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Fishing spot

Lough Swilly

Lough Swilly is a tidal estuary on the Atlantic Ocean. Water temperature ranges from 12.4 °C in January to 24.7 °C in August. Thornback ray peak May–August with bottom fishing or surfcasting.

DonegalÉire / IrelandIreland

Sea
Popularity
Very popular
Difficulty
Normal
Rating
5.0 / 5
Directions

Fishing Forecast

Today · 15:00

· Afternoon

Fair 67

  • Air

  • Wind

  • Rain

  • Clouds 46%

  • Water

  • Moon

  • Fish activity

Today 22/10

Tomorrow 23/10

Saturday 24/10

Sunday 25/10

Monday 26/10

Tuesday 27/10

Wednesday 28/10

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Fishing score

Fish activity

Low High

Weather comfort

1 5

Weather

Moon

Tides (m)

Donegal, Ireland

0.4 03:46

-1.4 09:46

0.9 15:56

-1.5 22:18

0.7 04:19

-1.5 10:22

1.0 16:26

-2.0 22:53

0.6 05:00

-2.0 10:55

1.4 17:16

-1.7 23:18

-1.7 00:30

1.5 05:32

-1.7 11:34

1.5 17:41

-2.1 23:53

1.5 06:11

-1.8 12:04

1.8 18:19

-2.1 00:31

1.5 06:45

-1.9 12:38

1.9 18:58

-2.1 01:11

1.3 07:19

-2.3 13:22

1.4 19:47

Forecast by Open-Meteo

·

Fair 67

Fishing score

The score blends three parts: the fish in season and on the move, the timing of light, moon and tide, and the weather and water. Confidence drops the further ahead you look.

Fish
81
Which species live here, whether they are in season and how close the water is to the temperature they like.
Timing
51
Light, moon, solunar periods and the tide at this hour, for the species most likely to bite.
Conditions
81
Wind, rain, pressure trend, waves and water clarity, weighed for the method.
Forecast confidence
100
Drops the further ahead the hour is and when weather data is missing.

The breakdown is for the Auto pick; switch the method back to Auto to see it.

Fish activity

How much the fish here are on the move at this hour.

Fish activity
—
Most active
Learn how fish activity works
  • Resting0–19
  • Low20–39
  • Moderate40–59
  • High60–79
  • Very high80–100

How much the fish at this spot are on the move, from 0 to 100: the time of day, moon and tide that suit each species, weighted by whether it is in season and the water is at a temperature it likes. The number is the most active species.

On the chart each species adds a translucent red layer, so deeper red means more species feeding at once.

Activity is about the fish only. The fishing score also weighs the weather, the water and your method, so a busy hour in a gale can still score low.

Weather

Air temperature
11 °C
Feels like
8 °C
Humidity
68%
Pressure
1003 hPa 3 h −1.4 hPa
Pressure, last 24 h
+3.4 hPa
Visibility
50 km
UV index
0.7
Cloud cover
46%
Weather comfort
4.0 / 5
Learn how the weather affects fishing

Falling pressure ahead of a front often switches fish on; a sharp rise after it can slow them for a day. A steady barometer means steady habits.

Weather comfort rates how pleasant it is to be out, from 1 (wind, rain or storm) to 5 (dry, calm and mild). It does not change the fishing score.

Hourly model data from Open-Meteo.

Wind

Speed
13 km/h
Direction
194°
Gusts
24 km/h
At the shore
12 km/h 22 km/h 32 km/h 45 km/h
  • Calm Easy casting, light lines work.
  • Breezy Good for most methods; a ripple helps.
  • Windy Harder casting; light tackle struggles.
  • Strong wind Tough and tiring; look for shelter.
  • Gale Not safe on exposed spots.
Learn how we rate the wind

The arrow points where the wind blows to; the letters say where it comes from.

Onshore wind pushes bait and colour into the shore and often helps shore anglers; offshore wind flattens the water and makes casting easier but can push fish out.

Wind is scored per method: float and fly fishing want it calm, surfcasting and popping cope with more.

Rain

Chance of rain
1%
This hour
0.0 mm
Last 24 h
1.4 mm
  • Unlikely0–20%
  • Possible20–50%
  • Likely50–80%
  • Very likely80–100%
Learn how the chance of rain works

Chance of at least 0.1 mm of rain in the hour. Open-Meteo runs about 30 versions of the forecast model; 40% means 4 in 10 of them bring rain here. It is not the share of the area or of the hour that gets wet.

Light rain often livens fish up; heavy rain over the last day muddies rivers and shallow water, which the score counts as run-off.

