When it fishes well
Flooding tide for bass on across-current lures; dawn or dusk window. Most species accessible HW ± 2 hours.
RockIntermediate
Wicklow Head, Brides Head
Guide last updated 24 May 2026Live score checked today
You can catch Pollock, Mackerel and Wrasse here. Bring mackerel strip or sandeel, and fish a spinning.
The northeast face of Wicklow Head, accessed on foot from the R750 car park down past the golf course. The safer of the three Wicklow Head rock marks, solid spinning ground for mackerel and pollock with float fishing for wrasse and coalfish. Worm and crab over sand patches between the rocks turn up dabs and plaice in July and August.
This is the northeast face of Wicklow Head below the golf course, the safer Wicklow Head spin mark for mackerel and pollock compared to Long Rock and the lighthouse rocks, and the only one of the three where the catalogue calls out worm or crab over July to August sand patches between the rocks for plaice and dab alongside the rock species.
This mark today
GoodLive right now
- WindSW 5 km/hLight
- Swell0.1mSmall
- Sea temp18°CComfortable
- High waterin 12h 27mEbbing
Primary target
Pollock
Safety
See hazards belowSpecies and seasons
Target list and season windows
Pack for this mark
What to bring, and the rig that matches conditions
Fishing Wicklow Head, Brides Head today? Bring these.
Big bait and distance on Wicklow Head, Brides Head, so the pulley pennel protects the cast and presents cleanly on the drop. A light grip lead still casts clean on calm sand.
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Hooks · pick
Wide-gape circle hooks 4/0
Strong wire circles for pennel mounting of peeler crab and sandeel. Smoothhound and bass standard on Wicklow marks.
Check price on Amazon.ieLead · pick
FFT Pro breakaway grip leads mixed pack
Breakaway grips for surf pulley fishing at distance on open Wicklow beaches.
Check price on Amazon.ieRecommendations follow the same Wicklow-first editorial standards as the rest of the site.
Pack next
Tomorrow's conditions at Wicklow Head, Brides Head suit a pulley pennel rig. A heavy-duty distance rig that protects large soft baits during the cast. The hooklink slides through a pulley swivel so bait and hooks lift on splash-down while the lead anchors.
Practical notes
On the ground
What to bring
Baits
- Mackerel strip
- Sandeel
- Ragworm
- Crab
Methods
- Spinning (mackerel/pollack)
- Float fishing (wrasse/coalfish)
- Lures across the current (bass)
- Worm/crab on running ledger over sand patches (flatfish)
Getting there
Access
Walk required from the car park on the R750 to reach the rock fishing below the golf course on Brides Head. Rough but manageable terrain, sturdy boots essential.
Parking
R750 car park near Wicklow Head.
Hazards
Walk-in from the R750 car park; rough cliff terrain. Less exposed than the lighthouse rocks but still requires care. Tide rip can be significant.
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Related guides and tools
Species, tactics, tides, and tomorrow's plan for this mark
Field note
Spinning mark below the golf course, reliable mackerel and pollock, safer than the lighthouse rocks.
Local insight
From the shore
Brides Head is the documented safer alternative to the Wicklow Head lighthouse rocks, same headland, fundamentally different risk profile. The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board guide explicitly identifies this as a spinning mark below the golf course, with float fishing for the wrasse and coalfish. The non-obvious tactical edge is the SAND PATCHES between the rocks, a worm or crab bait dropped onto these clean patches in July and August produces plaice and dabs that most anglers miss while focused on the rock species. Bass on lures cast across the current at dawn/dusk on the flood is the lure-fishing window. Pair this mark with the existing wicklow-head-fishing article, the 3-sub-mark split now lets the site direct intermediate anglers to Brides Head and reserve the lighthouse for advanced rock anglers.
Read before you go
Spots · 7 min read
Wicklow Head Fishing 2026: Pollack, Wrasse and Mackerel
Wicklow Head is the county's best rock mark: pollack, wrasse and mackerel from May to August. The three platforms, how to reach them, and what to throw.
Read guide →Species · 7 min read
Coalfish vs Pollack Ireland: How to ID and Catch Both
Coalfish or pollack? Quick ID for Irish shore anglers, then the Wicklow pier and rock marks, lures and baits that catch both from late May through summer.
Read guide →Species · 7 min read
Mackerel Fishing Ireland 2026: Season, Marks and Rigs
Are the mackerel in yet? When they run in Ireland, the best piers and rock marks to catch them, and the feather rig that works. Wicklow coast conditions updated daily.
Read guide →
Nearest tackle
Where to top up
Wicklow town tackle shops, short drive north.
Eric
Based in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, fishing the Irish coast since 2018
Ready to fish Wicklow Head, Brides Head?
Check tomorrow's plan for tides, conditions, and gear.