Irish Shore Fishing
Top-down: the railway on its embankment crossing a short bridge over the channel through the shingle.

Wicklow coast

The Breaches, Kilcoole

Estuary, Killoughter. The usual tide here: the first of the flood into the push of the flood, and again on the first of the ebb.

  • Flounder
  • Bass
  • Grey mullet
  • Sea trout
  • Dab

Today 05:06 – 10:38

Too rough

The first of the flood into the push of the flood, 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
Low 04:350.3 m

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.

Top-down: the railway on its embankment crossing a short bridge over the channel through the shingle. 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: no cut-off data, strong current. Tide now: falling, low water at 04:35, 0.3 m. No record of whether it cuts off.

Next 24 hours at Killoughter

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 05:06 to 10:38, 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
HourWind km/hGusts km/hRain mm
00:0021 from SW270
01:0017 from SSW250
02:0017 from SSW220
03:0019 from S230
04:0028 from S280.4
05:0040 from S401.1
06:0045 from S491.3
07:0047 from S572.0
08:0048 from S601.2
09:0041 from SSW600.3
10:0035 from SSW550
11:0037 from SSW500
12:0041 from SSW530
13:0045 from SSW590.1
14:0045 from SSW640
15:0046 from SSW650
16:0047 from SSW660.1
17:0048 from SSW690.2
18:0048 from SSW730.2
19:0052 from S760.5
20:0055 from S801.1
21:0057 from S821.6
22:0056 from S810.4
23:0053 from SSW780.3

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

Estuaries 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

  • No cut-off data
  • Strong current

SAC/SPA wetland, quiet behaviour required, bird sensitivities apply. Fast-flowing channel at peak ebb, never wade across. Long walk in, no facilities, patchy mobile coverage.

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
Expires
Issued
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
Expires
Issued
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
Expires
Issued
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
Expires
Issued
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
Expires
Issued
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
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI822
  • EI806
  • EI819
  • EI820
  • EI821
  • EI805

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

Checked at .

The usual tide here, the next three days

The first of the flood into the push of the flood, and again on the first of the ebb, from the predicted highs and lows. Each with the coast’s call for those hours: how hard the wind, gusts and rain make fishing.

  1. Yellow Small Craft warning, Yellow Gale warning covers this window.

    Today05:06 to 10:38The first of the flood into the push of the flood in daylight., light from 07:10
    Too rough
    • South 48 km/h
    • Gusts 60
    • Some rain

    S wind 48 km/h over 05:06 – 10:38: too rough on sustained wind.

  2. Yellow Small Craft warning, Yellow Gale warning, Yellow Wind warning covers this window.

    Today17:30 to 22:54The first of the flood into the push of the flood after dark.
    Too rough
    • South-south-west 57 km/h
    • Gusts 82
    • Some rain

    S wind 57 km/h over 17:30 – 22:54: too rough on sustained wind.

  3. Yellow Small Craft warning covers this window.

    Tomorrow05:46 to 11:13The first of the flood into the push of the flood in daylight., light from 07:12
    Too rough
    • South-west 45 km/h
    • Gusts 68
    • Dry

    WSW wind 45 km/h over tomorrow 05:46 – 11:13: too rough on sustained wind.

  4. Yellow Small Craft warning covers this window.

    Tomorrow18:02 to 23:38The first of the flood into the push of the flood after dark.
    Hard work
    • South-west 28 km/h
    • Gusts 40
    • Dry

    A Status Yellow Met Éireann weather warning for the Wicklow coast covers this window, so the band is no better than hard work.

  5. Wed06:26 to 11:58The first of the flood into the push of the flood in daylight., light from 07:14
    Workable
    • South-west 28 km/h
    • Gusts 37
    • Dry
  6. Wed18:47 to 00:23The first of the flood into the push of the flood after dark.
    Easy
    • South-south-west 7 km/h
    • Gusts 18
    • Rain not given

    Part of this window is read from six-hourly wind steps, so its wind is less exact.

Fishing it

Marsh gullies and mountain streams from the Kilcoole shingle belt meet the sea under a railway bridge, on older maps marked as 'The Breaches'. This is ERFB Site 23, not the Broad Lough / Vartry system at Wicklow (Site 28 Broadlough on the Murrough), which lies about 12 km south. The single most under-targeted specialist mark on this stretch of coast, the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board guide explicitly notes mullet 'well over the specimen weight of 5 lb' present, with 'little attempt to catch them'. Flounder concentrate at the freshwater interface; sea trout pass through on their run; bass at dawn/dusk on the outlet.

