These lakes offer an abundance of scenery, walking opportunities and great fishing. Lough Conn is fifteen miles long by five wide. On the small ridge between the two, Pontoon Bridge was built to accommodate the mail line to Sligo. Some of the towns surrounding the lakes include Crossmolina to the north, Foxford to the east and to the west, Pontoon and Lahardane, home of the Titanic Memorial Park, a small but well designed park which commemorates the largest loss of people from any one parish in the tragedy. Ballina is only a few miles from the northern tip of the lake.
Soft red sand surrounds much of the shore of the lakes and myriad islands house long abandoned ruins of castles and monasteries. At the narrow strait, where the two lakes meet, an unusual phenomenon occurs. While the lower lake, Lough Cullin is the natural outlet for the upper lake, at times water can be seen gushing from the lower lake into the upper lake under Pontoon Bridge, even when the upper lake is swollen from floods. Sometimes levels in one lake are inexplicably higher than in the other.
Anglers travel from all over the world to fish here. Hill walking and scenic walks are in abundance in the Pontoon area and there are beautiful beaches within easy drive. A spot by the water offers tranquillity and plentiful scenery. For the angler, time moves at a different pace and patience pays dividends, whether knee-deep in galoshes or sitting in a boat on the lake with nothing but the sound of lapping water for company. Though many passionate anglers admit that catching a fish is only part of the fun (and for some, not even a requirement of a successful outing), few would argue against the enhanced pleasure of a day on the lake when that bite yields a fish. For many the pleasure is in sitting still in one place, surrounded by nature, or studying the habitat of the fish--in having fished well.
Among the best places to fish are the northern end of Lough Conn, near the Deel River mouth as well as in the south-western and western areas. Lough Cullin gets a run of salmon--both spring and summer fish, as well as trout. From Drummin on the east of the lake to Garrison Island on the west are the best places on Lough Cullin, with the south less favourable for fish. The strait between the two lakes is always a favourite for salmon fishing. In general salmon fishing here might best be done with a local boatman. The angling season begins February 1 and ends September 30. Trout fishing in Lough Cullin usually begins around mid-March.
To add a bit of competition to any excursion, there are trout fishing competitions on both lakes every year. Angling clubs and the Fisheries Board can provide details. To just take time out in nature, to breathe clean air, enjoy wild flowers, fish-stocked waters, see the sky and hear your heart beating, any perch on these lakes will suffice.