Irish Shore Fishing
Bray Harbour from the air by day: the drying basin between two piers, looking north.

Wicklow coast

Bray Harbour

Pier or harbour wall, Bray. The usual tide here: the first of the flood into the push of the flood.

  • Codling
  • Dab
  • Flounder
  • Plaice
  • Mackerel

Tomorrow 05:06 – 10:38

Too rough

The first of the flood into the push of the flood, 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
Low 04:35Mon, 0.3 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.

Bray Harbour from the air by day: the drying basin between two piers, looking north. Illustration, made with Adobe Firefly.

Sunrise, Mon07:10

Sunset, Mon17:05

Moon, calculatedFull moon (100%)

Small Craft warning for all coasts of Ireland, in force for the Wicklow coast. Checked 22:54.Hazards not checked on site. No hazard record yet; the guide’s safety notes are below. Tide now: falling, low water at 04:35 Mon, 0.3 m. No record of whether it cuts off.

Next 24 hours at Bray

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 07:10 MonSunset 17:05 MonHigh 22:502.7 mHigh 11:10 Mon2.7 mNow
The next 24 hours: the next tide window 05:06 Mon to 10:38 Mon, Too rough; high water 22:50, 2.7 m; low water 04:35 Mon, 0.3 m; high water 11:10 Mon, 2.7 m; low water 17:00 Mon, 0.4 m; sunrise 07:10, sunset 17:05.
Wind, gusts and rain by the hour, read at Greystones
HourWind km/hGusts km/hRain mm
22:0021 from SSWnot given0
23:0021 from SW260
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

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

Piers and harbour walls today: Caution. A Met Éireann yellow warning covers this coast for the time judged. Waves 0.4 m, under the pier caution threshold.

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. The 1942 Bray Promenade, Esplanade and Seashore Bye-Laws forbid leaving fishing gear in a way that causes injury, danger, annoyance or obstruction; they are not a ban on fishing. Whether they are in force today, and whether they reach the harbour piers, is not verified yet.

Read, and it did not settle this: Bray Promenade, Esplanade and Sea-Shore Bye-Laws 1942, as published on bray.ie, 6 October 2026.

No hazard record for this mark yet. From its guide:

Busy with public year-round; family suitable on the inner walls. Standard pier safety; live boat traffic.

Met Éireann warnings

Yellow Small Craft warning until 23:59 TueIssued in 2 parts

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)

Storm Boelo: Westerly winds will reach force 6 or higher at times.

Small Craft warning for all coasts of Ireland

Level
yellow
Event
Small Craft
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
  • EI809 (Carlingford Lough to Howth Head)

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

Yellow Gale warning from 09:00 Mon 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 Mon to 23:59 Mon

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 first of the flood into the push of the flood, 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.

    Tomorrow05:06 to 10:38The first of the flood into the push of the flood in daylight., light from 07:10
    Too rough
    • South 48 km/h
    • Gusts 60
    • Some rain

    S wind 48 km/h over tomorrow 05:06 – 10:38: too rough on sustained wind.

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

    Tomorrow17:30 to 22:54The first of the flood into the push of the flood after dark.
    Too rough
    • South-south-west 57 km/h
    • Gusts 82
    • Some rain

    S wind 57 km/h over tomorrow 17:30 – 22:54: too rough on sustained wind.

  3. Yellow Small Craft warning covers this window.

    Tue05:46 to 11:13The first of the flood into the push of the flood in daylight., light from 07:12
    Too rough
    • South-west 45 km/h
    • Gusts 68
    • Dry

    WSW wind 45 km/h over Tuesday 05:46 – 11:13: too rough on sustained wind.

