2011 Season:   17th January to 30th September.

Water Height:  As of  Saturday 4th February water at 3 feet on the gauge at Johnston's.  Lovely water for all methods. Our water have been fished by some very energetic members or those trying out new gear from Landers Sale but no word of a fresh fish yet. 

Beat 3: Beat 3 would be the best prospect for a fish at this time of year, with the best chance of a pull coming from spinning.

Spent Fish: At this point of the season on Laune Anglers Waters and beats 1 to 3 you are very likely to meet a spent fish (Kelt) rather than a fresh springer, so use worms with caution.  It would be a shame to damage a mending hen on her way back to the sea.

Permit Holders:

Permit Holders for Laune Anglers waters are issued with a map showing which waters they can fish (18 Fisheries) all excellent.  Restriction - After the 15th September Permit Holders are not allowed to fish Charlie Johnston's.  Ask locals for advice on all matters, where to go where the lies are (see also details of Guides on Permits Page) and it should be forthcoming as a Permit Holder you are a 'Member for the Day'.

Angling Tourism:  The last six weeks of the season will be the busiest time of the year for visiting anglers to the Laune. They will all be staying locally adding significantly to the local economy.  This could be a lot better if the chances of catching a fish was better but allowing a commercial harvest up to the end of the salmon run into the Laune does not help in the development of Tourist Angling.

Ministers and Inland Fisheries Ireland cant have it both ways.  They pay lip service to having a viable tourist angling product and then allow a legal commercial harvest to such a late stage.

Local Anglers: The local angler in Kerry must be among the most placid of creatures.  He/She pays dearly for a Licence a Conservation Stamp, Memberships, spends hundreds of Euro on fishing gear and clothing locally, gives hours and hours of voluntary labour improving and maintaining fisheries and settles for, in lots of cases catching no fish and a six week season (where there is some chance of catching a fish when the nets finish) 

Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Statistics Report 2010:  To see the breakdown between Commercial catches and Angling catches on the Laune System and to compare what's happening on the Laune and other river systems such as the Moy, Corrib and Blackwater Click on Link  wild-salmon-and-sea-trout-statistics.html

Regrettably to note that 3527 Laune salmon were caught in the Commercial harvest accounting for 25% of the total national Commercial Harvest.

Permits: The cost of daily permits is reduced on Laune Anglers waters up to the end of July also there is a reduced cost for 7 day Permits, see Permits.
 

Comments:  The Laune is a lake-fed river and therefore always fishable to the fly, even in prolonged dry conditions.

High water levels -- as experienced in the Spring -- favour upriver fisheries, as salmon tend to run the river on their way to the lakes.

Good water levels – not too high – are welcomed by anglers for the months of August and September. The Gauge opposite shows the river at Summer Low.