Sitting out in the middle of Lough Mask, fishing rod in hand, waiting for the brown or ferox trout to bite, with nothing but the wide open skies and quiet sounds of lapping of water, is what passionate anglers live for.
Approximately 10 miles long by 4 wide, its waters rise higher in summer than Lough Corrib resulting in Lough Mask spilling its excess water into that lake via underground caverns. Water from these caverns emerge in Cong, where they meets a stream and finally merge with Lough Corrib. The Ballinrobe River flows into Lough Mask and is easily navigable from the town on the east side of the lake. The picturesque village of Tourmakeady sits on the west side of the lake, nestled between the water and the Partry Mountains, with beautiful views of the rugged shoreline of Lough Mask.
Considered a great lake for trout fishing, the lake offers a lot of productive fishing. Red and white trout are found here as well as gillaroo trout and the World Cup Trout Fly Fishing Championship has become an annual event on its shore near Ballinrobe. Some preferred spots for fishing include Burnthouse Bay, Inishowen, Bay of Islands (known as Tra na Greine) and Ram’s Horn Bay and Corrigeenagur and Cushlough, which is one of the main access points to the lake and has an information centre. Many visiting anglers stay in Ballinrobe, Tourmakeady, Ferry Bridge, Cahir Bay and Srah. Water sports are also increasingly popular on the lake, including kayaking, canoeing and sailing with an outdoor adventure centre based on the south shore.