seatrout season

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seatrout season

Postby eoghanb » Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:11 pm

Is there a specific seatrout season,in saltwater ?i dont fancy meeting an inspector if im fishing when im not allowed,im planning on starting early dis year,ill be fishing the open coast if dat makes a difference,but may try a few estuarys,ill have a licence too
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Re: seatrout season

Postby chuckaroo » Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:19 pm

a few people have been discussing this matter these last few days here i believe..:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37826&p=296892#p296892
hope it helps
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Re: seatrout season

Postby blowin » Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:51 am

I think I might have found a couple of relevant points but I'll add them to that other post to keep it all together :wink:
EDIT -- sorry , have just noticed that the other thread is about regs in the North . I myself am also trying to figure out what applies in the ROI so will put my 2 cents worth under here .
Last edited by blowin on Fri Jan 13, 2012 3:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: seatrout season

Postby cathalger » Fri Jan 13, 2012 3:04 am

Fly fishing for sea trout in the winter? During the freshwater closed season?

You wouldnt be at that, youre only after coleys and pollack and cod and bass and flounder and tuna and things like that. Sea trout never even crossed your mind!!!


They cant prevent you from fly fishing in the sea in winter, or early spring but mind you dont accidentally kill any accidentally caught sea trout and then be found with them in your possession.

If you have a licence and tags during the open season your untouchable!

Good luck, tight lines.

EDIT----Eoghan, you may have read it in the other thread, but a fisheries officer (in the north) told me that he could and would consider 'booking' a sea angler if he found them to have killed sea trout during the closed season for the species. By the sound of him, it didnt matter where you got the fish, river ,lake or sea. I'd expect the regulations to be similar in the south too.

Maybe Im wrong, but thats what a northern bailiff told me yesterday!
2013 Sea Species:- Bass, Flounder, 5 Beard Rockling, Shore Rockling, Whiting, red gurnard, grey gurnard, Pollack, coley, mackerel, sea trout, cant remember cos I didn't update at the time.....
2012 Sea species:- Pollack, Coley, Mackerel, Cod, Bass, Sea Trout, Haddock, Plaice, Dab, Flounder, Red Gurnard, Grey Gurnard, Pouting, Whiting, Corkwing Wrasse, Ballan Wrasse, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Brown Trout caught on beach.
2011 Sea species:- codling, L.S. dogfish, coley, whiting, pollack(4lb 3oz), sea trout, shore conger eel (15lb), ballan wrasse, grey gurnard, plaice, dab (and lobster).
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Re: seatrout season

Postby blowin » Fri Jan 13, 2012 4:17 am

eoghanb wrote:.... seatrout season,in saltwater ?

Should have kept my mouth shut :oops: !
You obviously already know that a licence is reqd for both fresh and salt .

According to http://www.fishinginireland.info/regulations.htm
Salmon fishing opens on January 1 on a handful of rivers and after that the remainder of rivers open on various dates in February, March, April and May. The majority of rivers close on September 30th but some rivers remain open for sea trout fishing to October 12.
In the context of that article the same applies to sea trout . Despite hours of googling I have been unable to pin down which those handful of rivers are but would argue that provided you are fishing into the open sea ( not in an estuary ) the season starts on 1 Jan because no-one can tell where the fish were heading . Don't know whether that would stand up . Might depend on whether all of the rivers in a given Fisheries region had the same open season ?
And the definition of what are estuarine waters is in itself very open to interpretation . It appears to relate to the salinity of the water regardless of whether there are discernible high/low tide marks . So its boundary is not a fixed geographic point you could locate on GPS . Someone suggested asking the bailiff to take a glass of the water you are standing in . If he can drink it you're in trouble . If he can't he can go and annoy someone else .
So , assuming you're in season , or rather are fishing in open season :
There is an angling bag limit of 10 salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40 cm) on rivers where you may catch and retain salmon (Table 1). The bag limits are subject to any quota allocated to a river and its tributaries. ( Which I think includes estuary )
Subject to the maximum annual bag limit of ten fish an angler may take:
• A total of one salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40cm) per day for the period beginning January 1st to May 11th (three fish in total may be retained for this period),
• Daily Bag Limit: Three salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40cm) per day from May 12th to August 31st (except where a salmon rod (one-day) ordinary licence is held, 1 fish),
• Daily Bag Limit: One salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40cm) per day from 1st September to the close of the season,
• There is an angling bag limit of three sea trout (under 40cm) per angler per day (bye-law no. 887, 2011).


