Soft plastic · Soft sandeel
Savage Gear Sandeel V2
The default sandeel imitation on Wicklow surf beaches. Fish slow on a jig head or weighted hook.
Best for surf bass, shingle marks
Buyer guide · Wicklow
Four profiles. Not forty.
Wicklow bass see a lot of pressure in summer. A small set of proven profiles beats a full lure wallet you never fish. Soft sandeel, surface, metal, and crab cover the east coast. The rest of the wallet waits until these four earn their keep.
Field card
When to throw what.
Read the water first. Then pick the profile. This is the decision strip that replaces a full lure box on a pressured Wicklow mark.
Affiliate disclosure: this page contains Amazon affiliate links. Irish Shore Fishing earns from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate, at no extra cost to you.
Start here
The default on Wicklow surf.
If you only buy one lure this season, make it a soft sandeel. Fish it slow on a jig head through the gullies from Brittas to Kilcoole.
Hero pick
Savage Gear Sandeel V2
The default sandeel imitation on Wicklow surf beaches. Fish slow on a jig head or weighted hook.
Buy on AmazonThe wallet
Every pick, grouped by how you fish.
Match weight to surf: lighter on calm evenings, heavier when wind pushes weed. Buy the soft plastic first, then fill the gaps your marks actually need.
Soft plastics
The everyday bass wallet on Wicklow beaches. Fish slow. Match weight to the surf.
View on Amazon
Soft plastic · Sandeel shad
Sidewinder Skerries Pro Sandeels
Alternative sandeel profile when bass are picky in clear water after a calm spell.
Best for clear-water bass
Soft plastic · Crab imitation
Crab fishing lure
Realistic crab for bass and wrasse around rock and pier structure. Slow crawl along the bottom.
Best for rock and pier bass
Surface
Only when the top foot is alive. Dawn and dusk on a flat sea.
Surface · Surface popper
Dr.Fish Popper
Walk-the-dog or steady retrieve at first light when bass are up in the film.
Best for calm dawn and dusk
Metals
When you need depth fast in a channel or along a pier wall.
Metal · 20 to 40g wedge
Alwonder Dexter wedge metals
Fast-sinking wedge for pier pollack and bass when you need depth quickly in a channel.
Best for pier and rock metals
Line system
Braid for feel and cast. Fluoro leader for clear Irish Sea water.
Mainline · J-Braid x8, 300m
Daiwa J-Braid x8 300m
Chartreuse 8-carrier braid for lure spinning. Pick 0.16 to 0.20 mm on the size picker, then add a fluorocarbon leader.
Best for bass and pollack lure mainline
Leader · Fluoro leader
Seaguar Blue Label Fluorocarbon Leader
Low-visibility trace for clear summer water. Tie direct or use a small swivel for spinning. Spool size and breaking strain vary.
Best for all lure traces
Save your money
Do not waste money on.
Common purchases that do not help on Wicklow shore marks.
Huge crankbaits designed for US striper boats.
Every colour of the same soft plastic before you know what your mark prefers.
Unweighted soft plastics on rough surf without a jig head or weedless setup.
Treble-heavy hard lures on crowded pier sessions.
Go fish
Marks and species for this kit.
More buyer guides
Plan your next session
One email, Sunday morning
The best Wicklow sessions in the week ahead.
Which marks, which tide windows, and what is running. Sunday morning, before you decide where to fish.
By subscribing you consent to the Sunday Wicklow plan emails. Privacy policy.