Species profile
Spurdog
Spurdog from Wicklow sand and shingle marks: when they show, which night-tide windows work, and how to stay safe on shallow beaches.
Eric, Greystones · Reviewed Apr 2026 · IFI-aligned
Is it good tomorrow?Quick answer
Spurdog from Wicklow sand and shingle marks: when they show, which night-tide windows work, and how to stay safe on shallow beaches.
Spurdog · Running now · August peak on the Wicklow coast
In season
June to SeptemberIn season now
Typical size
Typical shore fish run to a few kilograms on night-tide sessions, very much a specialist east-coast beach target.
Conservation
Release advised
Season on the coast
Peak and catchable months on the Wicklow shore.
Peak Aug · catchable Jun to Sep
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- Peak
- Catchable
- Off season
- This month
Where they live
Sandy and shingle beaches with deeper gutters close inshore. Silver Strand is one of the few accessible east-coast marks that produces spurdog on summer night tides.
What to use
Squid · Mackerel strip · Fish baits on pulley or ledger rigs
How to fish them
Fish night tides on the marks that produce them. Silver Strand fishes best on summer night sessions, while Killoughter wants evening and night predator tactics on the shingle belt. Match your rigs and casting distance to the mark rather than a single generic rule.
Suggested gear
Starter searches matched to tactics above
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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.
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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.
Wicklow marks
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 spurdog on tomorrow's plan
Ranked marks, species windows, and gear for the Wicklow shore.