Whiting at Ennereilly Strand South.

Quick facts

Mark type

Beach

Skill

Intermediate

Catalogue rank

Seasonal

Why fish Whiting at Ennereilly Strand South

Remote, sandy, southerly-facing beach. Bass April to November (peak Sep to Nov), smoothhound on evening crab baits May to October.

A wild, remote sandy shallow beach south of Brittas Bay, separated from Ennereilly Strand North by the Ennereilly River (sea trout run).

The lack of fishing pressure means the fish are less wary than at more popular marks.

Bass through April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov) is the documented core fishery; smoothhound on evening tides May to October on crab.

Set realistic expectations: bass average around 3 lb with occasional bigger fish, this is a numbers-of-quality-fish venue, not a specimen-bass venue.

Short: Remote, sandy, southerly-facing beach.

Bass April to November (peak Sep to Nov), smoothhound on evening crab baits May to October.

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

Remote southerly beach, bass April to November (peak Sep to Nov), evening smoothhound on crab when the sea is settled.

Two non-obvious notes from regional sources.

First, lugworm is named as the best all-round bait here (Visit Arklow / regional guides), not the peeler-crab default many beach anglers reach for.

Crab specifically for hounds on evening tides; lug for everything else.

Second, Ennereilly South and Ennereilly North fish completely differently and should be treated as two distinct marks in any catalogue: South is shallow sand for bass and hounds, North is shingle with deeper water offshore for flatfish, dogfish and occasional ray.

Season and tide

On Ennereilly Strand South 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), Smoothhound: May to October (evening tides on crab baits), Thornback ray: May to October (occasional), Flounder: October to March, Dab: October to February, Codling: occasional in winter, Whiting: October to February

Tide guidance for this mark: The hour either side of low and high water are the documented feeding times here, more specific than a generic flooding-tide window. Dawn sessions on a flooding spring tide in summer are the most productive. Baits fished close in catch the bass; baits at distance reach hounds and rays.

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 (rays/hounds at distance); Running ledger close in (bass); Lures (bass close in)

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 (rays/hounds at distance)
• Running ledger close in (bass)
• Lures (bass close in)

Baits and lures

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

What this mark typically holds: Lugworm (the documented best all-round bait here); Peeler crab (smoothhound on evening tides); Worm and fish baits for general species.

Lugworm (the documented best all-round bait here); Peeler crab (smoothhound on evening tides); Worm and fish baits for general species

Access and ground

Access from the Ennereilly area or by walking south from Brittas Bay, a significant walk of 2km or more. No direct road access to this section of beach. NOTE: Ennereilly North is a distinct mark (long shingle beach with deeper water offshore) and should not be confused with this entry, North requires a longer walk from limited roadside parking.

Parking: Very limited roadside parking only at Ennereilly South. Do not obstruct farm entrances or passing places. The walk in keeps this mark unfished and productive.

Safety: Very remote, carry a fully charged phone and tell someone your plans and expected return. No facilities of any kind. The coastline is exposed to easterly swells which can arrive quickly. Self-sufficient approach is essential.

Nearest tackle: Wicklow town is the nearest tackle option. Stock up well before the trip, there is nothing available 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, Flounder, Dogfish, Dab. Open those pair pages or the full mark guide when you want a multi-species session.

Live ranked advice for Ennereilly Strand South 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

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