Thornback ray at Ennereilly Strand South.

Quick facts

Mark type

Beach

Skill

Intermediate

Catalogue rank

Occasional

Why fish Thornback ray 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 to slightly mixed sand off open beaches where sandeel, crab and small fish are present, often at long range.

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, Thornback ray is worth targeting in May to October (occasional). Coast-wide, Thornback ray runs May to October (peaks June to August late spring through midsummer 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.

Late spring through midsummer on clean sand. Fish the flooding tides and high-water soaks with baits anchored at long range on pulley or pennel rigs.

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

Tactics on this mark

Cast pulley rigs or up-and-over pennel rigs long over clean ground, leaving baits anchored to soak on flooding tides and around high water.

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

Gear: open beach. Facing ESE.

• Long-range pulley or up-and-over pennel rigs with fish strip or sandeel
• Crab and fish cocktails on hound sessions
• Leave baits to soak; strike only when the classic ray nod builds
• Pulley rig (rays/hounds at distance)
• Running ledger close in (bass)
• Lures (bass close in)

Baits and lures

Thornback ray baits and lures: Sandeel; Bluey or mackerel strip; Crab and fish cocktails.

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: 2 to 5 lb from Wicklow beaches. Specimen class: Rays over 8 lb are considered good shore fish locally.

Kite-shaped ray with thorn-like spines dorsally, often grey-brown with lighter mottling; underside pale. Thornback is the common large skate/ray label on Wicklow clean-sand beaches at range.

Tip: Read each beach's safety and distance notes before copying one tide rule across marks. Brittas Bay, Killoughter and Silver Strand each fish slightly differently and carry different hazards.

Irish shore context: record class around See the IFI records. Locally, 8 lb plus is a good shore ray..

Same-mark companions

Other ranked targets on the same mark include Bass, Smoothhound, Flounder, Dogfish, Dab. 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 Thornback ray species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.

Conservation

Heavily pressured in some areas; unhook carefully in the shallows and return larger breeding fish.

Guide conservation label: Catch & Release Recommended.

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

Other species at Ennereilly Strand South

• Bass
• Smoothhound
• Flounder
• Dogfish
• Dab
• Cod
• Whiting

Next steps

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