Coalfish at The Murrough.

Quick facts

Mark type

Beach

Skill

Intermediate

Catalogue rank

Secondary target

Why fish Coalfish at The Murrough

Remote wild beach between sea and lagoon. Bass, mullet, sea trout in the right conditions; specialist mullet fishery on the Vartry side.

A wild, unspoiled stretch of steep-to shingle beach running north from Wicklow town, hemmed between the Irish Sea and the Broad Lough/Vartry estuary system (15 km coastal wetland complex).

Remote and often unfished.

The steep shingle profile means deeper water is reached with shorter casts.

Bass, grey mullet (specimen-class on the Vartry estuary side, largely un-fished) and the occasional sea trout are the prizes here.

Short: Remote wild beach between sea and lagoon.

Bass, mullet, sea trout in the right conditions; specialist mullet fishery on the Vartry side.

Harbour walls, pier mouths and rough ground where baitfish shoals run, especially in colder months when pollack fishing fades.

Mark highlight: Remote wild beach. Bass, mullet, grey mullet.

Wild lagoon beach, specialist mullet and sea trout potential, not a casual first-mark choice.

The mullet fishery on the Vartry estuary / Broad Lough system is genuinely under-fished despite specimen-class fish being present.

The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board guide explicitly notes mullet 'well over the specimen weight of 5 lb' with 'little attempt to catch them', that is a published invitation to a niche worth owning.

The same outlet (covered separately as 'The Breaches' spot record) holds flounder concentrating at the freshwater interface and sea trout passing through on their run.

The Greystones-to-Wicklow shingle belt fishes best on a falling tide, not the flood that some guides claim, though the outlet itself fishes both ways for mullet movement.

Season and tide

On The Murrough the catalogue season for Coalfish is October to February. Coast-wide, Coalfish runs September to May (Autumn and winter from piers).

Wider mark season notes: Bass: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov), Grey mullet: May to October, Sea trout: July to October, Flounder: October to March, Dab: October to February, Coalfish: October to February

Tide guidance for this mark: Multi-source consensus for the Greystones-to-Wicklow shingle belt is that these venues fish best on a falling tide (Eastern Regional Fisheries Board, Planet Sea Fishing). Around the Broad Lough outlet specifically, mullet move through on the flood and back out on the ebb, both windows fish the channel. Bass at the outlet at dawn/dusk on the flooding tide.

Species tide and time pattern: Moving water around piers and harbour mouths. Night tides in autumn and winter often produce the biggest fish. Coalfish are less structure-dependent than pollack and will chase prey across open ground.

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

Tactics on this mark

Fish small metals, feathers or natural baits in the flow around harbour mouths and deep pier edges, letting lures swing through the current in autumn and winter.

Running ledger; Float-fished bread or flake (mullet, specialist fishery); Surface lures (bass at outlet); Single-handed fly (sea trout)

Gear class for this mark: general shore. Facing E. Confidence HIGH.

• Same methods as pollack, spinning, jigging, feathers
• More aggressive takes than pollack, heavier gear can be used
• Running ledger
• Float-fished bread or flake (mullet, specialist fishery)
• Surface lures (bass at outlet)
• Single-handed fly (sea trout)

Baits and lures

Coalfish baits and lures: Feathers; Sandeel; Mackerel strip; Soft plastics; Metal jigs.

What this mark typically holds: Ragworm; Peeler crab; Bread/flake (mullet); Sandeels; Worm cocktail tipped with mackerel (summer).

Ragworm; Peeler crab; Bread/flake (mullet); Sandeels; Worm cocktail tipped with mackerel (summer)

Access and ground

Park at Wicklow town beach car park or Kilcoole station. Access along the beach, a significant walk of 1 to 4km depending on starting point. No road access to the beach itself. The Broad Lough outlet under the railway bridge ('The Breaches', see separate spot record) is the singular productive feature.

Parking: Parking at The Murrough is limited and can be uncertain, options include small pull-ins along the coastal road but space is not guaranteed. Check conditions before travelling and be prepared to park further away and walk.

Safety: Very exposed to easterly winds, check the forecast carefully. No mobile coverage in parts. The lagoon outlet can be fast-flowing and dangerous at peak ebb, never wade across it. Always tell someone where you are going and your expected return time. SAC/SPA wetland, quiet behaviour is required.

Nearest tackle: Wicklow town tackle shops, or Greystones heading north. Stock up before making the walk in.

Nearest town: Wicklow. Skill level: Intermediate.

Size and identification

Typical shore size around 300 g to 1.5 kg on harbour and rock marks; specimen class from about Larger coalfish over 2 kg possible in deep water channels.

Very similar to pollack but distinguished by a straight lateral line (not curved), a white lateral line, and a jaw that is roughly equal (not strongly protruding). Dark green-black back, pale flanks. Young coalfish (known as 'billets' or 'cuddies') are common from pier walls.

Tip: Coalfish and pollack are often caught together from the same marks. The autumn run of coalfish through Greystones Harbour can produce excellent sport, small shoals of 500 g to 1 kg fish attack feather rigs in the harbour mouth from September onwards.

Irish shore context: record class around 7.26 kg.

Same-mark companions

Other ranked targets on the same mark include Bass, Grey mullet, Flounder, Sea trout, Dab, Whiting. Open those pair pages or the full mark guide when you want a multi-species session.

Live ranked advice for The Murrough updates on Today's plan. Pair this page with the Coalfish species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.

Conservation

No major concerns but keep only what you will eat fresh.

Guide conservation label: No Restrictions.

Confirm current bag limits and closures on the Coalfish 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.