Venue guides · Northern Ireland
Fishing Lakes Near Northern Ireland
Five day-ticket and club waters within 30 km, ranked by the anglers who fish them, with the honest notes I would want before booking a day on any of them.
I have not fished every water on this list. The ratings come from anglers who have; the advice on choosing between them is mine.
Carp fishing in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is not traditional carp country. Its great loughs and rivers are famous for pike, bream, roach and trout, and carp were absent from most of them until recently. What has changed is a small number of purpose-built and stocked fisheries, mostly in the east and south, that now offer proper carp fishing to anglers who would once have had to cross the water to find it.
Expect fewer venues and smaller fish than in England, but also quiet banks and a growing scene. Licences and permits work differently here, so read the checklist below carefully. The M1, M2 and A1 make most of the venues reachable from Belfast inside an hour.
The map below plots the fisheries anglers rate most highly within roughly 30 km, so you can shortlist a water, get directions and check the reviews in one place. Treat the ratings as a filter rather than a verdict, and read the notes on choosing a venue before you ring ahead.
The fisheries, mapped
Every venue below is plotted from its real address. Tap a pin on the map or the button on any card for directions.
🎣 Found 5 fisheries near Northern Ireland, sorted by angler rating. Click any pin on the map or card for directions.
📋 Fishery Cards
1 Bann Valley Fishery ⭐ Top Rated
📍 15 Shanaghy Rd, Ballymoney BT53 7NW, UK
2 Hillhead Fishery
📍 130 Woodtown Road, Ballymena BT42 1BL, UK
3 Temple Springs Fishery
📍 11 Temple Rd, Garvagh, Coleraine BT51 5BH, UK
4 Kilgad Lakes and Trout Fishery
📍 89 Kilgad Rd, Ballymena BT42 3HY, UK
5 Cashel Lake View Trout Fishery
📍 Cashel Lake View, 17 Birren Rd, Dungiven, Londonderry BT47 4SH, UK
📊 Full Fishery Table
| # | Fishery Name | Address | Rating | Reviews | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bann Valley Fishery | 15 Shanaghy Rd, Ballymoney BT53 7NW, UK | ★★★★★ | 18 | 📍 Map |
| 2 | Hillhead Fishery | 130 Woodtown Road, Ballymena BT42 1BL, UK | ★★★★☆ | 44 | 📍 Map |
| 3 | Temple Springs Fishery | 11 Temple Rd, Garvagh, Coleraine BT51 5BH, UK | ★★★★☆ | 48 | 📍 Map |
| 4 | Kilgad Lakes and Trout Fishery | 89 Kilgad Rd, Ballymena BT42 3HY, UK | ★★★★☆ | 2 | 📍 Map |
| 5 | Cashel Lake View Trout Fishery | Cashel Lake View, 17 Birren Rd, Dungiven, Londonderry BT47 4SH, UK | ★★★★☆ | 30 | 📍 Map |
How to choose a venue from this list
A five-star water with a dozen reviews and a 4.8 with three hundred are not the same weight of evidence. Weigh the rating against the review count, read the most recent few for current stock reports, and then check these four things before you commit a day to a water.
Day ticket or syndicate?
Most waters here are day-ticket commercials, but some are club or syndicate lakes that need membership arranged in advance. Confirm how you get on the bank before you travel.
Night fishing and bivvies
Plenty of day-ticket waters are daytime only. If you want an overnighter, check the venue allows night fishing and bivvies rather than assuming it does.
Tackle and bait rules
Barbless hooks, unhooking-mat requirements, banned baits and boilie or particle limits vary from water to water. Read the fishery’s own rules, not a general guide.
Match the water to your session
Larger pits and reservoirs reward longer sessions and distance work; smaller lakes and canal stretches suit a short evening after work. Pick the water that fits the time you have.
What to expect from the water
Most of the accessible carp fishing here falls into three kinds of water, and each fishes differently. Knowing which you are turning up to changes what you pack and how long you plan to stay.
Stocked fisheries
The purpose-built carp waters
The handful of dedicated carp fisheries are well stocked and well run, with fish to good doubles and the occasional bigger one. They are where the local carp scene has grown up, and the sensible first choice.
Loughs
The big waters
The loughs are vast, cold and better known for other species. A few hold carp in small numbers, usually from old stockings, but they are an exploration rather than a target.
Planning
Getting the paperwork right
Licences and permits differ from England and can differ between waters. Sort them before you go, and check bait and tackle rules, which are often stricter than you may be used to.
Before you set off
The right licence and permit
Northern Ireland uses its own rod licence and permit system, separate from England’s Environment Agency licence. Check which licence the water sits under and whether a separate permit is needed before you travel.
The fishery’s own rules
Booking method, opening hours, night-fishing policy, barbless-only, banned baits and mat requirements all vary. A look at the venue’s page or a quick call saves a wasted trip.
Mat, forceps, antiseptic and a sling
The minimum for handling carp safely, and many waters will send you home without them.
A phone call in peak season
Popular day-ticket lakes fill up at weekends and through the summer. Confirm there is space, and ask how it has been fishing while you are on.
A note on ratings
The star ratings and review counts on this page are pulled from public angler reviews, not written by me. They are good at telling you whether a venue is well run and welcoming; they are less good at telling you what is in the water or how it is fishing this month.
For that, read the most recent handful of reviews, and ring the fishery. Owners will usually tell you straight.
Willing to travel a little further?
Other guides across the water, each with its own map, ratings and notes.
Last Updated on September 9, 2026 by Shane Stanford
Shane Stanford has fished for carp for over twenty years, in the UK and in France, and currently fishes a private syndicate water in West Sussex. He writes Fishing Again to put the things he learned the hard way into plain language: location and watercraft first, then bait, rigs and gear. He is straight about which kit he has actually fished and which he has assessed on specification, and says so on the page.