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Updated for the 2026 season. Pollack are available from Wicklow marks year round, but the best shore sport runs from May through September when baitfish hold close to pier walls and rock ledges. They fight hard for their size and often dive for kelp on the first run, which makes them one of the most exciting species to target on light lure gear. Wicklow Head Long Rock, Bray Head Rocks, and Greystones Harbour Pier are reliable starting points on this coast.
When and where on the Wicklow coast
Pollack can be caught in every month, but numbers and aggression peak from May to September when water warms and sandeel and small fish shoals move inshore. Early morning and evening sessions on a rising tide usually outfish bright midday periods, when fish sit deeper under the kelp.
Wicklow Head Long Rock
Deep water close to the rock platform and strong tidal movement make this one of the top pollack marks in the county. Lures worked parallel to the kelp edge on a flooding tide produce fish through summer. Access and footing demand care; fish with a partner and check conditions.
Bray Head Rocks
Rocky ground below Bray Head holds pollack from spring through autumn. Metal lures and soft plastics retrieved along the kelp fringe are the standard approach. Low tide exposes gullies that concentrate fish, but the ground is uneven and can be slippery.
Greystones Harbour Pier
Pollack hold along the outer wall and harbour mouth where baitfish run on the tide. Cast uptide and retrieve across the current with metals or shads. Wicklow Town Harbour offers similar pier fishing on the seaward side at high water.
Rigs and tackle for shore pollock
Lure fishing is the most productive method from Wicklow piers and rocks. Float fishing with live sandeel or strip is a strong alternative when fish are finicky in clear, calm water.
Lure fishing
Cast 10 to 15g metal lures (Toby style, chrome or silver) or soft plastic shads on 10 to 15g jig heads. Retrieve steadily through the upper water column and kelp fringe. Vary speed until you find what triggers fish that day.
Float fishing
Live sandeel or a strip of sandeel under a sliding float, set so the bait swims above the kelp, catches pollack when they are hunting rather than chasing metals. Useful at Greystones and Wicklow harbours in calm conditions.
Rod
9 to 10ft spinning rod rated roughly 10 to 40g
Reel
2500 to 3000 fixed spool loaded with 15 to 20lb braid
Leader
15 to 20lb fluorocarbon, 3 to 4 feet between braid and lure or hook
Trace
No wire trace for lures; fluorocarbon leader is enough for pollack teeth and kelp abrasion
Best baits and lures
Metal lures
Toby-style spinners in chrome or silver, 10 to 15g, cast uptide from piers and retrieved across the tide. Dexter wedges and similar slim metals work well when pollack are feeding on baitfish in mid water.
Soft plastic shads
Paddle tails and sandeel imitations on 10 to 15g jig heads, worked slowly along kelp edges and pier walls. Natural and silver colours are reliable on the Wicklow coast.
Live sandeel
The most effective natural bait when float fished shallow over kelp or along harbour walls. Hook through the upper jaw or shoulder and let the eel swim on a short trace under a float.
Mackerel strip
A strip of fresh mackerel under a float catches pollack when live sandeel is unavailable. Keep baits lively in the upper water column rather than fishing on the bottom.
Playing pollock from shore
Pollack dive hard on the first run and will try to bury in kelp if you give them slack. Keep the rod tip up, maintain steady pressure, and avoid pumping the fish hard when you are close to rocks or barnacle-covered wall.
They tire relatively quickly once clear of the snags. If you plan to release fish, unhook in the water or over a wet rock and support the fish briefly before letting it go. Pollack recover well when handled carefully.
On the table, pollack are best eaten fresh. The flesh is milky white and mild, excellent pan fried or baked the same day. Frozen fillets lose quality faster than many white fish, so treat them as a same-day catch when possible.
Pollock vs coalfish: how to tell them apart
Pollack and coalfish look similar at a glance but are easy to separate once you know what to check. Getting the ID right matters on mixed pier sessions and when recording catches.
Pollack
Curved lateral line, lower jaw protrudes beyond the upper jaw, greenish-brown back fading to silver on the flanks.
Coalfish
Straight lateral line, jaws roughly equal, darker, almost black back. Often slimmer in the body when seen side by side.
Coalfish are less common from Wicklow shore marks than pollack, but both turn up on the same lures at Wicklow Head and Greystones in summer. See our pollack and coalfish guide for more detail on tactics and marks.
Recommended gear
Pollack fishing essentials
Spinning rod, reel and lures for pollack from Irish pier and rock marks.
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Shakespeare Firebird Spinning Combo 9ft
~€45A 9ft spinning setup suited to lures in the 10 to 40g range, ideal for pollack from Wicklow pier edges and rock marks. Enough length for control when fish dive for kelp.
View on AmazonAbu Garcia Cardinal X Spinning Combo
~€70A 2500 to 3000 class fixed spool reel loaded with 15 to 20lb braid is the standard for shore lure fishing. Pairs well with a 9 to 10ft spinning rod for pier and rock pollack sessions.
View on AmazonSidewinder Sandeels 6" Bass Pack
~€10Soft plastic shads in proven colours for pollack and coalfish, worked on 10 to 15g jig heads along pier walls and over kelp. Pair with chrome Toby-style metals for a complete shore lure box.
View on Amazon
