You cannot fail to be awed by your arrival at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel & Estate. It’s a magnificent stately pile in beautiful grounds. The welcome is homely and warm and we were soon huddled around the fire with a coffee talking with Kieran Laverty, the Activities manager, who has been at Ballynahinch for many years and knows the river well. Suitably informed and equipped we made our way down to Beat 4, beyond which the Owenmore river empties into the sea 5km away.
The river here is wide and fast flowing, offering a perfect swing and plenty of pockets and pools. It is a holding area just downstream of obstacles such as a natural waterfall and fish counter, the first time since entering the river that the fresh run salmon need to pause and think. This is full on salmon country; no half measures, no hedging your bets with trout flies that might appeal to a salmon here. We went with the rats tail, a local recommendation, and tried others including stoats tail and a small ally shrimp.
After several hours working this perfect salmon water to no effect, and having earlier convinced ourselves that the salmon would be running, we now had to face reality that we were indeed a week or two early. No matter – plenty of trout to chase. We moved up to Beat 3 which is deeper and slower and had fun chasing perfectly formed little wild brownies on light tackle and small simply dressed flies like the black pennell. Then it went quiet for a while. All of a sudden mayflies started appearing. Not too many, but there they were. A quick change of fly to a mayfly and we were away again with the brownies. Then, as quickly as it began, the hatch was over and peace was restored. It was time for lunch.
Replete and ready to go again, we tackled Sna Beg, at the top of the hotel’s fishing where the river emerges from the Ballynahinch lough. All salmon pass through the narrow exit on their way to spawn at the end of the season, it must be magic when the fish are moving. We encountered some lovely plump brownies, but sadly nothing silver. Beat 1 is different again: enclosed by verdant green and mossy woodland. The river is now dark and deep and narrow; it has an enchanted and brooding feel rather like the Withywindle in Tolkien’s Old Forest. The pool which cuts through the small gorge before going under the old stone packhorse bridge is enchanting, and very productive on small black flies during the evening hatch.
After all was packed away we settled into the Fishermans Bar for sustenance. There are many dining options at Ballynahinch but this is where anglers should go; the fish pie supper hits the spot and won’t break the bank, and you’re surrounded by fishing memorabilia and monstrous salmon from days gone by (actually a 20lber was caught not ten years ago). Gazing wistfully at that wondrous fish was a fitting way to end our day. Fishing at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel is available for booking on FishPal here.
