Horseshoe Autumn Fishing Festival 2026

What to Expect

The Horseshoe Autumn Fishing Festival is a five-day fishing competition based around Enniskillen, running from 21 to 25 September 2026. It is the third of the autumn angling fixtures in the Fermanagh calendar, following the River Erne 100 at the start of September, the Fermanagh Feeder Classic in the first full week and the Fermanagh Cup in the middle of the month. Together those four events make September the busiest angling month of the year in the county.

The tourism listing carries the dates and location but not the entry fee, daily times or organiser contact, so this is one to enquire about directly rather than turn up for. Late September on the Erne system usually means cooling water and shorter days, which changes tactics from the high-summer festivals and is part of why an autumn fixture exists as a separate competition rather than an extension of the summer calendar.

Good to Know

• Monday 21 September to Friday 25 September 2026.
• Fished on the waters around Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh.
• Entry fees, daily draw times and specific venue sections are not published on the tourism listing.
• Contact Fermanagh Lakelands tourism information or the festival organisers for entry details before making arrangements.
• Anyone fishing the Public Angling Estate waters needs the relevant rod licence and permit.
• Five consecutive days of competition.
• Enniskillen accommodation is under pressure across September because of the run of angling festivals, so book early.

Getting There

Enniskillen sits on an island in the River Erne between Upper and Lower Lough Erne, and the fisheries around the town are within a short drive of the centre. Drivers from Dublin and Cavan take the A509 through Belturbet and then the A4, Belfast traffic uses the M1 and A4, and the A32 runs south from Omagh, with either city roughly ninety minutes away. Access to individual stretches is often down narrow side roads and lanes, so allow extra time on the first morning and check where you are pegged the evening before. Enniskillen bus station on Wellington Road serves Ulsterbus and Bus Eireann, but carrying tackle makes a car the realistic option.