Bass at Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank.

Quick facts

Mark type

Beach

Skill

Intermediate

Catalogue rank

Primary target

Why fish Bass at Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank

Avoca river-mouth shore complex (Ferrybank + South Beach). Bass, hounds, flatfish; historical specimen sole.

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.

Surf beaches, rocky headlands, harbour walls, estuaries and sandy gutters, most reliably in coloured, wind-driven surf and around tidal rips or white water.

Local note: Larger class

Avoca river mouth complex, bass and hounds on the beaches, check access around Ferrybank.

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.

Season and tide

At Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank, Bass is worth targeting in April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov; averaging ~3 lb, larger fish annual). Coast-wide, Bass runs April to November (peaks September to November autumn peak on Wicklow beaches).

Wider mark season: Bass: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov; averaging ~3 lb, larger fish annual), Smoothhound: May to October (crab baits), Dogfish: year round, Flounder: October to March, Codling: October to February (night), Dab: autumn to winter, Whiting: October to February, Sole: occasional summer (historical specimen-class), Plaice: spring to summer, Mackerel: June to September

Tide guidance here: Night tides in autumn most productive across the species mix. Crab essential for the spring/summer bass and hound run.

First two hours of the flooding tide in surf conditions. Dawn and dusk are most productive, bright midday sun switches them off. After a good easterly blow, any stage of tide can produce fish close in.

Fishable phases: first-flood, mid-flood, high, first-ebb, mid-ebb. Peak: mid-flood, first-ebb.

Tactics on this mark

Target the first two hours of flood on surf beaches, casting short into coloured water with crab baits or soft plastics; in calm clear conditions, switch to lures around rock edges and harbour walls at dawn and dusk.

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

Gear: general shore. Facing SE.

• Running ledger, 15 to 20 lb fluorocarbon hooklink, size 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook
• Pulley rig in heavy surf
• Soft plastics, paddle tails and shads on 10 to 20g jig heads
• Surface lures at dawn and dusk in calm conditions
• Standard surf rigs
• Crab for big bass and hounds
• Lug for autumn species
• Float-fished bread (Avoca estuary mullet)

Baits and lures

Bass baits and lures: Peeler crab (spring and autumn); Sandeel; Ragworm; Soft plastic lures; Surface poppers and walkers.

What this mark typically holds: Crab (essential spring/summer); Lugworm; Ragworm; Mackerel strip.

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

Access and ground

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.

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

Nearest tackle: Arklow town tackle shops.

Nearest town: Arklow. Skill level: Intermediate.

Size and identification

Typical shore size: 1 to 3 kg from the shore on Wicklow beaches. Specimen class: Irish specimen weight is 4.5 kg; a bass over that is a fish of the season, not a routine surf capture.

Silver flanks with a blue-grey back and white belly. Two dorsal fins, the first with sharp spines. Mouth large and slightly upturned. Young bass show faint lateral spots. Unmistakable once you've seen one.

Tip: Bass feed into the wind and surf, don't be put off by rough conditions. A short cast (30 to 50m) into coloured water consistently outperforms distance casting into the clean water beyond the surf. In calm clear conditions switch to lures and work the edges of kelp and rock.

Irish shore context: record class around 8.08 kg (17 lb 13 oz), Doughmore Strand, 2000.

Same-mark companions

Other ranked targets on the same mark include Smoothhound, Dogfish, Flounder, Whiting, Codling, Dab. Open those pair pages or the full mark guide when you want a multi-species session.

Live ranked advice for Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank updates on the daily plan. Pair this page with the Bass species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.

Conservation

Bye-Law No. 826 of 2007 applies: two bass per angler per 24 hours at 42cm when retention is permitted, catch-and-release only 1 Feb to 31 Mar (Irish Sea / EU ICES 7a), no bass angling 15 May to 15 June. Most serious anglers practice full catch and release.

Guide conservation label: Bag Limit Applies.

Confirm current bag limits and closures on the Bass species guide and /learn/rules before retaining fish.

Other species at Arklow South Beach & Ferrybank

• Smoothhound
• Dogfish
• Flounder
• Whiting
• Cod
• Dab
• Coalfish
• Thornback ray

Full mark guide lists all 12 catalogue pair pages.

Next steps

Live ranked session advice for this mark sits on Today's plan. Rules and bag limits: learn / rules.