Sea Fishing & Boat Trips, Sligo & Donegal Bay
Join us on board our charter boats for the most amazing experience of the Atlantic Ocean! Catch that fish you’ve always dreamed of catching. Feel enthralled by the wildlife and beauty on a floating eco-tourism tour. Eat the freshest fish you’ve have ever tasted, caught by your own hand.
Sligo Boat Charters offers the best boat trips in Sligo and Donegal Bay that can be customized to do, or catch, exactly what you want. We catch more fish, offer better value for money and offer the best selection of trips and fun party ideas for beginners and experts. Simply bring wet gear and we’ll provide the rest under the nurturing eye of your highly experienced and qualified skipper.
Located in Rosses Point, Co. Sligo, nestled under the Benbulben and Knocknarea mountains, we are based in the quintessential haven of the Wild Atlantic Way. Book a trip with us so you can hear the call of the seagulls, taste the salty air and experience firsthand, the magic of Sligo Bay.We look forward to welcoming you on board!
Unforgettable Sea Fishing & Boat Adventures
Both of our vessels are available to hire as safety support vessels for any offshore and inshore works, and where compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Regulations is required. We have broad experience on marine construction sites as well as providing rescue boat services to several organisations in local, national and international events. Our skipper, Daryl, is a fully qualified helm for Sligo Bay Lifeboat (as well as the station mechanic) and has an impeccable safety record, coming highly recommended from several state, private and commercial companies.
Capturing the Spirit of the Sea
Skipper Services Ireland, Daryl Ewing
Daryl learned his trade from his late father, Harry Ewing. Harry was a commercial fisherman and head of the local RNLI station for Sligo bay.
Being a keen angling enthusiast since his father first showed him the bay at the tender age of 5, and has shown it by winning local angling competitions since. Daryl has also fished many different species across the globe from large marlin in Cape Verde, Bluefin tuna in Maine to sailfish in Florida. He is now passing the local and international sea-faring knowledge he has learned from his own, and his father’s 50+ years of experience in the Bay to all of our clients. Finding the best sights and fishing spots, and passing on fishy tips and advice is his experience and specialty. This ensure you get the best angling experience with us.
Daryl has gained his valuable experience through the following:
- Angling worldwide, constantly fishing for new techniques, rigs and tackle
- Multiple winner of the best skipper prize at several angling competitions
- Ex commercial fisherman for lobster, crab, crayfish, spur dog, prawn, and salmon
- Commisioners of Irish Lights Sligo Head Boat Contractor
- RNLI Helmsman and Mechanic
- Survey Vessel Sligo and Donegal Bay
- Boatman for Sligo Yacht Club, (after finishing his sailing courses there!)
- Pilot vessel for the local harbour board.
- Driving water taxi vessels in Boston Harbour (and has even built up registered sea time on the North Sea!)
- Consistently ranked in top 5 bluefin tuna skippers in Ireland
- Enjoyed a 100% hook up ratio in the 2022 Bluefin Tuna season
Recently Daryl also spent some time working as camera vessel, and head of Marine Safety for the feature film Occi vs the World, Calvary and with other screen productions such as BBC Coast (Series 5) and RTE’s Living the Wildlife (Series 4).
Daryl is also the head contractor for Irish Lights (Lighthouse Keepers) for the last number of years around Sligo Bay and is a member of the North West Chartered Skipper Association.
He also has experience at marine surveys and other harbour related works, having being involved in them, and even boat salvage work since a young age.
At the 2010 AGM, Daryl was elected secretary and joint marketing consultant for the North West Charterd Skippers Association, and is a current member of the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers (IFSA) and Mullaghmore SAC (Sea Angling Club).


