Species profile
Scad
Scad from Wicklow piers after dark. Catchable June to November, peak August to September. Night tactics, depth control and why they switch off at first light.
Eric, Greystones · Reviewed August 2026 · IFI-aligned
Is it good today?
Quick answer
Scad from Wicklow piers after dark. Catchable June to November, peak August to September. Night tactics, depth control and why they switch off at first light.
Scad · Running now · August to September peak on the Wicklow coast
In season
Typical size
Conservation
Season on the coast
Peak and catchable months on the Wicklow shore.
Peak Aug to Sep · catchable Jun to Nov
- Peak
- Catchable
- Off season
- This month
Where they live
Deep water off piers and rock marks, where shoals rise through the water column after dark to hunt small bait.
What to use
Shrimp-pattern sabiki · Small feathers · Light metal jigs · Small soft plastics · Float-fished mackerel strip
How to fish them
Fish mid-water after dark with small feathers or light jigs, counting the lure down and changing depth every few casts until you find the layer the shoal is holding in.
Suggested gear
Starter searches matched to tactics above
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12ft beachcaster rod
A solid all-rounder for surf, casting and tide runs.
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Size 40 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.
Wicklow marks
Dargle-mouth working harbour. LRF-style mixed-species pier; codling, dab, flounder and plaice with summer bass and mullet.
Serious rock mark below Bray Head. Quality pollack and wrasse for experienced anglers only, never alone.
Sheltered marina pier, ideal for families and beginners. Good wrasse, pollack, mackerel and an established autumn squid fishery.
Southern Wicklow Head rock mark. Spinning for mackerel/pollack; bass on across-current lures at dawn/dusk.
Deep-water working-harbour pier. Pollack, coalfish, winter whiting; rare connection to autumn shore-tope traffic on big distance baits.
Related guides and tools
Marks, tactics, bait, gear, and today's plan for this species
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Winter Flounder Ireland: Beach Marks and Rigs
Winter flounder on Irish beaches, October to March. Estuary mouths, short casts, ragworm ledger rigs and the flood tides that put flatfish at your feet.
Eric
Based in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, fishing the Irish coast since 2018
Target scad on today's plan
Ranked marks, species windows, and gear for the Wicklow shore.