Irish Shore Fishing
Illustration for Arklow South Beach and the river mouth from the air.

Wicklow coast

Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank

Rock and sand, Arklow. The usual tide here: the push of the flood into high water.

  • Bass
  • Smoothhound
  • Dogfish
  • Flounder
  • Whiting

Today 06:01 – 11:38

Too rough

The push of the flood into high water, light from 07:10. Yellow Small Craft warning. Yellow Gale warning covers some or all of this window.

Wind
S 48 km/hGusts 60 km/h
Waves
1.6 mModerate surf, over the window
Tide
High 11:102.7 m

The coast’s call for these hours: effort from the wind, gusts and rain read at Greystones. Not a call on this mark, and whether the fish are there is not called.

Illustration, made with Adobe Firefly.

Sunrise07:10

Sunset17:05

Moon, calculatedFull moon (100%)

Small Craft warning for all coasts of Ireland, in force for the Wicklow coast. Checked 00:24.Hazards not checked on site. Moderate hazard: no cut-off data, strong current. Tide now: falling, low water at 04:35, 0.3 m. No record of whether it cuts off.

Next 24 hours at Arklow

Tide, light, wind and sea conditions for your session. The wind is read at Greystones; which way this mark faces is not verified yet, so it is not judged against its shore.

View detailed forecast
Sunrise 07:10Sunset 17:05High 11:102.7 mHigh 23:252.8 mNow
The next 24 hours: the next tide window 06:01 to 11:38, Too rough; low water 04:35, 0.3 m; high water 11:10, 2.7 m; low water 17:00, 0.4 m; high water 23:25, 2.8 m; sunrise 07:10, sunset 17:05.
Wind, gusts and rain by the hour, read at Greystones
HourWind km/hGusts km/hRain mm
00:0021 from SW270
01:0017 from SSW250
02:0017 from SSW220
03:0019 from S230
04:0028 from S280.4
05:0040 from S401.1
06:0045 from S491.3
07:0047 from S572.0
08:0048 from S601.2
09:0041 from SSW600.3
10:0035 from SSW550
11:0037 from SSW500
12:0041 from SSW530
13:0045 from SSW590.1
14:0045 from SSW640
15:0046 from SSW650
16:0047 from SSW660.1
17:0048 from SSW690.2
18:0048 from SSW730.2
19:0052 from S760.5
20:0055 from S801.1
21:0057 from S821.6
22:0056 from S810.4
23:0053 from SSW780.3

Wind and rain at Greystones: MET Norway. Gusts: Met Éireann. Tide: Marine Institute, predicted. Light from the sun’s position; the moon, full moon, about 100% lit, calculated.

The coast north to south

Check the latest wind at each stretch of the coast.

View all areas

Illustrations, made with Adobe Firefly.

Safety here

Rock and sand today: Caution. A Met Éireann yellow warning covers this coast for the time judged. Part of this ground is rock, so it is judged as rock. Waves 0.5 m. A rock mark is never clear until two wave models agree below the threshold: caution.

Not verified · no fact on this mark has a dated check yet

Hazards: not checked on site. Assume the worst footing and tide cut-off, and read the hazard notes below as a starting point.

Fishing permission: not checked. No bye-law, harbour rule or landowner permission has been read for this mark.

Moderate hazard

  • No cut-off data
  • Strong current

River-mouth currents. Mind the channel. Two distinct beaches. Do not confuse access points. Roadstone Pier requires permission at site office before fishing.

Met Éireann warnings

Yellow Small Craft warning until 23:59 Tue

Small Craft warning for all coasts of Ireland

Level
yellow
Event
Small Craft
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI811 (Wicklow Head to Carnsore Point)
  • EI822
  • EI817
  • EI806
  • EI812
  • EI819
  • EI820
  • EI821
  • EI807
  • EI808
  • EI810 (Howth Head to Wicklow Head)
  • EI805
  • EI813
  • EI814
  • EI815
  • EI816
  • EI818
  • EI809 (Carlingford Lough to Howth Head)

Southerly winds will reach force 6 or higher, veering westerly on Tuesday.