A Word From Your Skipper on Fishing in Ireland
Hello all and welcome to my website. My name is Daryl Ewing and you may have guessed I run this charter company called Sligo Boat Charters aka Ewing’s.
I’m delighted to get this opportunity to tell you a little bit about my business and a little on charter sea fishing in the North West of Ireland.
First off, a little about myself. Although I have sea experience worldwide, my background in fishing has mainly been commercial, helping my dad on his trawler with his sea-fishing business since I could walk. It wasn’t long after that that I could hold a rod, and another decade or two later, I managed to turn my hobby into a passion for life.
I now run a successful charter business departing from Rosses Point in Sligo which currently operates two vessels, the latest one having being bought in 2015. We have rods and tackle available for hire on board which includes everything from light spinning class to stand up tuna gear which is connected to top class tackle from around the globe. In my spare time I am the Sligo Bay Lifeboat Mechanic and a volunteer helm for the lifeboat.
You don’t have to go to Gloucester Massachusetts to catch giant Bluefin tuna nor Westport to catch common skate! The areas in Sligo and Donegal Bay which I target have excellent varied ground for everything from these monsters to sea trout and shark. We catch a massive variety of over 40 species in Sligo and Donegal Bay (our prime location gives us a great choice between both bays). Getting out on the water isn’t just about the fishing though, (although it’s a huge part) it’s fantastic for getting people together from anniversaries to team building and I love opening people’s eyes to the wealth of our ocean and getting the craic going. It’s amazing to see how a hot mug of tea on a wet day or some fresh mackerel landing on the pan can put a smile on someone’s face!
I especially love the challenge of an angler telling me what his or her target species is for the day and seeing their dream come true. I also enjoy paying attention to the little details, giving advice and tips to anglers and watching their catch rates improve drastically. Advice is a big part of the job from the first phone call to giving an indication of the gear to bring on the day, to where to get your fish cooked up after, or where to get the best pint that night! Fishing lessons are free and even the experts have been known to pick up the odd tip here and there.
We offer all types of angling from trolling to reefs & sandbanks and more but a lot of customers especially enjoy the spinning on light gear. The really big ones fight like tigers and it’s hard to beat the rush you get when a really big one bends the rod in two and rips off most of the spool. Game fishing is another favourite for seasoned anglers with species like sea trout, tope, skate, shark and giant bluefin tuna available. I keep a detailed diary and constantly try new spots and techniques for different species on days off and know that when you put the work in you will get the reward. I believe it’s this will to experiment, improve and succeed coupled with excellent catch ratios which keep my customers coming back for more.
No matter where you choose to go fishing, it’s important to choose a good charter skipper, not only so you can enjoy some of the most rigorous safety standards in Europe, regulated by the Marine Survey Office in Ireland, but so you know you are visiting the best spots in that area according to the local and seasonal conditions on that day. As I often tell customers, it’s all well and good to buy a boat, but it takes a lifetime to learn how to put it where the fish are!
So that’s it for my little blurb on fishing in our little part of Ireland. I hope you enjoy the blog and the next time when you’re booking a charter that you don’t leave things to chance and come out and enjoy the excellent fishing in Sligo and Donegal Bay with me.
Give me a call on : +353 (0) 86 8913618


Our newest arrival – The M.V. Sarah Marie
Sarah Marie is an Aquastar33 purpose-built charter boat, powered by a 225hp straight 6 turbo perkins engine, capable of cruising at 12-18 knots and is also equipped with all the finest latest technologies. She is bigger and faster than our last boat and licensed for up to 12 persons. On her you will be guaranteed to be spending less time steaming and more time fishing in comfort!
She holds a “P5” Dept. Marine passenger licence and is fully equipped with all the very latest in navigation and fishfinding electronics. She is also equipped with all the latest safety equipment including liferaft, EPIRBs, Radar, VHF DSC radios and lifejackets., as well as public announcement system and speakers on deck.
Onboard there is also an outside accessible sea toilet, interior seating/changing area and speaker system which allows parties to plug in their laptops, CDs or iPods for easy listening on deck. There is also a ladder on the stern, and opening easy-access gunnel on port for divers, swimmers and landing in those BIG fish! This, combined with permanent steps inside the gunnel also makes for easy embarkation for passengers less sure of themselves.





M.V. Dalemoor
Dalemoor is a modified 19ft Malahide type GRP punt, powered by a 20/15/10hp Mercury, Honda or Mariner outboard engine depending on her use.
She holds a “P4” Dept. Marine passenger licence and a few minor modifications have been added to the malahide workboat design by the skipper when she was built new, such as a plank higher gunnels for sea worthiness and to stop extra waves (keeps you dryer!), bilge keels to increase stability, stainless steel hull reinforcement, sand ballast in the bow and a slightly more raised deck to make her a more comfortable cruising vessel for her short journeys. She also carries self-pumping bilge arrangements, nav lights and a combined chartplotter / sonar unit.
Both M.V. Sarah Marie and M.V. Dalemoor are appropriately licensed by the Department of Marine and available for commercial and survey work as required.

Our Premier Experiences
|
CHARTER TYPE |
MIDWEEK (MON-FRI) CHARTER RATE |
WEEKEND / BANK HOLIDAY CHARTER RATE |
ROD AND TACKLE HIRE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Full Day Bluefin Tuna |
€900* |
€950* |
*included |
|
Full Day |
€550 |
€600 |
€15 (Deep Sea & Spinning Rod) |
|
Party Charter (6 hours) |
€500* |
€550* |
*included |
|
Half Day (4 hours) |
€380* |
€400* |
*included |
|
3 hours |
€300* |
€320* |
*included |
|
2 hours |
€250* |
€280* |
*included |