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Monaghan Coarse Fishing
Carrickmacross & Kingscourt
Carrickmacross town in County Monaghan is a well-established coarse angling centre and is located on the N2 mid way between Ardee and Castleblaney. The area is surrounded by a host of lakes, which produce excellent catches annually. The most popular venues to the east of the town include Monalty Lake, Lough na Glack, Lisanisk, Capragh, Coracrin, Spring Lough and Lisnashannagh. Lough Fea is located to the west of the town on the Kingscourt road with Descart, Bursk, Rahans and Derry Lough lying to the south of the town mid way between Drumconrath and Carrickmacross.
Monalty Lake is located approximately 3.25km S.E. of Carrickmacross
on the R178 Dundalk road on the right hand side of the road. Turn right after
approximately 3.25kms and this roadway runs right beside the lake. There are
a number of swims on this eastern shoreline and parking and access is also
located in this area. Some local fishermen fish from small punts moored to
platforms in the lake and boat fishing can produce the best results as the
mobility allows the angler to locate the feeding shoals. This lake covers
an area of 16 hectares with depths to 6m. This lake holds good stocks of fish
including roach, rudd, bream, hybrids, tench, pike and eels. Bream, hybrids
and tench to specimen size are to be found in this water and annually it records
many specimen bream over 9 and 10 lbs in weight and the Specimen Fish Committee
certifies these fish. Maggots, sweetcorn and bread are all effective baits.
Anglers fishing in the early months of March and April and the later months
of August, September and October produce best results.
Lough Na Glack, which is also, located on the R178 Dundalk road 1.75km S.E. of Carrickmacross is a sister lake of Monalty Lake. This water covers approximately 12 hectares with depths to 7m located in the N.E. quadrant of the lake. Depths elsewhere in the lake range from 3m to 5m. In former years this water produced very large bream but catches of specimen bream have declined in recent years. However this lake still produces good tench and roach fishing. Feeder, slider and pole methods are all effective.
Lisanisk is located on the R178 Dundalk road on the outskirts of Carrickmacross and is well developed. A spacious off road car park is provided and there are a number of angling stands on the road side of the lake. This 5-hectare lake has a maximum depth of 2.5m and produces great tench fishing. A number of large carp have also been taken in recent times. As well as tench and carp this lake holds good stocks of bream, roach, hybrids perch and some pike. This lake has a very weedy bottom as is best fished by float or pole.
Corcrin Lake is located 3km west of Carrickmacross and is best accessed from the R179 Crossmaglen road. This fishery only covers 3hectares approximately and has depths to 6m. This lake contains tench to specimen size and good stocks of bream, rudd, roach perch and pike.
Spring Lough is located 3kms west of Carrickmacross off the R179. This is an excellent pike fishery and covers an area of 14 hectares with depths to 6m. You will find deep water at the off the rod tip if fishing from the shore. Access is difficult, as the lake is reed fringed and overgrown in places. It is best fished from a boat.
Capragh Lake is located on the Crossmaglen road 4.5km N.E.
of Carrickmacross. This lake has a good off road car park beside the lakeshore
and there are many fishing stands around the lake. This lake which covers
an area of approximately 12 hectares has depths ranging from 3m to 12m. This
lake contains bream to specimen size and good stocks of roach, rudd, tench,
perch and pike. Pike anglers will also find it possible to launch a boat on
this lake.
Lough Fea is a 36-hectare private fishery, which is, located on the Kingscourt road 3km S.W. of Carrickmacross. Day permits can be purchased at the lodge house and usually cost around £1. This lake contains good a stock of bream, roach, rudd, hybrids, perch and pike. Tench to over 6lbs have been taken on this lake and a number of swims are available on the northern shoreline. Boats are not permitted on this water.
Rahans Lake covers an area of 30 hectares is located 8km
south of Carrickmacross. It is best accessed from the Carrickmacross to Drumconrath
road located between the N2 and the R179. Depths range from 1m to 6.5m with
the deepest area being the central area at the northern end of the lake. Rahans
contains good stocks of roach, bream, hybrids, tench, perch and pike. This
lake has fishing stands in place and there is good car parking available.
It is also possible to launch a boat from the slipway on this lake.
