Coalfish at Jack's Hole.

Quick facts

Mark type

Beach

Skill

Intermediate/Advanced

Catalogue rank

Secondary target

Why fish Coalfish at Jack's Hole

Mixed beach/rock cove south of Wicklow. Autumn night fishing for bass and pollack.

A mixed cove between Silver Strand and Brittas Bay offering both beach AND rock fishing, unusual on this coast.

Wrasse and pollack patrol the rock platforms; bass, flounder and the occasional pollack take baits and lures over the sand patches.

Regional sources also note occasional school bass outside the scored April to November window; treat winter reports as local colour, not the scored season.

Autumn night fishing is the documented best window.

Harbour walls, pier mouths and rough ground where baitfish shoals run, especially in colder months when pollack fishing fades.

Mixed cove south of Wicklow town, autumn bass and pollack at night, check access and tide cut-off.

School bass appear in numbers in winter here, which the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board guide documents and most season charts miss.

Both beach and rock fishing produce, and most anglers commit to one or the other and miss half the productive ground.

The rock platform on the right (south) side is for wrasse, pollack and bass on lures over the colour change; the sand patches are for bass and flounder on bait.

Season and tide

At Jack's Hole, Coalfish is worth targeting in October to February. Coast-wide, Coalfish runs September to May (peaks October to March autumn and winter from piers).

Wider mark season: Wrasse: April to October (peaks May to August), Pollack: year-round (fishes best from the rocks April to November, peak Sep to Oct), Bass: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov), Flounder: autumn to winter, Coalfish: October to February

Tide guidance here: Two hours either side of high water gives best access to the rock ledges and puts fish in range. At low water the ground is very rough and snaggy on the rock side. The flooding tide is best for wrasse and bass, fish the colour change where reef meets clean sand. Crab particularly good in autumn.

Moving water around piers and harbour mouths. Night tides in autumn and winter often produce the biggest fish. Coalfish are less structure-dependent than pollack and will chase prey across open ground.

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

Tactics on this mark

Fish small metals, feathers or natural baits in the flow around harbour mouths and deep pier edges, letting lures swing through the current in autumn and winter.

Float rig (wrasse); Running ledger over sand patches; Texas-rigged soft plastics; Jig fishing (pollack)

Gear: rough rock. Facing ESE.

• Same methods as pollack, spinning, jigging, feathers
• More aggressive takes than pollack, heavier gear can be used
• Float rig (wrasse)
• Running ledger over sand patches
• Texas-rigged soft plastics
• Jig fishing (pollack)

Baits and lures

Coalfish baits and lures: Feathers; Sandeel; Mackerel strip; Soft plastics; Metal jigs.

What this mark typically holds: Ragworm; Peeler crab (autumn, particularly effective); Sandeel; Mackerel strip.

Ragworm; Peeler crab (autumn, particularly effective); Sandeel; Mackerel strip

Access and ground

Direct road access has been closed off due to holiday-home development. Two access routes: opposite McDaniels pub via the caravan park (swipe-barrier access), or from the Wicklow side past the disused hotel and holiday homes (private property signage). Walk-in or coastal approach from Silver Strand or Brittas Bay is the alternative. Take the coastal road south from Wicklow town. Sturdy boots with ankle support essential. Not suitable for children or inexperienced anglers.

Parking: Parking at Jack's Hole is very limited with only a handful of spaces available near the access points. Arrive early especially at weekends as spaces fill quickly. If the small car park is full there are very few alternatives nearby so plan accordingly.

Safety: Slippery rock ledge with south-easterly swell wash. Non-slip footwear is essential. Check sea state before descending, budget for snag losses on the rock side, and never fish this mark alone.

Nearest tackle: Wicklow town tackle shops, approximately 5 to 8km north. Stock up before leaving town.

Nearest town: Wicklow. Skill level: Intermediate/Advanced.

Size and identification

Typical shore size: 300 g to 1.5 kg on harbour and rock marks. Specimen class: Larger coalfish over 2 kg possible in deep water channels.

Very similar to pollack but distinguished by a straight lateral line (not curved), a white lateral line, and a jaw that is roughly equal (not strongly protruding). Dark green-black back, pale flanks. Young coalfish (known as 'billets' or 'cuddies') are common from pier walls.

Tip: Coalfish and pollack are often caught together from the same marks. The autumn run of coalfish through Greystones Harbour can produce excellent sport, small shoals of 500 g to 1 kg fish attack feather rigs in the harbour mouth from September onwards.

Irish shore context: record class around 7.26 kg.

Same-mark companions

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

Live ranked advice for Jack's Hole updates on the daily plan. Pair this page with the Coalfish species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.

Conservation

No major concerns but keep only what you will eat fresh.

Guide conservation label: No Restrictions.

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

Other species at Jack's Hole

• Bass
• Wrasse
• Pollack
• Flounder
• Whiting
• Mackerel
• Dogfish
• Conger eel

Full mark guide lists all 11 catalogue pair pages.

Next steps

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