Yellow Gale warning from 09:00 today to 02:00 Tue

Status Yellow - Marine Gale warning for all coasts of Ireland and on the Irish Sea

Level
yellow
Event
Yellow Gale
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI811 (Wicklow Head to Carnsore Point)
  • EI822
  • EI817
  • EI806
  • EI812
  • EI819
  • EI820
  • EI821
  • EI807
  • EI808
  • EI810 (Howth Head to Wicklow Head)
  • EI805
  • EI813
  • EI814
  • EI815
  • EI816
  • EI818
  • EI824
  • EI809 (Carlingford Lough to Howth Head)
  • EI823
  • EI825

Southerly winds, veering westerly on Tuesday, will reach gale force 8 or strong gale force 9.

Yellow Wind warning from 17:00 today to 23:59 today

Status Yellow - Wind warning for Carlow, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Mayo, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow

Level
yellow
Event
Yellow Wind
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI01
  • EI10
  • EI20
  • EI03
  • EI11
  • EI30
  • EI06
  • EI04
  • EI13
  • EI31 (Wicklow)
  • EI27

Very strong and gusty south to southwest winds.

Be aware of potential impacts:

  • Debris, loose objects displaced
  • Difficult driving and cycling conditions
  • Large coastal waves
  • Some fallen trees, branches
Other warnings in Ireland

Met Éireann weather warnings for other parts of Ireland, as issued.

Status Yellow - Rain warning for Cork, Kerry

Level
yellow
Event
Yellow Rain
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI11
  • EI04

A spell of rain on Sunday night and Monday morning, turning heavy at times.

Be aware of potential impacts:

  • Difficult travelling conditions
  • Localised flooding possible
  • Outdoor events impacted

Status Yellow - Rain warning for Cork, Galway, Kerry, Mayo

Level
yellow
Event
Yellow Rain
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI10
  • EI20
  • EI11
  • EI04

A spell of heavy rain.

Be aware of potential impacts:

  • Difficult travelling conditions
  • Localised flooding possible
  • Outdoor events impacted

Status Yellow - Marine Gale warning from Slyne Head to Bloody Foreland to Belfast Lough

Level
yellow
Event
Yellow Gale
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI822
  • EI806
  • EI819
  • EI820
  • EI821
  • EI805

Southwest to west winds will reach gale force 8 or strong gale force 9.

Checked at .

The usual tide here, the next three days

The push of the flood into high water, from the predicted highs and lows. Each with the coast’s call for those hours: how hard the wind, gusts and rain make fishing.

  1. Yellow Small Craft warning, Yellow Gale warning covers this window.

    Today06:01 to 11:38The push of the flood into high water in daylight., light from 07:10
    Too rough
    • South 48 km/h
    • Gusts 60
    • Some rain
    • High 11:10, 2.7 m

    S wind 48 km/h over 06:01 – 11:38: too rough on sustained wind.

  2. Yellow Small Craft warning, Yellow Gale warning, Yellow Wind warning covers this window.

    Tonight18:24 to 23:53The push of the flood into high water after dark.
    Too rough
    • South-south-west 57 km/h
    • Gusts 82
    • Some rain
    • High 23:25, 2.8 m

    S wind 57 km/h over 18:24 – 23:53: too rough on sustained wind.

  3. Yellow Small Craft warning covers this window.

    Tomorrow06:40 to 12:12The push of the flood into high water in daylight., light from 07:12
    Too rough
    • South-west 45 km/h
    • Gusts 68
    • Dry
    • High 11:45, 2.8 m

    WSW wind 45 km/h over tomorrow 06:40 – 12:12: too rough on sustained wind.

  4. Yellow Small Craft warning covers this window.

    Tomorrow18:58 to 00:37The push of the flood into high water after dark.
    Hard work
    • South-west 29 km/h
    • Gusts 42
    • Dry
    • High 00:10, 2.8 m

    A Status Yellow Met Éireann weather warning for the Wicklow coast covers this window, so the band is no better than hard work.

  5. Wed07:21 to 12:57The push of the flood into high water in daylight.
    Workable
    • South-west 27 km/h
    • Gusts 35
    • Rain not given
    • High 12:30, 2.8 m

    Part of this window is read from six-hourly wind steps, so its wind is less exact.

