Whiting at Brittas Bay (South End).

Quick facts

Mark type

Beach

Skill

Intermediate

Catalogue rank

Secondary target

Why fish Whiting at Brittas Bay (South End)

Premier Wicklow bass beach. Specimen bass in storm conditions; smoothhound and rays in summer.

One of the finest beach fishing marks in Leinster.

Brittas Bay offers a long, sandy beach with parallel gully and sandbar systems that hold bass, smoothhound and rays in summer.

The southern end, away from the main car park, is the most productive ground, cleaner sand, fewer crowds.

The beach has produced specimen bass over 10 lb in coloured rough water during easterly gales, the documented persistence-rewarded condition.

Short: Premier Wicklow bass beach.

Specimen bass in storm conditions; smoothhound and rays in summer.

Open sandy and shingle beaches and harbour channels in winter, following whitebait and sandeel shoals inshore.

Mark highlight: Premier beach mark. Specimen bass in autumn storms.

Premier Wicklow bass beach, smoothhound on summer crab baits, respect surf and undertow on big days.

Hardback green shore crab is the documented top smoothhound bait, modern UK/Irish consensus (Tronixpro, Talk Sea Fishing) is that peeler is attacked too quickly by lesser species like dogfish and pouting, while hardback lasts and selects properly for hounds.

This is a tactical correction worth making in any bait advice for this venue.

Bait size discipline is critical: 2.5×1 inch sausage shape, bigger baits get picked up and dropped, which is the most common cause of dropped takes here.

The single biggest tactical insight from regional sources: the conditions tourists avoid (easterly gales with driving rain) are the conditions that produce specimen bass over 10 lb.

Season and tide

On Brittas Bay (South End) the catalogue season for Whiting is October to February. Coast-wide, Whiting runs October to April (November to January).

Wider mark season notes: Bass: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov; specimen window during E gales), Smoothhound: May to October (numbers build from late May spring tides), Thornback ray: May to October, Codling: October to February, Whiting: October to February, Flounder: October to March, Dab: October to February

Tide guidance for this mark: Flooding tide is the productive window for hounds and rays through the gullies, particularly two hours before high water until the tide peaks. After a south-easterly blow the bass fishing can be exceptional for 2 to 3 days. Documented summer requirement: ~100m casts; after storm conditions, short casts adequate.

Species tide and time pattern: Night fishing is most productive from October to February. Tides around high water and for two hours either side are the most reliable period. Cold, clear nights after a settled spell often produce the best bags.

Catalogue fishable phases: first-flood, mid-flood, high, first-ebb, mid-ebb. Peak phases: mid-flood, first-ebb.

Tactics on this mark

Fish multi-hook flappers at distance on calm winter nights around high water, using small hooks and modest baits to build bags quickly.

Pulley rig clipped down with 4/0 hook (smoothhound); Running ledger; Surface lures and weedless soft plastics (bass)

Gear class for this mark: open beach. Facing ESE. Confidence HIGH.

• Two or three hook flapper or paternoster
• Size 1 or 1/0 Aberdeen hooks
• Light mono hooklinks, whiting have good eyesight in clear water
• No large baits, whiting mouths are small
• Pulley rig clipped down with 4/0 hook (smoothhound)
• Running ledger
• Surface lures and weedless soft plastics (bass)

Baits and lures

Whiting baits and lures: Ragworm; Lugworm; Sandeel; Mackerel strip; Worm and mussel cocktails.

What this mark typically holds: Hardback green shore crab (the documented top hound bait, outlasts peeler against lesser species); Peeler crab (when bites are quick); Whole sandeel; Ragworm/squid cocktail (rays); Bait sized 2.5×1 inch sausage shape for hounds.

Hardback green shore crab (the documented top hound bait, outlasts peeler against lesser species); Peeler crab (when bites are quick); Whole sandeel; Ragworm/squid cocktail (rays); Bait sized 2.5×1 inch sausage shape for hounds

Access and ground

Take the R750 south from Wicklow town, turn east at the Brittas Bay signs. Pennycomequick Bridge over the Redcross River is the landmark on the way in. Walk south along the beach from the main car park, the further you walk, the better the fishing.

Parking: Paid parking is available at the beach. Brittas Bay is a popular destination especially in summer so arrive early to secure a space. The car park can fill quickly on fine weekends and bank holidays.

Safety: Strong longshore drift in heavy surf, be aware of your position and do not wade. Deep gullies can fill quickly on a flooding tide; mark your route back. Very busy with bathers in summer, fish the shoulders of the day (dawn and dusk).

Nearest tackle: Wicklow town (approximately 15km north) has the nearest tackle shops. Stock up before heading to Brittas Bay as there are no tackle supplies locally.

Nearest town: Brittas Bay. Skill level: Intermediate.

Size and identification

Typical shore size around 200 to 500 g from shingle beaches and piers; specimen class from about Fish over 1 kg are good shore whiting.

Silver-white with a dark lateral line and a distinctive dark spot at the base of the pectoral fin. Small mouth, slender body. Often confused with pollack, the dark pectoral spot is the key distinguishing feature. No barbel under the chin (unlike codling).

Tip: Greystones South Beach has hosted European and World Shore Championships partly because of its winter whiting fishing. The key is long casting in calm, clear conditions, whiting stay further out when the sea is flat. After a good blow they come within easy reach. Multiple hook rigs catch multiple fish, three-hook flappers are the match angler standard.

Irish shore context: record class around 2.32 kg (shore).

Same-mark companions

Other ranked targets on the same mark include Bass, Smoothhound, Thornback ray, Codling, Dogfish, Flounder. Open those pair pages or the full mark guide when you want a multi-species session.

Live ranked advice for Brittas Bay (South End) updates on Today's plan. Pair this page with the Whiting species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.

Conservation

Bag and size limits apply; take only what you’ll eat.

Guide conservation label: Bag Limit Applies.

Confirm current bag limits and closures on the Whiting species guide and /learn/rules before retaining fish.

Next steps

Related article: What's Biting Now: Wicklow Shore, September and October

Live ranked session advice for this mark sits on today's plan. Rules and bag limits: learn / rules.