What fish can you catch at Brittas Bay (South End)?

Brittas Bay (South End) produces Bass, Smoothhound, Thornback ray, Codling 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 Brittas Bay (South End)?

Hardback green shore crab (the documented top hound bait, outlasts peeler against lesser species), Peeler crab (when bites are quick), Whole sandeel and Ragworm/squid cocktail (rays) are the baits that work at Brittas Bay (South End), fished on pulley rig clipped down with 4/0 hook (smoothhound), running ledger and surface lures and weedless soft plastics (bass).

Is Brittas Bay (South End) safe to fish?

Strong longshore drift in heavy surf, be aware of your position and do not wade. Deep gullies can fill quickly on a flooding tide; mark your route back. Very busy with bathers in summer, fish the shoulders of the day (dawn and dusk).

Do I need a licence to fish at Brittas Bay (South End), 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.

BeachIntermediate

Brittas Bay (South End)

Guide last updated 12 June 2026Live score checked today

You can catch Bass, Smoothhound and Thornback ray here. Bring hardback green shore crab or peeler crab, and fish a pulley rig clipped down with 4/0 hook.

One of the finest beach fishing marks in Leinster. Brittas Bay offers a long, sandy beach with parallel gully and sandbar systems that hold bass, smoothhound and rays in summer. The southern end, away from the main car park, is the most productive ground, cleaner sand, fewer crowds. The beach has produced specimen bass over 10 lb in coloured rough water during easterly gales, the documented persistence-rewarded condition.

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Brittas Bay (South End), Wicklow shore fishing mark

TodayPOSSIBLE

WicklowModel

Brittas Bay (South End)

Mark · Excellent

Arrive: 11:00 PM
Fish: 11:00 PM–12:00 AM
Target: Bass · Smoothhound · Thornback ray
Method: Pulley pennel rig
Conditions: SSW 7 km/h · 0.5 m swellLive data

Bring

Hardback green shore crab (the documented top hound bait, outlasts peeler against lesser species) · Pulley rig clipped down with 4/0 hook (smoothhound)

ModelThe live call prefers Greystones Harbour & Pier (11:00 PM to 12:00 AM). Fish here only if you already know the ground.

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Next 48 hours

Hourly session fit with the Wicklow tide curve overlaid

Tue 0123:00	Wed 0200:00	Wed 0201:00	Wed 0202:00	Wed 0203:00	Wed 0204:00	Wed 0205:00	Wed 0206:00	Wed 0207:00	Wed 0208:00	Wed 0209:00	Wed 0210:00	Wed 0211:00	Wed 0212:00	Wed 0213:00	Wed 0214:00	Wed 0215:00	Wed 0216:00	Wed 0217:00	Wed 0218:00	Wed 0219:00	Wed 0220:00	Wed 0221:00	Wed 0222:00	Wed 0223:00	Thu 0300:00	Thu 0301:00	Thu 0302:00	Thu 0303:00	Thu 0304:00	Thu 0305:00	Thu 0306:00	Thu 0307:00	Thu 0308:00	Thu 0309:00	Thu 0310:00	Thu 0311:00	Thu 0312:00	Thu 0313:00	Thu 0314:00	Thu 0315:00	Thu 0316:00	Thu 0317:00	Thu 0318:00	Thu 0319:00	Thu 0320:00	Thu 0321:00	Thu 0322:00
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Scroll for all 48 hours

What's here

Species running this month on this mark

Dab

Also: Flounder, Plaice, Turbot, Cod, Whiting

Bass is peaking this month.

Season grid

Peak and catchable months for every species listed at this mark.