  6. Wed19:43 to 01:22The push of the flood into high water after dark.
    Easy
    • West-south-west 15 km/h
    • Gusts 20
    • Rain not given

    Part of this window is read from six-hourly wind steps, so its wind is less exact.

Fishing it

A river-mouth shore complex: Ferrybank on the north side of the Avoca estuary, South Beach below the estuary mouth. The biggest accessible south-Wicklow venue for shore anglers. Bass averaging around 3 lb with larger fish annual, plus smoothhound, dogfish, flounder and small whiting through the mix. Sole over the 2 lb specimen size has been recorded historically, an unusual east-coast species note. Roadstone Pier to the south is privately owned (permission required at site office) and held the Irish Record three-bearded rockling at 3 lb 1 oz in 1990.

In season here this month

All the species recorded here: Bass, Smoothhound, Dogfish, Flounder, Whiting, Codling, Dab, Coalfish, Thornback ray, Plaice, Mackerel, Dover sole.

The law for its species

  • Bass: Retention allowed. At most two bass per 24 hours; the rest go back. Minimum size 42 cm for any bass kept. Rules checked 29 June 2026.
How it is fished

The tide. Night tides in autumn most productive across the species mix. Crab essential for the spring/summer bass and hound run.

Methods. Standard surf rigs; Crab for big bass and hounds; Lug for autumn species; Float-fished bread (Avoca estuary mullet).

Baits. Crab (essential spring/summer); Lugworm; Ragworm; Mackerel strip.

Local knowledge. Sole over specimen size (2 lb+) has been recorded historically, that is an unusual east-coast species note that justifies a niche piece in itself. The Avoca Estuary upstream of the bridge holds specimen mullet (over 5 lb) on float-fished bread in summer and flounder April to December on bottom worm or lures, this is a separate specialist fishery from the surf beach and is undertargeted. Roadstone Pier to the south is privately owned (permission required at site office) and held the Irish Record three-bearded rockling at 3 lb 1 oz in 1990, night autumn tides most productive. Arklow Piers in general are 'fishing down the wall with small hooks' LRF venues, same pattern as Bray Harbour. Tides at Arklow are influenced by offshore bank alignment, so the timing here drifts from the Wicklow harbour series the grades are built on. Treat the graded window as indicative at this mark and check a local Arklow time before you commit to a tide.

From the mark’s guide, not checked on site.

Getting there

Access. Easy car park access at South Beach. Ferrybank a short walk from the harbour. The Avoca Estuary upstream of the bridge holds specimen mullet (over 5 lb) on float-fished bread in summer and flounder April to December on bottom worm or lures. Arklow Piers in general are 'fishing down the wall with small hooks' venues, same LRF pattern as Bray. Roadstone Pier south of the town is privately owned; permission at site office.

Parking. Free car park at South Beach; harbour parking for Ferrybank.

Nearest tackle. Arklow town tackle shops.

Questions about Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank
What fish can you catch at Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank?
Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank produces Bass, Smoothhound, Dogfish, Flounder and Whiting. Which of those are actually feeding depends on the month: the season grid on this page shows the peak and catchable months for every species listed here.
What bait works at Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank?
Crab (essential spring/summer), Lugworm, Ragworm and Mackerel strip are the baits that work at Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank, fished on standard surf rigs, crab for big bass and hounds and lug for autumn species.
Where do you park for Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank?
Free car park at South Beach; harbour parking for Ferrybank.
How do you get to Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank?
Easy car park access at South Beach. Ferrybank a short walk from the harbour. The Avoca Estuary upstream of the bridge holds specimen mullet (over 5 lb) on float-fished bread in summer and flounder April to December on bottom worm or lures. Arklow Piers in general are 'fishing down the wall with small hooks' venues, same LRF pattern as Bray. Roadstone Pier south of the town is privately owned; permission at site office.
What are the hazards at Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank?
River-mouth currents. Mind the channel. Two distinct beaches. Do not confuse access points. Roadstone Pier requires permission at site office before fishing.
Do I need a licence to fish at Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank, and what can I keep?
No State rod licence for ordinary sea angling. Salmon and sea trout need one. Retention rules do apply to some species here. Bass: retention allowed, 42 cm. Check the linked authority before keeping a fish.