Fishing in Co. Cavan

Cavan sits in the north midlands of Ireland, a county shaped almost entirely by freshwater.

The landscape is drumlin country — low, rounded hills left by glaciers — and between those hills lie lakes, rivers and boggy channels in a density that earns the county its nickname: the Lakeland County.

The figure of 365 lakes gets repeated often enough that it's become part of the local identity. Whether or not the count is exact, the point stands: water is everywhere here, and most of it holds fish.

The two great river systems of Ireland both have their origins in Cavan. The Shannon rises at Shannon Pot on the slopes of Culicagh Mountain. The Erne begins near Stradone and flows north for 120 kilometres before reaching Lough Erne.

Between them, these systems and their tributaries — the Annalee, the Dromore, the Blackwater from Lough Ramor — define where most of the fishing happens. To the east, the upper Boyne system adds another dimension. Coarse fishing is the backbone of the county.

Bream, roach, rudd, perch and pike are widespread across the lakes and rivers, with roach-bream hybrids turning up in most fisheries. Tench have become more common and have reached specimen size in some waters.

Upper Lough Erne and the broader Erne system around Belturbet draw a lot of attention — the river through town has a reputation for consistent bream and roach, and there's a designated fly-fishing stretch between the bridges for those who want something quieter.

Lough Oughter, a complex of interconnected lakes in the north of the county, is well known for pike. Several of the northern and western lake complexes have been designated Specially Protected Areas, which shapes how they're managed. Lough Sheelin, at 18.

8 square kilometres, is the county's largest lake and sits on the southern border with Meath and Westmeath. It's a wild brown trout fishery with a strong reputation — the fish run pink-fleshed, the way wild trout do when they're feeding well on natural food.

The season runs from March into October; Inland Fisheries Ireland holds the current rules on bag limits. For licensing: coarse fishing and pike fishing don't require a state licence in the Republic of Ireland, though local permits may apply on some waters.

Salmon and sea trout require both a state licence and a local permit. Check with Inland Fisheries Ireland before you go — the rules on specific waters can change, and it's worth a few minutes to get it right.

Cavan rewards the angler who's willing to explore past the obvious spots.

The well-known lakes get fished hard during the festival season — events run annually at Arvagh, Belturbet and Cootehill — but the smaller lakes and quieter river stretches hold plenty of fish and far fewer people.