But also note :
http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/Angling- ... tions.html
Please note that it is an offence to kill any sea trout in the Galway, Connemara or Ballinakill Fisheries Districts including at sea from Hags Head in County Clare to Clew Bay (and in any waters flowing into Clew Bay) in the Bangor Fishery District south of a line drawn due east and west through Achill Head.

And finally , for tonight at least :
In accordance with the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Regulations anglers are required by law to return their completed logbook (even if there is no catch recorded) and all unused tags to the issuing office of Inland Fisheries Ireland by the 19th October 2012.
I haven't checked but seem to recall that the penalty for non-compliance ( whether you ever went fishing or not ) was around 75 euro a good few years ago .

I'm going to join cathalger in never fishing for sea trout !

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Re: seatrout season

Postby doggie3131 » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:39 am

its a very grey area,with lots of things to consider,ive talked to a baliff about this,and depending where you catch it,it could be legal or illegal,and it seems to be up to the baliff to decide...i,d say the safest thing to do would be to buy a licence for your district,and make sure you check the bylaws...for example in clew bay its illegal to KILL a seatrout...but in belmullet it would be allowed if you have a tag for the fish....
species 2012.........(12)seatrout,bass,turbot,flounder,brill,lsd,coalie,shore rockling,pollock,pout,poor cod,gray gurnard

species 2011 (20) flounder,whiting,poor cod,5 beard rockling,lsd.coalie,thornie,three bearded rockling,shore rockling.seatrout.turbot,plaice,brill,pollock,ballen wrasse.huss,pout,cookoo wrasse,corking wrasse,dab.

species 2010,(27)

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Re: seatrout season

Postby eoghanb » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:41 am

I found a bit of info about estuarys,the season on the river also applies to the estuary,but no mention of the open coast,ill keep battling through the bureucracy till i find out,or just tell the inspector im bass fishing and but any trout back,i had no intention of keeping them anyway,i prefer the taste of brownies :D
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Re: seatrout season

Postby Tanglerat » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:26 pm

blowin wrote:Salmon fishing opens on January 1 on a handful of rivers and after that the remainder of rivers open on various dates in February, March, April and May. The majority of rivers close on September 30th but some rivers remain open for sea trout fishing to October 12.
In the context of that article the same applies to sea trout . Despite hours of googling I have been unable to pin down which those handful of rivers are


Liffey in Dublin, Drowse in the Ballyshannon District in Donegal, Lackagh and Lennon in the Letterkenny District in Donegal. Both Lackagh and Lennon have Conservation Orders on them, so they haven't been open at any time for salmon angling for years.

I seem to remember that the sea trout fishing on the Lackagh opened a week or two after the Salmon season. You can fish for small sea trout but not for any over 40 cms.
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Re: seatrout season

Postby cathalger » Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:42 pm

It would turn your head. I think all we can do is:

1. Establish what the open season for sea trout is in our own specific region or system- even if we never intend to throw a line on fresh or estuarine water. Contact if necessary the licence issuing body to get this info.

2. Buy the licence, just get it- if you have a desire to target sea trout. Follow the tagging guidelines provided when you get your licence.
Never ever be found with a dead sea trout in your possesion during the closed season, which you have clear in your mind.

It really shouldnt be as confusing as we allow it to become sometimes?

Eg, you dont hear wildfowlers wondering at what times of year they can legally shoot ducks.

