Mark × species · Primary target

Pollack at Jack's Hole.

Pollack is a primary target at Jack's Hole near Wicklow. Best window on this ground: year-round (fishes best from the rocks April to November, peak Sep to Oct). Direct road access has been closed off due to holiday-home development.

Full mark guide Pollack species guide

Mark type: Beach
Skill: Intermediate/Advanced
Catalogue rank: Primary target

Why fish Pollack 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.

Rocky kelp ground, harbour walls and pier pilings where current runs past structure, often tight to the wall or reef edges.

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, Pollack is worth targeting in year-round (fishes best from the rocks April to November, peak Sep to Oct). Coast-wide, Pollack runs Year round (peaks May to August from piers and rocks).

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 is essential, slack water kills pollack fishing. Last two hours of flood and first of ebb around pier and rock marks. Dusk and dawn consistently produce the biggest fish from harbour walls.

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

Tactics on this mark

Work soft plastics or metals through the water column around structure with sink-and-draw retrieves, or float-fish sandeel just above kelp on moving water.

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

Gear: rough rock. Facing ESE.

Spinning and jigging with 10 to 20g heads
Float fishing close to the wall with a live or dead sandeel
Feathers for multiple fish in a shoal
Light lure rod, pollack are an outstanding sport fish on balanced gear
Float rig (wrasse)
Running ledger over sand patches
Texas-rigged soft plastics
Jig fishing (pollack)

Baits and lures

Pollack baits and lures: Sandeel; Mackerel strip; Soft plastic shads; Metal jigs; Feathers.

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: 0.5 to 2 kg on Wicklow rock and pier marks. Specimen class: Pollack over 3 kg are realistic from deep rough ground.

Dark green or brown back, silvery-white flanks. Lower jaw protrudes noticeably beyond the upper jaw, the clearest identification feature. Lateral line curves strongly upward above the pectoral fin. Eyes large and golden.

Tip: Pollack almost always take a moving bait. Work your lure or bait at a medium retrieve and be ready for the take, pollack hit hard and immediately dive for the kelp. Keep pressure on at all times or they'll cut you off. From pier walls, drop a float-rigged sandeel straight down the wall face and let the current work it.

Irish shore context: record class around 9.53 kg.

Same-mark companions

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

Conservation

There is a statutory minimum conservation reference size of 30 cm for pollack in the Irish EEZ (SFPA MCRS list). Since 1 June 2026, the 2026 pollack bye-law (Pollack Fishing Conservation Bye-Law No. 1028 of 2026) limits recreational anglers to three pollack per day, then catch and release. Returning larger breeding fish is strongly advised.

Guide conservation label: Bag Limit Applies.

Confirm current bag limits and closures on the Pollack 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.