Species	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Bass	Jan: Off	Feb: Off	Mar: Off	Apr: Catchable	May: Catchable	Jun: Catchable	Jul: Catchable	Aug: Catchable	Sep: Peak	Oct: Peak	Nov: Peak	Dec: Off
Dab	Jan: Catchable	Feb: Peak	Mar: Peak	Apr: Catchable	May: Catchable	Jun: Catchable	Jul: Catchable	Aug: Catchable	Sep: Catchable	Oct: Catchable	Nov: Peak	Dec: Peak
Dogfish	Jan: Catchable	Feb: Catchable	Mar: Catchable	Apr: Catchable	May: Catchable	Jun: Catchable	Jul: Catchable	Aug: Catchable	Sep: Catchable	Oct: Catchable	Nov: Peak	Dec: Peak
Mackerel	Jan: Off	Feb: Off	Mar: Off	Apr: Off	May: Off	Jun: Catchable	Jul: Peak	Aug: Peak	Sep: Catchable	Oct: Catchable	Nov: Off	Dec: Off
Smoothhound	Jan: Off	Feb: Off	Mar: Off	Apr: Off	May: Catchable	Jun: Catchable	Jul: Peak	Aug: Peak	Sep: Catchable	Oct: Catchable	Nov: Off	Dec: Off
Thornback ray	Jan: Off	Feb: Off	Mar: Off	Apr: Off	May: Catchable	Jun: Peak	Jul: Peak	Aug: Peak	Sep: Catchable	Oct: Catchable	Nov: Off	Dec: Off
Flounder	Jan: Catchable	Feb: Peak	Mar: Peak	Apr: Catchable	May: Catchable	Jun: Catchable	Jul: Catchable	Aug: Catchable	Sep: Catchable	Oct: Catchable	Nov: Peak	Dec: Peak
Plaice	Jan: Off	Feb: Off	Mar: Catchable	Apr: Catchable	May: Peak	Jun: Peak	Jul: Peak	Aug: Catchable	Sep: Catchable	Oct: Off	Nov: Off	Dec: Off
Turbot	Jan: Off	Feb: Off	Mar: Off	Apr: Off	May: Catchable	Jun: Catchable	Jul: Catchable	Aug: Catchable	Sep: Catchable	Oct: Off	Nov: Off	Dec: Off
Cod	Jan: Off	Feb: Off	Mar: Off	Apr: Off	May: Off	Jun: Off	Jul: Off	Aug: Off	Sep: Off	Oct: Catchable	Nov: Peak	Dec: Peak
Whiting	Jan: Catchable	Feb: Peak	Mar: Peak	Apr: Catchable	May: Off	Jun: Off	Jul: Off	Aug: Off	Sep: Off	Oct: Catchable	Nov: Peak	Dec: Peak

Peak

Catchable

Off

Current month marked in header (Sep)

Season windows

BassPEAKING
September to November
DabIN SEASON
September to April
DogfishIN SEASON
September to April
FlounderIN SEASON
October to April
MackerelIN SEASON
June to September
PlaiceIN SEASON
April to August
SmoothhoundIN SEASON
June to September
Thornback rayIN SEASON
May to September
TurbotIN SEASON
July to August
CodOFF
See species guide for months
WhitingOFF
See species guide for months

Pack for this mark

What to bring, and the rig that matches conditions

Fishing Brittas Bay (South End) today? Bring these.

Big bait and distance on Brittas Bay (South End), so the pulley pennel protects the cast and presents cleanly on the drop. A light grip lead still casts clean on calm sand.

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.

Tie the pulley pennel in 5 minutes Buy pre-tied on Amazon

Hooks · pick

Wide-gape circle hooks 4/0

Strong wire circles for pennel mounting of peeler crab and sandeel. Smoothhound and bass standard on Wicklow marks.

View on Amazon

Lead · pick

FFT Pro breakaway grip leads mixed pack

Breakaway grips for surf pulley fishing at distance on open Wicklow beaches.

View on Amazon

Recommendations follow the same Wicklow-first editorial standards as the rest of the site.

Pack next

Today's conditions at Brittas Bay (South End) suit a pulley pennel rig. A heavy-duty distance rig that protects large soft baits during the cast. The hooklink slides through a pulley swivel so bait and hooks lift on splash-down while the lead anchors.

