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DUBLIN BAY & COAST

Portmarnock fishing.

Portmarnock’s Velvet Strand is the long open north-county beach in this catalogue: flounder and bass on flood and night windows, distance casting in calm, and better bass colour after easterly weather. The north rocks need a walk from the promenade car park.

1 mark · Dublin coast

Marks

Spots near Portmarnock.

Every published mark guide near Portmarnock. Open a mark for access, Port tide notes and tactics. Live session rankings stay on Wicklow.

From the shore

Fishing Portmarnock.

Fingal beach bye-laws can change what is allowed — verify before you travel. Researched catalogue notes with Dublin Bay live scores — separate from Wicklow rankings.

Species calendar

What runs near Portmarnock.

Month-by-month shore calendar for species listed on Portmarnock marks. Season bands follow the shared east-coast calendar; on Dublin Bay open sand, half flood to high usually matters more than Wicklow's falling-tide shingle habit.
Portmarnock species by month
SpeciesJFMAMJJASOND
BassJan: QuietFeb: QuietMar: QuietApr: PossibleMay: GoodJun: GoodJul: GoodAug: GoodSep: PeakOct: PeakNov: PeakDec: Quiet
CodlingJan: QuietFeb: QuietMar: QuietApr: QuietMay: QuietJun: QuietJul: QuietAug: QuietSep: QuietOct: GoodNov: PeakDec: Peak
DabJan: GoodFeb: PeakMar: PeakApr: GoodMay: PossibleJun: QuietJul: QuietAug: QuietSep: GoodOct: GoodNov: PeakDec: Peak
DogfishJan: GoodFeb: GoodMar: GoodApr: GoodMay: PossibleJun: PossibleJul: PossibleAug: PossibleSep: GoodOct: GoodNov: PeakDec: Peak
FlounderJan: GoodFeb: PeakMar: PeakApr: GoodMay: PossibleJun: QuietJul: QuietAug: QuietSep: PossibleOct: GoodNov: PeakDec: Peak
PlaiceJan: QuietFeb: QuietMar: PossibleApr: GoodMay: PeakJun: PeakJul: PeakAug: GoodSep: PossibleOct: QuietNov: QuietDec: Quiet
SmoothhoundJan: QuietFeb: QuietMar: QuietApr: QuietMay: PossibleJun: GoodJul: PeakAug: PeakSep: GoodOct: PossibleNov: QuietDec: Quiet
WhitingJan: PossibleFeb: PeakMar: PeakApr: GoodMay: QuietJun: QuietJul: QuietAug: QuietSep: QuietOct: GoodNov: PeakDec: Peak
Quiet
Possible
Good
Peak
Current month (Aug)

Access

Getting there.

Parking
Public car park at the promenade; north-end rocks are a walk.
Public transport
Bus links to Portmarnock; walk to the strand.
By road
Follow Portmarnock / Velvet Strand signs from the R106.

Access note: Open exposed beach with a fast flood over flat sand. Fingal beach/foreshore bye-laws may restrict angling — verify before travel. Respect Blue Flag / bathing rules in summer.

FAQ

Common questions.

What's the best fishing spot in Portmarnock?

Portmarnock Velvet Strand is the lead published mark for Portmarnock: Portmarnock Velvet Strand is a long north Dublin sand beach with room to move, shallow surf character and a published species pattern that includes flounder, bass, smoothhound, dab, dogfish, plaice, codling and whiting. It is not a deep-water pier mark and it should not be sold as a guaranteed bass beach. The honest appeal is mobile surf fishing on clean sand, especially after easterly wind puts colour and life into the beach. Night summer sessions toward the northern rocks are a recurring public pattern, but local access rules and proposed Fingal beach bye-law changes need checking before any session. Open the mark page for access, tides, tactics and the Dublin Bay live score — separate from Wicklow rankings.

Do I need a fishing licence to fish from the shore in Portmarnock?

No state licence is required for sea angling in Ireland. The state rod licence covers salmon and sea trout only. If you plan to target sea trout from the shore, a state licence is required.

When is the best time to fish Portmarnock?

Night and flood tides for bass and flounder. May to July for smoothhound on crab when reports support it. Winter nights for whiting and dogfish.

NEXT STEP

Ready to fish Portmarnock?

Portmarnock marks cover access, Port tide notes, tactics and Dublin Bay live scores. Today's plan ranks Wicklow marks separately.