Descart Lake: Leaving Carrickmacross on the R179 turn left after approximately 6kms. Proceed for another 3kms and Descart is on the left side of the road. It covers an area of 8 hectares with depths varying from .5m to 4.5m. with the deepest area located in the N.E. quadrant of the lake. There are some stands on the S.E. shoreline and a number of swims have also been cut. Some of the shoreline on this lake is extremely soft. This water contains stocks of roach, rudd, bream, hybrids, tench, perch and pike.
Derry Lough is located 9km south of Carrickmacross and is
best accessed from the Carrickmacross to Drumconrath road located between
the N2 and the R179. This lake covers 1 hectare and has depths to 4.5m. The
lake contains tench and bream to specimen size as well as stocks of roach,
rudd, perch and pike. Car parking is available and fishing stands have been
erected to assist access to the water.
Reillys Lake is a 1-hectare lake located on the N2 approximately 3km S.E. of Carrickmacross. It is on the roadside and stiles and walkways facilitate access. Fishing stands are also in place on this water. This lake contains rudd to specimen size as well as stocks of roach, bream, hybrids, perch and pike.
Clonturk Lake is also located along the N2 5km S.E. of Carrickmacross. This lake covers an area of 1 hectare with depths to 3m. This lake contains a large stock of tench as well as roach bream and pike. Access is by way of a laneway and anglers are requested not to park in this laneway. A number of fishing stands are in place on the western shoreline.
Lisnashannagh is located S.E. of the town, off the N2 Carickmacross to Ardee road. This water covers approximately 2 hectares with depths to 5m. This lake holds stocks of bream, tench and rudd to specimen size as well as roach, perch, pike and carp. There are a number of swims cut on the northern and southern shorelines. Access is by means of two laneways at either end of the lake or from the road. Parking is limited. The margins of this lake are extremely soft and anglers should ensure that they fish from a solid bank.
Kingscourt Angling Centre: Kingscourt Co. Cavan is surrounded by a number of small lakes that produce some excellent catches annually. The largest of the lakes are Whitewood and Ervey, which are complimented by a number of smaller lakes including Muff and the Breakey Lakes. Kingscourt is also strategically placed being close to the Ballyho Lakes, Boursk, Derry Lough, Descart and Rahans.
Ervey Lake is located approximately 3km S.W. of Kingscourt off the R164. This lake which straddles the Meath Cavan border covers an area of 18 hectares with depths to 6m. The deepest part of the lake is located in the northeastern quadrant. The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board has provided a new car park and slipway on this water. Ervey contains a good stock of roach, tench, bream, hybrids and perch. This lake is also an excellent pike fishery and contains good numbers of pike to spicemen size (9.072kg). Boat fishing can produce excellent results for pike. Boat hire can be arranged locally.
Breakey Lakes are located 7.5 kms S.W. of Kingscourt off the R178. The larger lake covers an area of 10 hectares with depths to 7m. The deepest are is located on the eastern shoreline south of the island. This lake contains excellent stocks of pike and perch. There are also small stocks of bream in this lake. Access and car parking are very good on this lake and are located on the S.W. corner of the lake. It is also quite easy to launch a boat on this lake.The smaller lake covers an area of about 3 hectares with depths to 5m. It too contains stock of pike and perch. Access is difficult and the shoreline is heavily reeded.
Muff lake is a small 1hectare lake and is located 3.5km west of Kingscourt. It contains small stocks of pike and perch. The shoreline is heavily reed fringed and the lake margins are very soft in places.
Whitewood lake is situated 8km south of Kingscourt and 1km
south of the village of Kilmainhamwood, Co. Meath. Located off the R162 and
covering an area of 35 hectares, Whitewood has depths in excess of 10m on
the eastern shoreline. Stands and popular swims are located on the northern
shoreline and anglers can expect good catches of roach from this area. Feeder
works well early in the year before the weed develops but waggler and pole
can produce the best results. The swims here are shallow <2m and ideal
casting distance is around 15m. Anglers can draw the feed back to the 10m-pole
line and keep feeding to maintain the interest of the fish. Similar tactics
can be employed on the western shoreline. Whitewood contains excellent stocks
of roach as well as bream, hybrids, tench, perch and pike. This lake is also
a notable pike venue and ledgered dead form the shore usually produces the
bigger fish. Boat fishing can also produce good results.