Species profile
Pollack
Pollack from Wicklow rock marks and piers, see how to target them around kelp and structure with lures, float rigs and natural baits.
Eric, Greystones · Reviewed Apr 2026 · IFI-aligned
Is it good today?Quick answer
Pollack patrol Wicklow rock marks and pier walls year round, with May to August the peak for lure sport. Soft plastics, metals and float-fished sandeel at depth catch fish to 3kg when tide and light are right.
Pollack · Running now · May to August peak on the Wicklow coast
In season
Year roundIn season now
Typical size
0.5 to 2 kg on Wicklow rock and pier marks
Retention today
Retention allowedOpen
Conservation
Bag limits apply
Bag limits and closures
Live retention status and statutory rules for pollack on the Wicklow shore.
Retention today
Retention allowed
- Bag limit
- 3 per calendar day, then catch and release
- Pollack Fishing Conservation Bye-Law No. 1028 of 2026
- Minimum size
- 30 cm
- Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 (SFPA MCRS list, Irish EEZ)
Sources: Pollack Fishing Conservation Bye-Law No. 1028 of 2026 · Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 (SFPA MCRS list, Irish EEZ)
Verified June 2026Season on the coast
Peak and catchable months on the Wicklow shore.
Peak May to Aug · catchable Jan to Dec
JFMAMJJASOND
- Peak
- Catchable
- Off season
- This month
Where they live
Rocky kelp ground, harbour walls and pier pilings where current runs past structure, often tight to the wall or reef edges.
What to use
Sandeel · Mackerel strip · Soft plastic shads · Metal jigs · Feathers
How to fish them
Work soft plastics or metals through the water column around structure with sink-and-draw retrieves, or float-fish sandeel just above kelp on moving water.
Suggested gear
Starter searches matched to tactics above
Amazon.ie affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. See the fishing calendar for month-by-month targets.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. We only recommend gear we've used or would genuinely buy ourselves.
- View on Amazon →
Soft plastic shads
Sink-and-draw lures for pollack around structure.
- View on Amazon →
Metal jig set
Fast jigs for deep rock and kelp edges.
- View on Amazon →
Sandeel lure pack
Natural sandeel imitations for pollack and bass.
Need a full shopping list? Lure and jig buyer guide with comparison table, prices and Amazon picks.
Wicklow marks
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.
Clogga StrandBeach
Last Wicklow venue. Two-zone beach, deeper water north for flatfish/hounds; rock platforms south for bass on lures.
Greystones Harbour & PierPier
Sheltered marina pier, ideal for families and beginners. Good wrasse, pollock, mackerel and an established autumn squid fishery.
Jack's HoleBeach
Mixed beach/rock cove south of Wicklow. Autumn night fishing for bass and pollock.
Wicklow Head, Brides HeadRock
NE face of Wicklow Head below the golf course. Reliable spinning mark for mackerel and pollock; safer than the lighthouse rocks.
Wicklow Head, Lighthouse RocksRock
Lighthouse rocks at Wicklow Head. Deep water and severe tide rip, experienced rock anglers only. Autumn herring brings tope and conger.
Wicklow Head, Long RockRock
Southern Wicklow Head rock mark. Spinning for mackerel/pollock; bass on across-current lures at dawn/dusk.
Dublin Bay guides
Not live scored. Open a mark guide for access and tactics.
Skerries HarbourPier
North Dublin harbour walls for summer mackerel and pollack, with winter whiting, flounder and dogfish on ledger when boats allow space.
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.
North Bull WallPier
Long stone wall out from Dollymount / Clontarf into Dublin Bay. Flounder, dab, pollack, whiting and dogfish; bass possible but less consistent.
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.
Related guides and tools
Marks, tactics, bait, gear, and today's plan for this species
Read next
Species
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.
Spots
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.
Spots
Greystones Fishing Guide 2026: Pier, Beach and Rock Marks
Where to fish in Greystones: the harbour pier and South Beach. What each produces from late May and how to fish them.
Eric
Based in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, fishing the Irish coast since 2018
Target pollack on today's plan
Ranked marks, species windows, and gear for the Wicklow shore.