Species profile
Coalfish
Coalfish on Irish piers and rock marks: tell them from pollack, catchable September to May. Feathers and metals for aggressive shoal fish.
Eric, Greystones · Reviewed Apr 2026 · IFI-aligned
Is it good tomorrow?Quick answer
Coalfish on Irish piers and rock marks: tell them from pollack, catchable September to May. Feathers and metals for aggressive shoal fish.
In season
September to MayIn season now
Typical size
300 g to 1.5 kg on harbour and rock marks
Conservation
Release advised
Season on the coast
Peak and catchable months on the Wicklow shore.
Peak Oct to Mar · catchable Sep to May
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- Peak
- Catchable
- Off season
- This month
Where they live
Harbour walls, pier mouths and rough ground where baitfish shoals run, especially in colder months when pollack fishing fades.
What to use
Feathers · Sandeel · Mackerel strip · Soft plastics · Metal jigs
How to fish them
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.
Suggested gear
Starter searches matched to tactics above
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Feather rig pack
Reliable multi-hook rig for coalfish shoals.
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Metal jig set
Fast jigs for coalfish in pier channels.
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Soft plastic shads
Shads on a jig head for exploring the water column.
Need a full shopping list? Pier lure and feather buyer guide with comparison table, prices and Amazon picks.
Wicklow marks
Arklow South Beach & FerrybankBeach
Avoca river-mouth shore complex (Ferrybank + South Beach). Bass, hounds, flatfish; historical specimen sole.
Bray HarbourPier
Dargle-mouth working harbour. LRF-style mixed-species pier; codling, dab, flounder and plaice with summer bass and mullet.
Bray Head Rocks, The Brandy HoleRockACCESS CLOSED
Serious rock mark below Bray Head. Quality pollock and wrasse for experienced anglers only, never alone.
Five Mile PointBeach
Specimen smoothhound run on spring nights, the single insight justifying this mark. May ray/plaice; nursery beach the rest of the year.
Greystones Harbour & PierPier
Sheltered marina pier, ideal for families and beginners. Good wrasse, pollock, mackerel and an established autumn squid fishery.
Greystones South BeachBeach
Accessible competition-grade town beach with reliable winter codling and close-in plaice in calm weather.
Jack's HoleBeach
Mixed beach/rock cove south of Wicklow. Autumn night fishing for bass and pollock.
Kilcoole BeachBeach
Flat shingle beach, great for beginners. Reliable flatfish year-round; codling and coalfish through the colder months.
Dublin Bay guides
Not live scored. Open a mark guide for access and tactics.
Howth PierPier
Busy Howth harbour piers with summer mackerel feathers, winter whiting and dogfish on ledger, and pollack or coalfish along the walls. Mullet cruise the inner harbour.
Balscadden BayRock
Rocky bay northeast of Howth village (Cat Rock / Split Rock area): pollack, coalfish and wrasse on float or feathers, with winter codling and night conger over rough ground.
Dollymount StrandBeach
Long firm-sand beach on Bull Island for bass and flatfish, with evening autumn tides the classic window. Codling after winter colour.
Poolbeg South WallPier
South Bull Wall out to Poolbeg Lighthouse: summer mackerel, pollack and conger on the wall, with honest notes on industrial harbour traffic.
Dún Laoghaire PierPier
East and west piers on Dún Laoghaire harbour: easy access summer mackerel, winter whiting nights, and pollack or coalfish on the walls. Inner harbour dab, plaice and mullet.
Coliemore HarbourPier
Small Dalkey harbour wall for codling, pollack and conger, with rock and sound ground toward Dalkey Island. Shore access only in this guide.
Killiney BeachBeach
Steep shingle and sand storm beach in Killiney Bay: bass and flounder after dark, winter codling and coalfish, summer mackerel when shoals push in.
Related guides and tools
Marks, tactics, bait, gear, and tomorrow's plan for this species
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Eric
Based in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, fishing the Irish coast since 2018
Target coalfish on tomorrow's plan
Ranked marks, species windows, and gear for the Wicklow shore.