Conservancy Board Game Licence. |
| Permit | Department for Culture, Arts & Leisure |
| Permit Outlets | Bush Salmon Hatchery, Bushmills, Co Antrim. Tel 028 2073 1435 E J Cassells & Sons, Main St Ballymoney Tel: 028 2766 3216 |
| Disabled Access | Very good on the town beat between the two bridges. |
| Description | The River Bush is a beautiful managed salmon fishery. The river enjoys a good run of fish each year. The town beat has a number of purpose built and named pools and carefully managed banks quite suitable to fly-fishing. The river extends quite a number of miles into the beautiful countryside near to Ballymoney and past Armoy. The river has a good resident stock of wild brown trout. There is really good angling water above and below the village of Stranocum. |
| Getting there | The River Bush is well indicated on the OS Holiday Map (Ireland North) from the river source Magherahoney, through Armoy A44 and past Stranocum B147 flowing under the B66 and B57 as it makes its way to Bushmills and on to the sea. |
Altnahinch Reservoir
| Nearest Town | Ballymoney |
| Area | Causeway Coast, Co. Antrim. |
| Species | Brown trout and Rainbow Trout. |
| Season | 1st March - 20th October. |
| Methods | Fly fishing, spinning and worm fishing |
| Limits | 4 fish bag limit per day. |
| Boats | Fishing from boats is not permitted |
| Licence | Over 18- Fishery Conservancy Board Game Licence. |
| Permit | Over 18 – DCAL Game Fishing Permit Under 18- DCAL Juvenile Game Fishing Permit |
| Description | Altnahinch Reservoir, at the head of the River Bush, is in an exposed area of peaty moorland, although much of the surrounding area has been forested. The banks are fairly solid and ideal for shore fishing. The bay at the head of the reservoir can be sheltered and has a deep channel which can be easily covered from the south-western shore. |
| Getting there | From Ballymoney take the B16 through Kilraughts. At the end of the road turn left onto the A44. Take the second right in the Drones to Ballyhoe Bridge. Turn right, then fork left and then right just before Knocklavrinnen Bridge onto the Altnahinch Road. The reservoir is on the left 5.6km from the junction. |
Lower Bann – Ballymoney Burn
| Nearest Town | Ballymoney, Coleraine & Kilrea |
| Area | Causeway Coast, Co. Antrim. |
| Species | Brown trout, SeaTrout Dollaghan and Salmon. |
| Season | 1st March - 20th October. |
| Methods | All legal methods of fishing permitted. |
| Limits | 10 inch for Trout Salmon: 2 fish bag limit per day |
| Boats | Bann System Ltd. Tel (028) 7034 4796 |
| License | Fishery Conservancy Board Game Licence. |
| Permit | Bann System Ltd. Game. www.bannsystem.com |
| Description | Ballymoney Burn is a small river that is renowned locally for its trout fishing. It flows through the famous market town of Ballymoney and is the only fishable river on the east bank of the Lower Bann. The best trout fishing is reported to be around the village of Balnamore. There is no formal club operating on the river but the services of the ghille can be obtained. |
| Getting there | The River Bann flows in a northerly direction and parallel with the A54 under cutting the A6, A42, B64, B66 and the A2 roads. All easily recognized from Ordnance survey road maps. |