Coalfish at Wicklow Head, Long Rock.

Quick facts

Mark type

Rock

Skill

Intermediate

Catalogue rank

Secondary target

Why fish Coalfish at Wicklow Head, Long Rock

Southern Wicklow Head rock mark. Spinning for mackerel/pollack; bass on across-current lures at dawn/dusk.

The southern rock mark on Wicklow Head, named locally as 'Long Rock'.

Spinning produces mackerel and pollack; lures cast across the current take bass with dawn or dusk being the documented prime window.

Fish baits will produce occasional conger.

Short: Southern Wicklow Head rock mark.

Spinning for mackerel/pollack; bass on across-current lures at dawn/dusk.

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

Southern Head rock, lure fishing for mackerel and pollack, bass on across-current lures at dawn.

Long Rock is the southern counterpart to Brides Head and is the documented bass-on-lures mark of the three Wicklow Head sub-marks.

Lures cast across the current at dawn or dusk is the explicit Eastern Regional Fisheries Board prescription, not a generalisation, a specific tactical instruction.

Pollack and mackerel come on standard spinning gear; the bass need across-current presentation to work the tidal flow.

Conger occasional on whole fish baits, under-targeted; most anglers fishing here are working for surface predators with lures and don't run a bottom rod.

Season and tide

On Wicklow Head, Long Rock 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: Mackerel: June to September, Pollack: year-round (fishes best from the rocks April to November), Bass: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov; dawn/dusk lures), Wrasse: May to September, Coalfish: October to February

Tide guidance for this mark: Across-current lure work for bass on the flooding tide at dawn or dusk is the documented prime window for the biggest fish.

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. 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.

Spinning; Lures cast across the current (bass); Float fishing; Fish-bait ledger (occasional conger)

Gear class for this mark: rough rock. Facing SE. Confidence HIGH.

• Same methods as pollack, spinning, jigging, feathers
• More aggressive takes than pollack, heavier gear can be used
• Spinning
• Lures cast across the current (bass)
• Float fishing
• Fish-bait ledger (occasional conger)

Baits and lures

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

What this mark typically holds: Mackerel strip; Sandeel; Ragworm; Whole fish baits (conger).

Mackerel strip; Sandeel; Ragworm; Whole fish baits (conger)

Access and ground

Access from the southern side of Wicklow Head. Walk required. Rough terrain.

Parking: R750 car park area.

Safety: Less dangerous than the lighthouse rocks but currents are still strong; never alone in any swell.

Nearest tackle: Wicklow town tackle shops.

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 Mackerel, Pollack, Bass, Wrasse. Open those pair pages or the full mark guide when you want a multi-species session.

Live ranked advice for Wicklow Head, Long Rock 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.