Mark × species · Primary target

Wrasse at Jack's Hole.

Wrasse is a primary target at Jack's Hole near Wicklow. Best window on this ground: April to October (peaks May to August). Direct road access has been closed off due to holiday-home development.

Full mark guide Wrasse species guide

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

Why fish Wrasse 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 ground, kelp forest and reef structure where wrasse hold tight to cover and rarely move far from their home territory.

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, Wrasse is worth targeting in April to October (peaks May to August). Coast-wide, Wrasse runs April to November (peaks June to September on rock marks).

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.

Wrasse feed throughout the day from mid-May to October. Neap tides allow safer access to rock marks. Sunny calm days in summer produce consistent sport. Avoid big swell which makes wrasse rock marks extremely dangerous.

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

Tactics on this mark

Fish float or light ledger rigs tight to kelp and rock, setting baits just above the weed and applying immediate side strain when a wrasse dives for cover.

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

Gear: rough rock. Facing ESE.

Float fishing, set the depth to just above the kelp canopy
Sink and draw with a ragworm or crab bait through rock gullies
Drop-shotting soft plastics around pier walls
Short-range fishing, wrasse don't venture far from structure
Float rig (wrasse)
Running ledger over sand patches
Texas-rigged soft plastics
Jig fishing (pollack)

Baits and lures

Wrasse baits and lures: Peeler crab; Ragworm; Harbour ragworm; Prawns; Soft plastic worms.

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 kg from shallow kelp-ledges. Specimen class: Ballan wrasse over 2 kg are realistic on deep rock marks.

Ballan Wrasse are the most common shore-caught species, heavily built with thick lips, a humped back and vivid mottled colouring ranging from brick red and orange through to deep green and brown. Males are often far more colourful than females. Corkwing Wrasse are smaller and more slender.

Tip: Wrasse fight ferociously and immediately dive for kelp when hooked, you need to apply hard side pressure immediately to steer them away from cover. Use a relatively strong fluorocarbon hooklink (12 to 15 lb) and a small hook (size 1 or 2) to present the bait naturally. Wicklow Head Long Rock is an outstanding open wrasse mark; fish with a partner and stay clear of swell.

Irish shore context: record class around 4.59 kg (Ballan Wrasse).

Same-mark companions

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

Conservation

Highly recommended catch and release; long-lived and increasingly important as cleaner fish in aquaculture.

Guide conservation label: Highly Recommended C&R.

Confirm current bag limits and closures on the Wrasse 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.