Species profile
Sprat
Sprat in Wicklow harbours through winter. Catchable September to March, peak November to January. How to catch them for bait, and why finding them changes the whole session.
Eric, Greystones · Reviewed August 2026 · IFI-aligned
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Quick answer
Sprat in Wicklow harbours through winter. Catchable September to March, peak November to January. How to catch them for bait, and why finding them changes the whole session.
In season
Typical size
Conservation
Season on the coast
Peak and catchable months on the Wicklow shore.
Peak Nov to Jan · catchable Sep to Mar
- Peak
- Catchable
- Off season
- This month
Where they live
Harbours, marinas and sheltered deep water, where enormous winter shoals gather close to walls and under lights.
What to use
Size 12 to 14 sabiki · Bait feathers · Fine drop net
How to fish them
Drop tiny sabiki feathers straight down harbour walls on cold still winter nights, using only enough lead to hold depth because the shoal usually sits shallow.
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.
Sheltered marina pier, ideal for families and beginners. Good wrasse, pollack, mackerel and an established autumn squid fishery.
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 sprat on today's plan
Ranked marks, species windows, and gear for the Wicklow shore.