  4. Yellow Small Craft warning covers this window.

    Tue18:02 to 23:38The first of the flood into the push of the flood after dark.
    Hard work
    • South-west 28 km/h
    • Gusts 40
    • Dry

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

  5. Wed06:26 to 11:58The first of the flood into the push of the flood in daylight., light from 07:14
    Workable
    • South-west 28 km/h
    • Gusts 37
    • Dry

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

  6. Wed18:47 to 00:23The first of the flood into the push of the flood after dark.
    No call yet
    • The hourly forecast does not cover every hour of this window yet, so its wind is not given.
    • Gusts at least 16
    • Rain not given

Fishing it

Working harbour at the mouth of the River Dargle, two breakwaters and a slipway. The most accessible north-Wicklow venue for Dublin-based anglers. Fishes more like a UK LRF (Light Rock Fishing) venue than a heavy beachcaster mark, small hooks, light leads, rag baits are the productive setup. Codling, dabs, flounder and plaice are regular catches with bass appearing periodically in summer; shoals of mullet visit the inner harbour. When the esplanade is mobbed, Wicklow Head Long Rock is the open rock alternative for float and lure work.

In season here this month

All the species recorded here: Codling, Dab, Flounder, Plaice, Mackerel, Pollack, Coalfish, Whiting, Corkwing wrasse, Shanny, Pouting, Rockling, Bass, Grey mullet, Conger.

The law for its species

  • Pollack: Retention allowed. At most three pollack per 24 hours from 1 June 2026, then catch and release. Pollack under 30 cm go back as good practice, not by law: that EU minimum is set for commercial fishing, not for shore anglers. Rules checked 30 September 2026.
  • 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. First two hours of the fill is the most-cited productive window. HW for mackerel spinning. Night sessions on the outer wall for codling and dabs.

Methods. Two-hook flapper with size 6 hooks (LRF-style); Light spinning rod; Mackerel feathers at HW; Standard ledger for night codling.

Baits. Ragworm; Lugworm; Mackerel strip; Sandeel.

Local knowledge. Bray Harbour fishes like a UK LRF (Light Rock Fishing) venue, small hooks (size 6), light leads, rag baits are repeatedly the productive setup in SAI session reports. Bites can be in seconds and baits stripped fast, go expecting numbers of small species, not bag-fillers. Corkwing wrasse, shanny, small pollack, codling, whiting all on the same session is a typical SAI report from here. Strong species-count venue if chasing variety on a species hunt. Three location adjuncts often missed: (1) the Loughlinstown River enters the sea at the southern end of Bray beach proper, wrasse, rockling and occasional specimen autumn bass on weed-covered rock; (2) when the beach is mobbed in summer, Wicklow Head Long Rock is the open alternative for float wrasse/pollack and lure work (Bray Head Rocks stays access-closed while the cliff walk is shut); (3) deep water offshore of Bray holds tope, spurdog, ray, bull huss and smoothhound on boat work, and is only relevant for distance casts off the harbour mouth in calm conditions. The inner harbour holds conger eels and flounder and shoals of mullet are regular visitors, under-targeted mullet opportunity.

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

Getting there

Access. Harbour accessible on foot. The southern end of Bray beach proper, where the Loughlinstown River enters the sea, holds wrasse and rockling on weed-covered rock and occasional specimen autumn bass. Access to the beach is via an underpass from the R119.

Parking. Pay parking applies on the Seafront Promenade. Source: the Wicklow County Council parking page (excerpt seen 5 Oct 2026, page not opened). Which zone covers the harbour is not verified yet.

Nearest tackle. Bray town has fishing tackle shops within walking distance of the seafront.

Questions about Bray Harbour
What fish can you catch at Bray Harbour?
Bray Harbour produces Codling, Dab, Flounder, Plaice and Mackerel. 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 Bray Harbour?
Ragworm, Lugworm, Mackerel strip and Sandeel are the baits that work at Bray Harbour, fished on two-hook flapper with size 6 hooks (lrf-style), light spinning rod and mackerel feathers at hw.
Where do you park for Bray Harbour?
Pay parking applies on the Seafront Promenade. Source: the Wicklow County Council parking page (excerpt seen 5 Oct 2026, page not opened). Which zone covers the harbour is not verified yet.
How do you get to Bray Harbour?
Harbour accessible on foot. The southern end of Bray beach proper, where the Loughlinstown River enters the sea, holds wrasse and rockling on weed-covered rock and occasional specimen autumn bass. Access to the beach is via an underpass from the R119.
Do I need a licence to fish at Bray Harbour, 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. Pollack: retention allowed, no statutory minimum and bass: retention allowed, 42 cm. Check the linked authority before keeping a fish.