Spinfish Where to Go Fishing in Southern Ireland - Co Kildare

The Southern Ireland Where to Fish A to Z


Coarse Fishing | Rivers | Stillwaters / Loughs



Rivers Game


Enfield Blackwater


The Enfield Blackwater is a tributary of the river Boyne. 16 miles long it holds good stocks of wild brown trout in the half to one and a half pound range.

Traditional natural trout flies do best, Greenwell, pheasant tails.

Longwood Angling Association have the fishing from Johnstown down to the meetings with Boyne.

Below Google Screen Shot, Blackwater near Longwood

Google Screen Shot Enfield Blackwater

Permits available from: The Post Office in Longwood, Enfield.

Google Map 53.452368, -6.914544

Checked 14/06/19

Monasterevin and District Anglers Association


Have the fishing rights to 3 rivers the Barrow, Figile (Black) and the Slate plus the Grand Canal.

Below is a Google Screen Shot of the Grand Canal where there is good access and the fishing is free good variety of species, roach, rudd, bream, pike, perch and tench.

Good access for disabled anglers.

Google Screen Shot Grand Canal

Fishing on the Barrow, a mixed course and trout water, is from the Footstick Bridge to and including the Sally Island on both banks. From the Sally Island to Dunraily Bridge on the left bank. Fly, minnow, spinning and bait is allowed. There is a pike of 33lb recorded plus many fish in the 20lb plus class. As to trout there are some fine fish on record. Generally speaking the trout are in the faster sections of river while the coarse fish including roach, bream and perch are in the slow deep sections. Below Google Screen Shot of the river Barrow.

Google Screen Shot River Barrow

The Figile holds pike, rudd, roach, perch and bream with a few very large trout. The Slate is mostly pike and perch with a few trout. Google Map Reference 53.179114, -7.079381

Permits for the river from; Finlays Tackle Shop, (Beside Petrol Station), St Evins Pk., Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, Tel: +353 (0)45 525331.

Google Map Reference 53.143269, -7.056312

Checked 14/06/19

River Liffey


Flowing from the hills of Wicklow the Liffey travels over 80 miles to get to the sea at Dublin just 12 miles north of it's source. A twisty, turning water it's no wonder Guinness is so inebriating because the famous source of it's water looks a wee bit drunk on the map.

At present the river is closed upstream of Leixlip Dam for migratory fish. Down stream is catch and release only.

There are a number of angling clubs with water as well as private water.

There is free fishing at Memorial Park above Island Bridge upstream to Leixlip Bridge. (Google Map 53.347269, -6.308253 Island Bridge) and on the left bank of the river upstream from Leixlip Bridge (Google Map 53.363057, -6.486216) to the meetings with Rye river (Google Map Castle Boat House meeting Rye and Liffey)

The Kildare Hotel, Straffan, offers fishing for salmon and brown trout to 2lbs on the river Liffey near Newbridge. If you've guzzled a Guinness, try fishing the water where the fish wee! Contact Kildare Hotel and Country Club, Co Kildare, Ireland. Call +353 (0)1 6017200. Google Map 53.312570, -6.608224

Clane Trout and Salmon Angling Association have a stretch of water from the far end of Millicent Golf Club down to about 3 km below Alexandra Bridge in Clane.

Day tickets available from PJ Wallace Cycle and Trophty Centre and Cleeres Tackle Shop in Kilcock Rd both in Clane

Checked 14/06/19

River Rye


The Rye is a 12 mile long tributary of the Liffey which it meets at Lexlip. Lexlip and District Angling Club have the fishing from Sandford Bridge to Lexlip Viaduct where the Royal Canal crosses the river.

Fishing is for brown trout averaging three quarters of a pound but fish to 3lbs are not uncommon. Fishing is with single barbless hooks, fly only. Traditional patterns are best especially olives and sedges.

Permits from the Lexlip Amenity Centre, Mayooth Road in Lexlip. Call 624 3050.

Google Map Ref 53.370626, -6.513847

Checked 14/06/19


Stillwaters / Loughs


Curragh Springs Fishery


Located just about a mile from the famous Curragh race course this fishery is a 5 acre, spring fed lake with gin clear water. Just love water like this for site fishing hunting for specimens. Good platforms for access and an 2 island features. Well maintained banks with cut grass to the waters edge around much of the fishery which would suit people with mobility difficulties.

Fishing is fly only with barbless hooks for rainbows and some lovely brown trout

Call 087 2462028

Google Map 53.129677, -6.802709

Checked 14/06/19

Nurney Lakes Fishery


Nurney Lakes is a fishery and farm park great for a family day out. 2 lakes, Willow is fly only while Birch is a bait pool (worms only). Stocked with rainbows 2 to 6lbs with some specimen to 18lbs just to give you a scare.

There are indoor and out door play areas for kids, a snack bar serving hot and cold drinks and snacks and toilets with wheelchair access.

Call +353 (0) 87 2221828

Google Map 53.101378, -6.927138

Checked 14/06/19

Coarse Fishing


Athy and District Angling Club


Athy DAC have fishing on the river Barrow and Grand Canal salmon, brown trout, eels, pike, perch, brean, rudd and tench.

The waters expend from Port Dunrally, Vocarstown to Maganey Lock.

The have an excellent facility on the canal marina where they have a good coarse fishing competition scene. The water is accessible by carand with solid paths and platforms it would suit some disabled anglers.

Google Map 52.989713, -6.983485

Membership is open to anyone with dicsounts for seniors and juniors. No information on day tickets however membership is so inexpensive it is worth joining to get a week or two fishing.

To book the marina for competitions call 086 3824043.

Membership from Griffin Hawe Tackle Shop in Duke Street, the Heritage Centre and the Library in Athy.

Google Map Athy town bridge 52.991999, -6.985120

Checked 23/05/19

Canals in Kildare


There is a lot of good coarse fishing on the canals in Kildare. To help I have found a link to the Irish Waterways guide to canals, try this link:

Access to Canals in Kildare


The New Barrow Line, Littletown Bridge to Ballyteague has platfroms installed designed for use by disabled anglers.

Checked 14/05/19

Leixlip Reservoir


The 1.5 m long lake is owned by the Electricity Generating Board however fishing on the lake is free but limited to a quarter mile stretch of shore from the motorway to the picnic area.

The lake holds roach to 2lbs, rudd and hybrids. It also has a good head of pike to 25lbs.

Approximate location down by the dam, Google Map Ref 53.359804, -6.489587

Checked 14/06/19

Maynooth Carp and Trout Fishery


Located on Old Dunboyne Road near Maynooth the fisherys has 3 lakes. The largest lake is a 5 acre carp lake stocked with common and mirror carp. There are about 50 fish in the 20 to 30lb range with three over 30lbs.

The trout lake is 4 acres stocked regualy with rainbows from 2lbs up to 20lb.

There is a small 1.5 acre bait lake stocked with rainbows, great for kids or beginners.

There is a homely lodge on site. Call +351 1 6293202

Google Map 53.388450, -6.584048

Checked 25/05/19

Rivers Barrow and Figale


See above for Monasterevin and District Anglers Association.

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