Dab at Ennereilly Strand South.

Quick facts

Mark type

Beach

Skill

Intermediate

Catalogue rank

Secondary target

Why fish Dab at Ennereilly Strand South

Remote, sandy, southerly-facing beach. Bass April to November (peak Sep to Nov), smoothhound on evening crab baits May to October.

A wild, remote sandy shallow beach south of Brittas Bay, separated from Ennereilly Strand North by the Ennereilly River (sea trout run).

The lack of fishing pressure means the fish are less wary than at more popular marks.

Bass through April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov) is the documented core fishery; smoothhound on evening tides May to October on crab.

Set realistic expectations: bass average around 3 lb with occasional bigger fish, this is a numbers-of-quality-fish venue, not a specimen-bass venue.

Clean sandy ground close inshore, often mixed with flounder on Wicklow surf and shingle beaches.

Remote southerly beach, bass April to November (peak Sep to Nov), evening smoothhound on crab when the sea is settled.

First, lugworm is named as the best all-round bait here (Visit Arklow / regional guides), not the peeler-crab default many beach anglers reach for.

Crab specifically for hounds on evening tides; lug for everything else.

Second, Ennereilly South and Ennereilly North fish completely differently: South is shallow sand for bass and hounds, North is shingle with deeper water offshore for flatfish, dogfish and occasional ray.

Season and tide

At Ennereilly Strand South, Dab is worth targeting in October to February. Coast-wide, Dab runs Year round (peaks February to March and November to December autumn through spring on clean sand).

Wider mark season: Bass: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov), Smoothhound: May to October (evening tides on crab baits), Thornback ray: May to October (occasional), Flounder: October to March, Dab: October to February, Codling: occasional in winter, Whiting: October to February

Tide guidance here: The hour either side of low and high water are the documented feeding times here, more specific than a generic flooding-tide window. Dawn sessions on a flooding spring tide in summer are the most productive. Baits fished close in catch the bass; baits at distance reach hounds and rays.

Two hours either side of high water. Any time of day or night.

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

Tactics on this mark

Fish short with two-hook flappers or simple ledgers, occasionally twitching baits along the sand to draw in inquisitive fish during the flood and around high water.

Pulley rig (rays/hounds at distance); Running ledger close in (bass); Lures (bass close in)

Gear: open beach. Facing ESE.

• Running ledger or two-hook flapper
• Size 2 to 4 hooks, dab have small mouths
• Short hooklinks keep baits on the bottom
• Pulley rig (rays/hounds at distance)
• Running ledger close in (bass)
• Lures (bass close in)

Baits and lures

Dab baits and lures: Ragworm; Lugworm; Harbour ragworm; Sandeel strip.

What this mark typically holds: Lugworm (the documented best all-round bait here); Peeler crab (smoothhound on evening tides); Worm and fish baits for general species.

Lugworm (the documented best all-round bait here); Peeler crab (smoothhound on evening tides); Worm and fish baits for general species

Access and ground

Access from the Ennereilly area or by walking south from Brittas Bay, a significant walk of 2km or more. No direct road access to this section of beach. NOTE: Ennereilly North is a distinct mark (long shingle beach with deeper water offshore) and should not be confused with this entry, North requires a longer walk from limited roadside parking.

Parking: Very limited roadside parking only at Ennereilly South. Do not obstruct farm entrances or passing places. The walk in keeps this mark unfished and productive.

Safety: Very remote, carry a fully charged phone and tell someone your plans and expected return. No facilities of any kind. The coastline is exposed to easterly swells which can arrive quickly. Self-sufficient approach is essential.

Nearest tackle: Wicklow town is the nearest tackle option. Stock up well before the trip, there is nothing available locally.

Nearest town: Brittas Bay. Skill level: Intermediate.

Size and identification

Typical shore size: 100 to 250 g from East Coast beaches. Specimen class: Fish over 400 g are very good shore dabs.

Small oval flatfish, light sandy-brown upper surface with a distinctive curved lateral line above the pectoral fin (the best identification feature). Rough to the touch on the upper surface. Eyes on the right side. Much smaller than plaice or flounder.

Tip: Dab respond well to a moving bait, occasionally retrieve a foot or two and pause. In match fishing, dab are a reliable points scorer and teams actively target them alongside whiting. On quiet sessions when the bigger species aren't showing, a single ragworm on a size 4 Aberdeen is rarely ignored.

Irish shore context: record class around 0.74 kg.

Same-mark companions

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

Live ranked advice for Ennereilly Strand South updates on the daily plan. Pair this page with the Dab species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.

Conservation

No current restrictions; keep only what you’ll eat fresh.

Guide conservation label: No Restrictions.

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

Other species at Ennereilly Strand South

• Bass
• Smoothhound
• Flounder
• Dogfish
• Cod
• Whiting
• Thornback ray

Next steps

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