Would like to go fly fishing in Ireland, summer, 2007. Looks like the most popular area is around Fermoy in Co. Cork on the Blackwater River. Have you been? Do I need to hire an instructor? Who is the best outfitter in the area? Any other areas that are good to experience this? Thanks so much!

Do you mean a guide or an instructor? If you don't know how to fly fish you might want to start now, or in the spring. It's not the sort of thing most people can pick up in a day.

More information needed. Are you experienced? A local guide (ghillie) can be hired for both local knowledge and in some cases instruction. Depending on what part of the summer different areas can yield different types of fishing. Do you prefer lake (boat)or river? Let me know and I can recommned more specific information.

My experience level in flyfishing is none. The summer dates would be in late June and I would prefer river fly fishing where you wade into the water. Any advice. Thanks

I would look into learning how to fly fish first. Orvis has a number of schools around the country where you can attend for a weekend. Perhaps you know of other instructors in your area. I do have the names of a couple of guiding outfits that offer trips in Europe; you might more likely need to go to one of their destinations rather than naming your own. However, this is not always the case; some guide outfits will give you advice on a region that you are headed to, but not necessarily be able to provide you with an on-site guide. I have found that the cost of some of these services is kind of steep, but it ptobably varies in price from outfit to outfit. I would first learn to flyfish and at the same time, try to contact guides or locals around Fermoy to get a sense of what would be required and if you in fact need a guide. There may be another consideration about licenses and fishing rights to consider in Ireland--never fished there before. In Scotland, people seem to own the fishing rights to a given stretches of the river, so one has to have permission to fish that space. You should research that aspect to see what the access situation is like in that area.

Tight lines!

If you want to seriously learn to fly-fish (in Ireland or elsewhere) as a holiday then look for a week long course or something. I suspect that you may have an unrealistic idea about how difficult it is though - you say you have no experience yet you also are not sure that it is necessary to hire an instructor?

So my guess is that this is a sort of 'wouldn't it be fun to have a go at...' whim, so perhaps you could look at hiring a ghillie/instructor for a day's session somewhere. I'm sure you can google something up or get help from the Ireland tourist board.

It's not at all realistic to just hire equipment and have a go by yourself as you seem to think. You won't catch anything, and you'll end up in a big tangle of line and if you are lucky you won't have fish hooks imbedded in you, passers-by or stuck up in a tree. It can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing, so please don't just do it by yourself.

You'll need permission to fish the waters and if you are fishing for salmon or sea trout you need a state license and fish tags. Your ghillie will sort all that out for you if you ask.

I would take a few lessons at home first. Fly fishing is very enjoyable - but it is also pretty technical and one cannot just wade into a river and have a go . . . .

Tough crowd. A constructive idea: Why not book into one of these two places for a weekend. 1. http://www.delphi-salmon.com/ 2. http://www.ballynahinch-castle.com/fishing_school.htm As a novice this would be an incredible introduction to the sport in two of the most beautiful settings in Ireland. It is pricey and you need to book way in advance but the standard of food and accommodation in supurb. (I've been to both).

I have seen people (wade) fly fishing in the Fergus river right in Ennis but a more popular area might be the Moy river in Mayo. There are numerous sites in and south of Balliná.

The Moy boasts the most Salmon caught on hook & line than anywhere else in the world. I have seen fishermen (rod & reel) shoulder to shoulder on the last bridge in Balliná.

You probably need to do some research on Spring / Fall Trout or Salmon season fishing (i.e., when it is permitted). If you plan on Salmon fishing, plan on spending several hundred Euros: Ghillie, permit, etc. It ain't cheap!

Another Guide/Instructor/Ghillie runs (or wife runs) a B&B in Bangor Erris, about 50km west of Balliná. I believe the name is Mason and his 'day job' is operating a construction company. I've stayed at their B&B on Church Street.