Irish Bass Rules: Bag Limit, Size and Spawning Closure

The three bass windows

Recreational bass rules on the Irish Sea coast are not a single open/closed switch. For 2026 there are three distinct periods:

• 1 February to 31 March: catch and release only. No bass may be retained. This is an EU conservation measure for ICES Division 7a, which includes the Irish Sea and the Wicklow coast.
• 15 May to 15 June: no bass angling at all on rod and line. This is the national spawning closure under S.I. 826/2007, not a catch-and-release season.
• All other dates: bass angling is permitted, but retention is capped at two bass per angler per 24 hours, each at least 42cm, under S.I. 826/2007.

The EU recreational allowance is three bass per day in 2026. In the Republic of Ireland the national instrument remains two per 24 hours where retention is permitted. Confirm current IFI guidance before keeping any fish.

The statutory rules

• Bag limit: two bass per angler per 24 hours when retention is allowed
• Minimum size: 42cm (tip of lower jaw to tip of tail)
• Spawning closure: no bass angling from 15 May to 15 June inclusive
• Authority: S.I. 826/2007 (Sea-Fisheries (Bass Fishing) Regulations 2007)

What the spawning closure means

During 15 May to 15 June you must not target bass at all on rod and line. That is a full angling prohibition, not a catch-and-release season. Plan Wicklow bass sessions outside that window, or switch species for those two weeks.

Outside the May to June closure you may angle for bass, but check the calendar: during February and March you must release every fish. In retention months, stay within the two-fish limit and 42cm minimum.

Catch and release in practice

Staying within the law and practising full catch and release are different choices. Many serious Wicklow bass anglers release every fish regardless of size, because bass are slow-growing and valuable breeders.

If you do retain bass, measure carefully before killing any fish, and never keep more than two in a 24-hour period.

Fishing bass on the Wicklow coast

The rules are national. Your mark choice is local. Greystones South Beach, Kilcoole, Brittas Bay and Jack's Hole are consistent bass venues when conditions align.