This line of thought is just to be on the 'safe side'. I think we as sea anglers maybe just have to accept that there are regulations regarding this species and where you kill them is irrelevant(they are given equal status to salmon). That bailiff said to me if a commercial boat 'brought to land' dead sea trout during the closed season (N.Ireland Decal region) which is Nov 1st to Feb 31st, then they would be breaking the law. He said if a sea angler brought to land and killed sea trout from the same pier, they would be breaking the same laws and would be equally liable for prosecution

I understand the variations in closed seasons in the Republic, as I said you need to be aware of just what the seasons are where you are planning to fish.

When a bailiff answers your questions with statements like the following, which I experienced on Wednesday:

"Well, yes and no."

"Its a bit of a grey area."

"I mean, our bye laws are changing almost on a daily basis".

I think we should heed seasons and have licences when appropriate.


Long and the short of it is, fisheries officers dont respond well to being argued with and if you have that all important bit of paper in your pocket while enjoying your angling, you are probably going to find them very reasonable and helpful.

At the end of the day, its a personal decision, but for the sake of £17, I am not having some boy take a 4lb sea trout off me in July. I would struggle with the like of that. Plus I prefer the feeling of fishing for sea trout in the sea with a licence in my pocket, to that of looking over my shoulder and wondering who everyone within 3 miles actually is!
2013 Sea Species:- Bass, Flounder, 5 Beard Rockling, Shore Rockling, Whiting, red gurnard, grey gurnard, Pollack, coley, mackerel, sea trout, cant remember cos I didn't update at the time.....
2012 Sea species:- Pollack, Coley, Mackerel, Cod, Bass, Sea Trout, Haddock, Plaice, Dab, Flounder, Red Gurnard, Grey Gurnard, Pouting, Whiting, Corkwing Wrasse, Ballan Wrasse, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Brown Trout caught on beach.
2011 Sea species:- codling, L.S. dogfish, coley, whiting, pollack(4lb 3oz), sea trout, shore conger eel (15lb), ballan wrasse, grey gurnard, plaice, dab (and lobster).

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Re: seatrout season

Postby doggie3131 » Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:19 pm

and remember you need a district licence for the area your fishing in...56 euro per district,or 100 euros for all districts...
species 2012.........(12)seatrout,bass,turbot,flounder,brill,lsd,coalie,shore rockling,pollock,pout,poor cod,gray gurnard

species 2011 (20) flounder,whiting,poor cod,5 beard rockling,lsd.coalie,thornie,three bearded rockling,shore rockling.seatrout.turbot,plaice,brill,pollock,ballen wrasse.huss,pout,cookoo wrasse,corking wrasse,dab.

species 2010,(27)

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Re: seatrout season

Postby cathalger » Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:28 pm

eoghanb wrote:I found a bit of info about estuarys,the season on the river also applies to the estuary,but no mention of the open coast,ill keep battling through the bureucracy till i find out,or just tell the inspector im Bass fishing and but any trout back,i had no intention of keeping them anyway,i prefer the taste of brownies :D



I agree Eoghan, a fresh sea trout is a great eating fish, but whern you get one of those deep red fleshed brownies, deeper red than any salmon, you have one of the finest things you will ever eat! I think its because they are feeding almost solely on fresh water shrimp, certain waters ahve so many shrimp the trout dont look for anything else(at certain times of year when the shrimp numbers really bloom.)

Be sure to report any big sea trout you get? There was a 5lber posted on here last Feb/March from Co Down, a beautiful fish, I think I remember a couple of whoppers from Galway bay also last Spring. Absolutely stunning fish.

