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).

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.

Wicklow coast

Brittas Bay (South End)

Beach, Brittas Bay. The usual tide here: the push of the flood into high water.

Bass
Smoothhound
Thornback ray
Codling
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

Small Craft warning for all coasts of Ireland, in force. Read it in full

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: cut-off risk, strong current. Tide now: falling, low water at 04:35, 0.3 m. On record as cutting off on the tide.

Next 24 hours at Brittas Bay

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
Hour	Wind km/h	Gusts km/h	Rain mm
00:00	21 from SW	27	0
01:00	17 from SSW	25	0
02:00	17 from SSW	22	0
03:00	19 from S	23	0
04:00	28 from S	28	0.4
05:00	40 from S	40	1.1
06:00	45 from S	49	1.3
07:00	47 from S	57	2.0
08:00	48 from S	60	1.2
09:00	41 from SSW	60	0.3
10:00	35 from SSW	55	0
11:00	37 from SSW	50	0
12:00	41 from SSW	53	0
13:00	45 from SSW	59	0.1
14:00	45 from SSW	64	0
15:00	46 from SSW	65	0
16:00	47 from SSW	66	0.1
17:00	48 from SSW	69	0.2
18:00	48 from SSW	73	0.2
19:00	52 from S	76	0.5
20:00	55 from S	80	1.1
21:00	57 from S	82	1.6
22:00	56 from S	81	0.4
23:00	53 from SSW	78	0.3

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

Beaches today: Caution. A Met Éireann yellow warning covers this coast for the time judged. Waves 0.5 m, under the beach 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. No bye-law, harbour rule or landowner permission has been read for this mark.

Moderate hazard

Cut-off risk
Strong current

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).

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: 00:00, Monday 26 October
Expires: 23:59, Tuesday 27 October
Issued: 06:51, Sunday 25 October

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: 09:00, Monday 26 October
Expires: 02:00, Tuesday 27 October
Issued: 13:07, Sunday 25 October

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: 17:00, Monday 26 October
Expires: 23:59, Monday 26 October
Issued: 11:39, Sunday 25 October

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: 01:00, Monday 26 October
Expires: 09:00, Monday 26 October
Issued: 10:39, Sunday 25 October

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: 16:00, Monday 26 October
Expires: 22:00, Monday 26 October
Issued: 11:41, Sunday 25 October

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: 02:00, Tuesday 27 October
Expires: 10:00, Tuesday 27 October
Issued: 13:09, Sunday 25 October

Areas

EI822
EI806
EI819
EI820
EI821
EI805

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

Checked at 00:24 today.

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

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.

In season here this month

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

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. 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.

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

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.

Local knowledge. Hardback green shore crab is the documented top smoothhound bait, modern UK/Irish consensus (Tronixpro, Talk Sea Fishing) is that peeler is attacked too quickly by lesser species like dogfish and pouting, while hardback lasts and selects properly for hounds. This is a tactical correction worth making in any bait advice for this venue. Bait size discipline is critical: 2.5×1 inch sausage shape, bigger baits get picked up and dropped, which is the most common cause of dropped takes here. The single biggest tactical insight from regional sources: the conditions tourists avoid (easterly gales with driving rain) are the conditions that produce specimen bass over 10 lb. Persistence in foul weather is rewarded. Smoothhound numbers peak around the second set of spring tides in April. Sea trout run the nearby Ennereilly River system, not Brittas, don't confuse the two when chasing trout.

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

Getting there

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.

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

Questions about Brittas Bay (South End)

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.
What are the hazards at Brittas Bay (South End)?: 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.