Water and tide

Water temperature
10.9 °C
Sea surface
12.3 °C
Tide now
0.7 m
Next
—
Then
—
Tide size today
—
Tide coefficient
—
  • Spring tide≥ 90
  • Large tide70–89
  • Medium tide45–69
  • Neap tide< 45
Learn how water and tide affect fishing

Each species feeds best inside its preferred water temperature; colder or warmer water slows it down, and the fish score counts it.

Moving water feeds fish: the hours either side of a turn usually fish best, slack water least. The coefficient (20–120) grades the day's tide from the moon and sun: spring tides move more water and stronger currents, neap tides are gentler.

Heights from mean sea level (Open-Meteo, not for navigation).

Sun

First light
—
Sunrise
—
Sunset
—
Last light
—
Learn why first and last light matter

Dawn and dusk are prime time for most predators: low light hides the angler and brings bait fish up. First and last light are when the sky starts to brighten and when it goes dark.

Moon

Phase
Lit
85%
Moonrise
—
Moonset
—
Solunar
Next
Learn how the moon affects fishing
  • New moonDark nights and spring tides: predators hunt hard at dawn and dusk.
  • Waxing crescentA thin evening moon; tides ease towards neaps.
  • First quarterHalf lit, neap tides: steady, gentler feeding.
  • Waxing gibbousBrighter evenings; activity builds towards the full moon.
  • Full moonBright nights and spring tides: night feeding and strong currents.
  • Waning gibbousLate moonrise; early mornings often fish well.
  • Last quarterHalf lit, neap tides: calmer water.
  • Waning crescentDark evenings return; dawn and dusk take over again.

Solunar periods: the major ones when the moon is overhead or underfoot, the minor ones at moonrise and moonset. Fish tend to feed harder inside them, and the score's timing part counts them.

Fishing methods

How each method scores at this hour. Auto picks the best method for every hour; the Method menu shows one method on the chart.

  • Bottom Fishing —
  • Surfcasting —
  • Drift Fishing —
  • Spinning —

Lure Box

Mixed light: start with a natural-coloured minnow and go brighter if fish ignore it.

Species

Each species' score at this hour. Open one to see how it is doing and how to catch it.

Fish activity

Time of day

Best method

Water temp

Species details are unavailable right now.

Learn more about catching this species

Best lures for Lough Swilly

Bring the following lures to this fishing spot for the best results.

  • Casting jig
    Metal

    01

    Best for 2 species

    Casting jig

    • Ballan wrasse
    • Goldsinny-wrasse

    A casting jig you hop, drag, and swim on the bottom.

    Learn more about Casting jig

How to fish Lough Swilly

Place, water, species, best hours, and the months that matter at this fishing spot.

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Peak

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Peak

  • Midday

    High sun

    Low

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Peak

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Peak

  • Night

    After dark

    Peak

Lough Swilly tide times

  • Waxing gibbous · 84% Today 22/10 55 Medium tide High water 03:46 0.4 m Low water 09:46 -1.4 m High water 15:56 0.8 m Low water 22:18 -1.5 m
  • Waxing gibbous · 91% Tomorrow 23/10 66 Medium tide High water 04:19 0.7 m Low water 10:22 -1.5 m High water 16:26 1 m Low water 22:53 -2 m
  • Waxing gibbous · 96% Sat 24/10 77 Large tide High water 05:00 0.6 m Low water 10:55 -2 m High water 17:16 1.4 m Low water 23:18 -1.7 m
  • Full moon · 99% Sun 25/10 87 Large tide Low water 00:30 -1.6 m High water 06:32 1.5 m Low water 12:34 -1.7 m High water 18:41 1.5 m
  • Waning gibbous · 100% Mon 26/10 95 Spring tide Low water 00:53 -2.1 m High water 07:11 1.5 m Low water 13:04 -1.8 m High water 19:19 1.8 m
  • Waning gibbous · 98% Tue 27/10 100 Spring tide Low water 01:31 -2.1 m High water 07:45 1.5 m Low water 13:38 -1.9 m High water 19:58 1.9 m
  • Waning gibbous · 93% Wed 28/10 101 Spring tide Low water 02:11 -2.1 m High water 08:19 1.3 m Low water 14:22 -2.3 m High water 20:47 1.4 m

Times in local time. Heights from mean sea level; the number is the tide coefficient (20–120).

When to fish

01
January
02
February
03
March
04
April
05
May
06
June
07
July
08
August
09
September
10 Now
October
11
November
12
December

Fishing methods

  • Bottom Fishing
  • Surfcasting
  • Drift Fishing
  • Spinning
  • Float Fishing
Water body

Atlantic Ocean

Sea
Explore Atlantic Ocean