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BeachBeginner/Intermediate

Greystones South Beach

Guide last updated 12 June 2026Live score checked today

You can catch Codling, Pollack and Dab here. Bring ragworm or lugworm, and fish a running ledger.

A popular shingle/sand beach directly south of Greystones town with rock outcrops at the southern end and a council-installed boulder reinforcement at the Ballygannon section. Hosts SAI/Henry's Tackle competitions, competition-grade venue. Produces good autumn bass along the wave line, codling and coalfish through winter, and plaice close in during calm warm spells. The southern end and the named hotspots at Hungry Acre and the Ballygannon stream are the productive ground.

Greystones South Beach, Wicklow shore fishing mark

TodayPOSSIBLE

WicklowModel

Greystones South Beach

Mark · Excellent

Beginner friendly

Arrive
11:00 PM
Fish
11:00 PM–12:00 AM
Target
Codling · Pollack · Dab
Method
Pulley pennel rig
Conditions
SSW 7 km/h · 0.5 m swellLive data

Bring

Ragworm · Running ledger

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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Session intelligence

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Next 48 hours

Hourly session fit with the Wicklow tide curve overlaid

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

What's here

Species running this month on this mark

Also: Flounder, Plaice, Tope, Turbot, Cod, Rockling, Whiting

Bass, Sea trout are peaking this month.

Season grid

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

SpeciesJFMAMJJASOND
BassJan: OffFeb: OffMar: OffApr: CatchableMay: CatchableJun: CatchableJul: CatchableAug: CatchableSep: PeakOct: PeakNov: PeakDec: Off
Sea troutJan: OffFeb: OffMar: OffApr: OffMay: OffJun: OffJul: CatchableAug: PeakSep: PeakOct: CatchableNov: OffDec: Off
CoalfishJan: PeakFeb: PeakMar: PeakApr: CatchableMay: CatchableJun: OffJul: OffAug: OffSep: CatchableOct: PeakNov: PeakDec: Peak
DabJan: CatchableFeb: PeakMar: PeakApr: CatchableMay: CatchableJun: CatchableJul: CatchableAug: CatchableSep: CatchableOct: CatchableNov: PeakDec: Peak
DogfishJan: CatchableFeb: CatchableMar: CatchableApr: CatchableMay: CatchableJun: CatchableJul: CatchableAug: CatchableSep: CatchableOct: CatchableNov: PeakDec: Peak
MackerelJan: OffFeb: OffMar: OffApr: OffMay: OffJun: CatchableJul: PeakAug: PeakSep: CatchableOct: CatchableNov: OffDec: Off
PollackJan: CatchableFeb: CatchableMar: CatchableApr: CatchableMay: PeakJun: PeakJul: PeakAug: PeakSep: CatchableOct: CatchableNov: CatchableDec: Catchable
SmoothhoundJan: OffFeb: OffMar: OffApr: OffMay: CatchableJun: CatchableJul: PeakAug: PeakSep: CatchableOct: CatchableNov: OffDec: Off
FlounderJan: CatchableFeb: PeakMar: PeakApr: CatchableMay: CatchableJun: CatchableJul: CatchableAug: CatchableSep: CatchableOct: CatchableNov: PeakDec: Peak
PlaiceJan: OffFeb: OffMar: CatchableApr: CatchableMay: PeakJun: PeakJul: PeakAug: CatchableSep: CatchableOct: OffNov: OffDec: Off
TopeJan: OffFeb: OffMar: OffApr: OffMay: OffJun: OffJul: OffAug: OffSep: CatchableOct: CatchableNov: PeakDec: Catchable
TurbotJan: OffFeb: OffMar: OffApr: OffMay: CatchableJun: CatchableJul: CatchableAug: CatchableSep: CatchableOct: OffNov: OffDec: Off
CodJan: OffFeb: OffMar: OffApr: OffMay: OffJun: OffJul: OffAug: OffSep: OffOct: CatchableNov: PeakDec: Peak
RocklingJan: CatchableFeb: PeakMar: CatchableApr: CatchableMay: OffJun: OffJul: OffAug: OffSep: OffOct: CatchableNov: CatchableDec: Peak
WhitingJan: CatchableFeb: PeakMar: PeakApr: CatchableMay: OffJun: OffJul: OffAug: OffSep: OffOct: CatchableNov: PeakDec: Peak

Table scrolls horizontally to show all twelve months.