Apologies for not remembering the posters names but those were special fish!
2013 Sea Species:- Bass, Flounder, 5 Beard Rockling, Shore Rockling, Whiting, red gurnard, grey gurnard, Pollack, coley, mackerel, sea trout, cant remember cos I didn't update at the time.....
2012 Sea species:- Pollack, Coley, Mackerel, Cod, Bass, Sea Trout, Haddock, Plaice, Dab, Flounder, Red Gurnard, Grey Gurnard, Pouting, Whiting, Corkwing Wrasse, Ballan Wrasse, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Brown Trout caught on beach.
2011 Sea species:- codling, L.S. dogfish, coley, whiting, pollack(4lb 3oz), sea trout, shore conger eel (15lb), ballan wrasse, grey gurnard, plaice, dab (and lobster).
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Re: seatrout season

Postby eoghanb » Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:44 pm

Dont worry ill put up any ones i get ,theres big trout on the east coast if u know where to go,my biggest is 3lb so far but ive seen some monsters up to 10lb jumping beside me when out wading,even if u dont catch them its thrilling to see,and keep u goin for way longer than u intended,as for locations,ill take that info to my grave, :D

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Re: seatrout season

Postby cathalger » Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:46 pm

blowin wrote:I think I might have found a couple of relevant points but I'll add them to that other post to keep it all together :wink:
EDIT -- sorry , have just noticed that the other thread is about regs in the North . I myself am also trying to figure out what applies in the ROI so will put my 2 cents worth under here .



Aye Blowin, sorry I could only offer dates of seasons and bits and bobs about the north but the underlying principles will relate to all of us as bailiffs and regulations affect us all regardless of duristiction, if you know what I mean.

Sea trout /salmon are subject to regulations for us all was probably my main point, and as much as we wish(as sea anglers) we didnt have to worry about it, I think we better not take any risks.
2013 Sea Species:- Bass, Flounder, 5 Beard Rockling, Shore Rockling, Whiting, red gurnard, grey gurnard, Pollack, coley, mackerel, sea trout, cant remember cos I didn't update at the time.....
2012 Sea species:- Pollack, Coley, Mackerel, Cod, Bass, Sea Trout, Haddock, Plaice, Dab, Flounder, Red Gurnard, Grey Gurnard, Pouting, Whiting, Corkwing Wrasse, Ballan Wrasse, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Brown Trout caught on beach.
2011 Sea species:- codling, L.S. dogfish, coley, whiting, pollack(4lb 3oz), sea trout, shore conger eel (15lb), ballan wrasse, grey gurnard, plaice, dab (and lobster).
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Re: seatrout season

Postby eoghanb » Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:04 pm

Just to give yiz a bit of incentive,i tried one of my trout spots on sat 14/1/12, with the weather being do mild no wind and a clear sea and writing on this tread got me curious,so anyway i saw 3 jumping and got one follow,long story short give it a go before the weather turns again ye never know :D
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Re: seatrout season

Postby cathalger » Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:32 am

Pity it didnt latch on Eoghan but good to even interest one and always encouraging to see them jump.

I realized my date error thingy above about there being 31 days in February a while after I posted, I seemed to get away with that one!

Not that it applies to yourself where you are.

Were you flying or spinning, did you get a look at the fish that came after you?
2013 Sea Species:- Bass, Flounder, 5 Beard Rockling, Shore Rockling, Whiting, red gurnard, grey gurnard, Pollack, coley, mackerel, sea trout, cant remember cos I didn't update at the time.....
2012 Sea species:- Pollack, Coley, Mackerel, Cod, Bass, Sea Trout, Haddock, Plaice, Dab, Flounder, Red Gurnard, Grey Gurnard, Pouting, Whiting, Corkwing Wrasse, Ballan Wrasse, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Brown Trout caught on beach.
2011 Sea species:- codling, L.S. dogfish, coley, whiting, pollack(4lb 3oz), sea trout, shore conger eel (15lb), ballan wrasse, grey gurnard, plaice, dab (and lobster).
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Re: seatrout season

Postby eoghanb » Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:46 pm

I was using a 20g silver kilty,was too lazy to bring out the fly gear ,the fish looked about 2lb
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Re: seatrout season

Postby Last Cast » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:48 am

I'm not sure if this will help or confuse people when it comes to understanding the sea trout close season. http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1959/en/ ... print.html. Part IX, Chapter I, section 126 to 138 covers the salmon and sea trout close seasons.
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