Species profile
Plaice
Irish plaice from clean Wicklow beaches, March to September. Beaded rigs, ragworm baits and sand marks where bright-spotted flatfish feed close in.
Eric, Greystones · Reviewed Apr 2026 · IFI-aligned
Is it good tomorrow?Quick answer
Irish plaice from clean Wicklow beaches, March to September. Beaded rigs, ragworm baits and sand marks where bright-spotted flatfish feed close in.
Plaice · Running now · May to July peak on the Wicklow coast
In season
March to SeptemberIn season now
Typical size
400 to 800 g from clean sand with shell patches
Conservation
Release advised
Season on the coast
Peak and catchable months on the Wicklow shore.
Peak May to Jul · catchable Mar to Sep
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- Peak
- Catchable
- Off season
- This month
Where they live
Clean sandy ground with shell and gravel, slightly deeper than typical flounder marks; Brides Head adds worm or crab over sand patches between rocks in July to August for plaice and dab alongside the spinning species.
What to use
Ragworm · Lugworm · Sandeel strip · Ragworm and mussel cocktails
How to fish them
On Kilcoole, Greystones South and Five Mile Point use the shingle-belt falling-tide pattern for much of your fishing, but still work the close-in plaice window after easterlies or flat warm spells, when fish hold inside about 30 yards and take worm or spoon in May. At Silver Strand expect plaice May to September, with the best of it close in around high water. Wicklow Head and Brides Head want crab or worm fished onto the sand pockets in mid-summer rather than long-range casting alone.
Suggested gear
Starter searches matched to tactics above
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13ft beachcaster rod
A solid all-rounder for surf, casting and tide runs.
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6000 to 8000 fixed spool sea reel
Balanced line capacity for beach and mixed ground.
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Pulley rig ready-made pack
Fast setup for clean ground and snag avoidance.
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Crab fishing lure
Realistic crab lure for bass, works from piers, beaches and rock marks.
Need a full shopping list? Bait fishing gear 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.
Brittas Bay (South End)Beach
Premier Wicklow bass beach. Specimen bass in storm conditions; smoothhound and rays in summer.
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.
Kilcoole BeachBeach
Flat shingle beach, great for beginners. Reliable flatfish year-round; codling and coalfish through the colder months.
Silver StrandBeach
Sheltered sandy cove. Spring/autumn surf bass and a rare-for-the-east-coast spurdog fishery on summer night tides.
Dublin Bay guides
Not live scored. Open a mark guide for access and tactics.
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 plaice on tomorrow's plan
Ranked marks, species windows, and gear for the Wicklow shore.