Peak
Catchable
Off
Current month marked in header (Sep)

Season windows

  • BassPEAKING
    September to November
  • Sea troutPEAKING
    August to September
  • CoalfishIN SEASON
    September to April
  • 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
  • PollackIN SEASON
    March to October
  • SmoothhoundIN SEASON
    June to September
  • TopeIN SEASON
    October to December
  • TurbotIN SEASON
    July to August
  • CodOFF
    See species guide for months
  • See species guide for months
  • See species guide for months

Pack for this mark

What to bring, and the rig that matches conditions

Fishing Greystones South Beach today? Bring these.

Big bait and distance on Greystones South Beach, 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.

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 Greystones South Beach 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.

Fishing it

Tide, tactics, and local read

If I were fishing here

If I were fishing Greystones South Beach, I'd walk the tide line first, find the gutter or colour, then fish codling 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

Falling tide is the documented productive window for the broader shingle belt this beach belongs to. The hour either side of high water remains the bite-cluster window for close-in flatfish. Strong undercurrents, grip leads (4 to 5oz breakaway) are essential at all states.

Town beach with real competition history, codling and plaice in winter, bass after colour in the water.

Baits

  • Ragworm
  • Lugworm (winter)
  • Peeler crab (summer)
  • Sandeel
  • Mussel (cold months)

Methods

  • Running ledger
  • Two-hook flapper
  • Worm cocktail with spoon attractor (plaice)
  • Lure fishing (bass)

Getting there

Access, parking, hazards, and getting back safe

Access

Walk south from Greystones harbour along the seafront path. The beach begins just past the harbour wall. Two named hotspots: opposite the outflow pipe at the Hungry Acre, and around the stream at Ballygannon (where county council reinforcement creates a structural break). The most productive ground is the southern 300m near the rocky outcrops.

Parking

Best option is the Park and Ride on the outskirts of Greystones, it is free. From there it is a reasonable walk to the beach so pack light and only bring what you need for the session. Avoid overloading yourself with gear.

Hazards

Before you go

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

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 Greystones South Beach?
Greystones South Beach produces Codling, Pollack, Dab, Coalfish and Plaice. 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 Greystones South Beach?
Ragworm, Lugworm (winter), Peeler crab (summer) and Sandeel are the baits that work at Greystones South Beach, fished on running ledger, two-hook flapper and worm cocktail with spoon attractor (plaice).
Where do you park for Greystones South Beach?
Best option is the Park and Ride on the outskirts of Greystones, it is free. From there it is a reasonable walk to the beach so pack light and only bring what you need for the session. Avoid overloading yourself with gear.
How do you get to Greystones South Beach?
Walk south from Greystones harbour along the seafront path. The beach begins just past the harbour wall. Two named hotspots: opposite the outflow pipe at the Hungry Acre, and around the stream at Ballygannon (where county council reinforcement creates a structural break). The most productive ground is the southern 300m near the rocky outcrops.
Is Greystones South Beach safe to fish?
Rocky outcrops at the southern end can be slippery at low water. Busy with swimmers and walkers in summer; fish dawn and dusk. Longshore drift can be strong after a south-easterly blow.
Do I need a licence to fish at Greystones South Beach, 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, 30 cm and bass: retention allowed, 42 cm. Check the linked authority before keeping a fish.

Read before you go

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

Nearest tackle

Where to top up

Greystones town centre has a fishing tackle shop within a short walk of the harbour. Well stocked for sea fishing essentials.

Eric

Eric

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

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