Mark × species · Seasonal

Mackerel at Jack's Hole.

Mackerel is a seasonal target at Jack's Hole near Wicklow. Best window on this ground: June to October. Direct road access has been closed off due to holiday-home development.

Full mark guide Mackerel species guide

Mark type: Beach
Skill: Intermediate/Advanced
Catalogue rank: Seasonal

Why fish Mackerel 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.

Open water around harbour mouths and headlands when baitfish shoals are pushed close in; often mid-water rather than tight to the surface.

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, Mackerel is worth targeting in June to October. Coast-wide, Mackerel runs June to October (peaks July to August off piers and open beaches once the shoals arrive).

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.

Early morning and evening are the most reliable windows. Mackerel feed throughout the day when shoals are present but often disappear at midday in bright conditions. Moving water always helps.

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

Tactics on this mark

Cast 20 to 30 g lures or feather rigs across the flow and retrieve at varying depths, counting down to find the level of the shoal and keeping pressure constant once hooked.

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

Gear: rough rock. Facing ESE.

Multi-hook feather or sabiki rigs, cast and retrieve at medium pace
Small metal lures for sport fishing
Float fishing a strip of mackerel for larger specimens
Float rig (wrasse)
Running ledger over sand patches
Texas-rigged soft plastics
Jig fishing (pollack)

Baits and lures

Mackerel baits and lures: Feather rigs; Sabiki rigs; Metal slices; Small soft plastics.

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: 200 to 400 g from piers and headlands. Specimen class: Heavy “jumbo” mackerel 600 g+ arrive in late summer.

Unmistakable, iridescent blue-green back with dark wavy tiger stripes, silver-white belly. Streamlined torpedo shape built for speed. Bright eyes. One of the most beautiful fish in Irish waters.

Tip: When mackerel are showing at Greystones Harbour in July and August the whole pier can be alive with fish. The key is getting the depth right, mackerel often shoal at mid-water rather than the surface. If you're missing takes, count down further before retrieving. Fresh mackerel is outstanding eating, gut and ice immediately.

Irish shore context: record class around 1.36 kg.

Same-mark companions

Other ranked targets on the same mark include Bass, Wrasse, Pollack, Flounder, Whiting, Coalfish. 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 Mackerel species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.

Conservation

Highly perishable; gut and ice immediately and take only fish you will eat fresh, frozen mackerel is poor bait and eating quality.

Guide conservation label: Bag Limit Applies.

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

Other species at Jack's Hole

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.

NEXT STEP

Open the full mark or species guide.

Pair pages assemble mark and species catalogue facts for this ground. Depth sessions live on today's plan.