In season here this month

All the species recorded here: Flounder, Bass, Grey mullet, Sea trout, Dab, Cod, Coalfish.

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. Mullet move into the pool behind the bridge on the flood and back out on the ebb, both windows fish the channel. Bass at the outlet on the flooding tide at dawn or dusk. Flounder concentrate at the freshwater/saltwater interface throughout the tide.

Methods. Float-fished bread or flake (mullet, specialist technique); Light ledger with worm or crab close in (flounder); Surface lures or sub-surface plugs at the outlet (bass); Single-handed fly (sea trout).

Baits. Bread/flake (mullet); Ragworm; Peeler crab; Small lures (bass/sea trout).

Local knowledge. The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board guide points straight at this mark (Site 23): 'Some of these fish appear to be well over the specimen weight of 5 lbs but to date there has been little attempt to catch them. Time spent fishing for both of these species may be well rewarded'. Two tactical points: (1) the pool BEHIND the rail line is sheltered from open-sea conditions and fishes on days the open beach is unfishable; (2) flounder concentrate at the freshwater/saltwater interface at all tides, not just slack, this is reliable winter fishing. Sea trout pass through in season; bass work the outlet at dawn/dusk on lures. Modern reports of the specimen mullet fishery are sparse, so the ground is genuinely unworked. Do not confuse this Kilcoole Breaches with Broad Lough / Murrough (Site 28 Broadlough) 12 km south, a separate flounder-focused wetland shore. SAC/SPA wetland status nearby means quiet behaviour matters.

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

Getting there

Access. Long walk in from either Kilcoole (north) or Newcastle (south). The railway bridge with the freshwater channel is the singular landmark. No road access mid-beach. The pool behind the rail line is sheltered from open-sea conditions and fishes when the open beach does not. Seasonal Little Tern cordon: each breeding season the Kilcoole Little Tern Conservation Project fences off the beach and foreshore north and south of the colony, which nests on the shingle north of the Breaches, with the south end of the fence attached to the railings of the railway footbridge. Stay out of the fenced area and keep dogs away. In 2025 the fencing went up from 1 May and the colony was watched from 15 May to 27 July (BirdWatch Ireland, Kilcoole Little Tern Conservation Project 2025 report, published on npws.ie, read 7 Oct 2026). The 2026 dates are not verified yet.

Parking. Limited; Kilcoole station or Newcastle area as starting points.

Nearest tackle. Wicklow town or Greystones tackle shops; specialist mullet bread/groundbait is BYO.

Questions about The Breaches, Kilcoole
What fish can you catch at The Breaches, Kilcoole?
The Breaches, Kilcoole produces Flounder, Bass, Grey mullet, Sea trout and Dab. 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 The Breaches, Kilcoole?
Bread/flake (mullet), Ragworm, Peeler crab and Small lures (bass/sea trout) are the baits that work at The Breaches, Kilcoole, fished on float-fished bread or flake (mullet, specialist technique), light ledger with worm or crab close in (flounder) and surface lures or sub-surface plugs at the outlet (bass).
Where do you park for The Breaches, Kilcoole?
Limited; Kilcoole station or Newcastle area as starting points.
How do you get to The Breaches, Kilcoole?
Long walk in from either Kilcoole (north) or Newcastle (south). The railway bridge with the freshwater channel is the singular landmark. No road access mid-beach. The pool behind the rail line is sheltered from open-sea conditions and fishes when the open beach does not. Seasonal Little Tern cordon: each breeding season the Kilcoole Little Tern Conservation Project fences off the beach and foreshore north and south of the colony, which nests on the shingle north of the Breaches, with the south end of the fence attached to the railings of the railway footbridge. Stay out of the fenced area and keep dogs away. In 2025 the fencing went up from 1 May and the colony was watched from 15 May to 27 July (BirdWatch Ireland, Kilcoole Little Tern Conservation Project 2025 report, published on npws.ie, read 7 Oct 2026). The 2026 dates are not verified yet.
What are the hazards at The Breaches, Kilcoole?
SAC/SPA wetland, quiet behaviour required, bird sensitivities apply. Fast-flowing channel at peak ebb, never wade across. Long walk in, no facilities, patchy mobile coverage.
Do I need a licence to fish at The Breaches, Kilcoole, 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.