Finlough

Located in Co Mayo

This small lough lies just west of the L100 Louisburgh-Leenane road about 7 miles north-west of Leenane. It is the first lough on the famous Delphi fishery system of loughs and is small – only about 800 yards by 400 yards. It is quite shallow and can get weedy in summer. There are two boats available. This lough gets a run of spring salon and once produced eight in one day to a single rod. It gets a small grilse run and a great run of good big sea trout from early June. It can be fished all over and where the river runs in is a favourite spot for a salmon – but you really need a boatman to hold the boat in position to fish it properly.

When the lough is calm in summer, a Daddy or a Murrough fished dry can often pull up a good trout. Otherwise, try big flies in spring for the salmon – Silver Wilkinson, Silver Doctor, Black Doctor or Thunder and Lightning. For the sea trout in summer it is hard to beat a fly named after this fishery, the Delphi; also useful are Bibio, Watson’s Fancy, Daddy, Green Peter and Kingsmill. The Kingsmill fished small – 12 or even 14 – can make some fine catches.

Excerpts taken from "Trout & Salmon Rivers of Ireland, an angler's guide" by Peter O'Reilly.