2023 fishing cast off for famous salmon river Drowes starts on Sunday   

The north west’s most famous salmon river, the River Drowes which straddles the border between south Donegal and north Leitrim, will see fishing commence at 8.30am on opening day of the season this Sunday, January 1, 2023.

The first day of the New Year opens the traditional salmon fisheries season in Ireland, but with the emphasis of more recent years one of, catch and release, rather than catch and cook. 

The fishing tackle shop at Lareen Estate has been open for permits and licences daily since 9am since yesterday, Wednesday and from 6am on Sunday, January 1, 2023. 

The first salmon of 2022 was landed on January 13 last from the Eel Weir pool on the Lareen stretch of the river Drowes. 

The fish, estimated at 12lbs was taken on an eyed cone head shrimp pattern by Dublin angler Garrett Byrne, who received the Drowes Perpetual Cup for the first salmon of the season as well as the Thomas Gallagher Conservation Cup for the first caught and released fish of the season.

Garrett Byrne with the first salmon of 2022

There are seven rivers fully open (harvestable) in Donegal for the 2023 angling season.

The Gweebara River is Catch & Release until 11th May and Open from 12th May onwards.

Ballyshannon District: Drowes and Owenwee (Yellow River)

Letterkenny District: Owenea/Owentocker, Brown Tag; Clady, Brown Tag; Crana, Brown Tag; Tullaghobegly

and Gweedore (Crolly River).

According to Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, new approved legislation that will govern the wild salmon and sea trout fisheries in 2023 will come into effect from Sunday, 1st January 2023.

He said: “81 rivers (nationally) will be available for salmon and sea trout fishing in 2023. This facilitates careful management of this important natural resource, for which conservation and sustainability are paramount. 48 of the rivers will be fully open, with a further 33 open to ‘catch and release’ angling. 

The general improvements in stocks from 2022 have been maintained for 2023. However, collective effort and persistence are required to see the state of all individual river stocks improve over time.

The stocks themselves are completely dependent on everybody increasing our efforts in facing up to environmental, climate and biodiversity impacts from human interventions.”