A fishing lough, plainly
Lough Craghy, known locally as Tully Lake (in Irish Loch Chrathaí), is a small freshwater lough of about half a square kilometre, sitting 3km east of Dungloe in the Gaeltacht district of the Rosses. It is one of roughly 130 loughs in the Rosses fishery, and it drains westwards into Dunglow Lough. If you are not here to fish, there is little reason to make the trip: no car park to speak of, no trails, no visitor centre, no café. What it has is quiet open water and bog, and for the right person that is enough.
The fishing
The thing that brings anglers is sea trout, and they are in the lough in summer only. A 6lb sea trout was taken here on a daddy in the 2000 season, which gives a sense of what is possible after rain has lifted the water. The narrow, deep section of river between Dunglow Lough and Tully Lake is part of the same beat and fishes well too.
Fishing the Rosses system needs a permit, and the practical place to get one is Charlie Bonner’s tackle shop at The Bridge in Dungloe, who can also tell you what is moving and when. Bank fishing is the usual approach. The ground around the shore is soft and uneven in places, so wear boots that can take a wet bog and don’t count on firm footing near the water.
Practical notes
Access is free and the lough is open all year, but there is nothing laid on. Park considerately on hard ground off the eastern approach and walk in. Dungloe, a few minutes away, is where you will find toilets, food, fuel and the tackle shop, so sort yourself out there first. Weather on this coast turns fast and phone signal is patchy around the bog, so go prepared and tell someone your plan if you are heading off the road on your own.