How to tie the pulley pennel rig →Session gear setup →

Fishing it

Tide, tactics, and local read

If I were fishing here

If I were fishing Brittas Bay (South End), I'd walk the tide line first, find the gutter or colour, then fish bass with one honest flood or ebb rather than casting blind for hours.

I'd skip when…

I'd skip a dumping shore-break, a hard onshore gale that fills the gutters with weed, or a dead slack with no colour.

When it fishes well

Flooding tide is the productive window for hounds and rays through the gullies, particularly two hours before high water until the tide peaks. After a south-easterly blow the bass fishing can be exceptional for 2 to 3 days. Documented summer requirement: ~100m casts; after storm conditions, short casts adequate.

Premier Wicklow bass beach, smoothhound on summer crab baits, respect surf and undertow on big days.

Baits

Hardback green shore crab (the documented top hound bait, outlasts peeler against lesser species)
Peeler crab (when bites are quick)
Whole sandeel
Ragworm/squid cocktail (rays)
Bait sized 2.5×1 inch sausage shape for hounds

Methods

Pulley rig clipped down with 4/0 hook (smoothhound)
Running ledger
Surface lures and weedless soft plastics (bass)

Getting there

Access, parking, hazards, and getting back safe

Access

Take the R750 south from Wicklow town, turn east at the Brittas Bay signs. Pennycomequick Bridge over the Redcross River is the landmark on the way in. Walk south along the beach from the main car park, the further you walk, the better the fishing.

Parking

Paid parking is available at the beach. Brittas Bay is a popular destination especially in summer so arrive early to secure a space. The car park can fill quickly on fine weekends and bank holidays.

Hazards

Before you go

Statutory rules for the regulated species at this mark. Everything else here has no bag limit or closed season.

BassRetention allowed
42 cm
Rules checked 29 June 2026Bass Fishing Conservation Bye-Law No. 826 of 2007, Council Regulation (EU) 2026/249

Rules change. Check the linked authority before you keep a fish: see all size and bag limits.

Common questions

What fish can you catch at Brittas Bay (South End)?: Brittas Bay (South End) produces Bass, Smoothhound, Thornback ray, Codling 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 Brittas Bay (South End)?: Hardback green shore crab (the documented top hound bait, outlasts peeler against lesser species), Peeler crab (when bites are quick), Whole sandeel and Ragworm/squid cocktail (rays) are the baits that work at Brittas Bay (South End), fished on pulley rig clipped down with 4/0 hook (smoothhound), running ledger and surface lures and weedless soft plastics (bass).
Where do you park for Brittas Bay (South End)?: Paid parking is available at the beach. Brittas Bay is a popular destination especially in summer so arrive early to secure a space. The car park can fill quickly on fine weekends and bank holidays.
How do you get to Brittas Bay (South End)?: Take the R750 south from Wicklow town, turn east at the Brittas Bay signs. Pennycomequick Bridge over the Redcross River is the landmark on the way in. Walk south along the beach from the main car park, the further you walk, the better the fishing.
Is Brittas Bay (South End) safe to fish?: Strong longshore drift in heavy surf, be aware of your position and do not wade. Deep gullies can fill quickly on a flooding tide; mark your route back. Very busy with bathers in summer, fish the shoulders of the day (dawn and dusk).
Do I need a licence to fish at Brittas Bay (South End), 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.

Read before you go

Related guides and tools

Species, tactics, tides, and today's plan for this mark

Nearest tackle

Where to top up

Wicklow town (approximately 15km north) has the nearest tackle shops. Stock up before heading to Brittas Bay as there are no tackle supplies locally.

Eric

Based in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, fishing the Irish coast since 2018

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Brittas Bay (South End)

Season grid

Season windows

Fishing Brittas Bay (South End) today? Bring these.

Wide-gape circle hooks 4/0

FFT Pro breakaway grip leads mixed pack

Common questions

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