What's in season on the Wicklow shore right now
By mid-June the inshore water has usually warmed past the point where the summer species move within shore range, so from now through July is the most productive stretch of the year on the Wicklow coast. Five species are realistically catchable from the shore right now: mackerel, bass, smoothhound, wrasse and garfish. If you are new, this is the easiest time to catch your first fish from the shore. Use the links below for full species and mark guides on this site.
Mackerel: the summer staple
Mackerel are the summer staple once shoals move inshore. For June timing and pier tactics, see the dedicated guide. As a rule the harbour piers are the most beginner-friendly spots since you can fish them safely and they hold fish through the summer. Open rock marks can produce bigger fish but need more care. Dawn and the last hour of light are consistently the best windows.
Bass: the prize summer fish
Bass stay active on Wicklow surf beaches and rock marks through summer. Bass are subject to bag and size rules in Ireland; check the current limits on our sea fishing rules guide before you keep fish. For bass, the reliable summer pattern is a rising tide into dusk over a surf beach or a rock mark with some broken, churning water. Fish move in close to feed as the light drops, so an evening session usually beats the middle of the day. Sessions after dark often produce the bigger fish that move close on shingle beaches.
Smoothhound: hard-fighting and peaking now
Smoothhound favour the cleaner sand and mixed sand-and-shingle beaches from late May through September, and they feed best on an evening flood tide. Fresh peeler crab is the standout bait on a running ledger. If you are starting out, a simple pulley or running ledger with a single bait is enough.
Wrasse: summer rock-mark sport
Wrasse hold on rough, rocky, weedy ground with deep water close in through June and July when the swell stays manageable. Look for steep rock marks rather than open beaches. Fish crab or ragworm on a light leger or a float in daylight. Expect snags, and bring spare rigs.
Garfish: the surface scrapper
Garfish show off harbour piers from April through September and are often caught alongside mackerel on the same walls. Float tackle with mackerel strip in the top metre of water is the classic method. Calm evenings after a warm day are ideal when feathers are slow but baitfish still hold in sheltered water.
Pick your session
Match species to conditions and tide before you travel. Mackerel and garfish favour sheltered piers when the sea is flat; bass and smoothhound need moving water on beaches; wrasse want accessible rock with kelp. Use the live planner to see which marks score well today, then open the species guide for rigs and bait detail.
Plan your next session
Recommended gear
June and July shore essentials
Feathers, hooks, leads and a headtorch for summer Wicklow sessions.
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Mackerel Feathers 7 Hook (5 pack)
Ready-tied feather rigs for Greystones and Wicklow pier sessions when mackerel are under the wall through June and July.
View on AmazonPhoxinus Baitholder Hooks 4/0 (25 pack)
Wide gape 4/0 hooks for peeler crab and ragworm when smoothhound and bass are on the beaches this summer.
View on AmazonAny 4-6oz breakaway grip lead
5oz breakaway grip leads, five in a pack for Wicklow tidal beaches when smoothhound and bass need a firm hold on sandy ground.
View on AmazonBlack Diamond Astro 300 Headlamp
Dawn and dusk sessions for mackerel and bass often run into low light. A reliable headtorch keeps baiting and unhooking safe.
View on Amazon