Plaice at Silver Strand.

Quick facts

Mark type

Beach

Skill

Beginner/Intermediate

Catalogue rank

Secondary target

Why fish Plaice at Silver Strand

Sheltered sandy cove. Spring/autumn surf bass and a rare-for-the-east-coast spurdog fishery on summer night tides.

A small, sheltered sandy cove tucked between rocky headlands south of Wicklow Head.

One of the cleaner sand beaches on the Wicklow coast and one of the few accessible east-coast marks for spurdog on summer night tides, under-known feature confirmed across regional sources.

Surf in spring and autumn at night is the classic productive window.

The sheltered position makes it a viable option in northerly or westerly winds when other marks are too rough.

Clean sandy ground with shell and gravel, slightly deeper than typical flounder marks; Brides Head adds worm or crab over sand patches between rocks in July to August for plaice and dab alongside the spinning species.

Sheltered cove, spring bass and a rare east-coast spurdog chance on summer night tides.

You may see this beach listed as Furzeditch East, its townland name, but every fishing source calls it Silver Strand.

Spurdog on summer night tides is the species note worth knowing: these are not common at most east-coast beaches and Silver Strand is one of the few accessible marks for them in Wicklow.

Cut-off risk at high tide is the genuine safety story here, more than slippery rocks: the beach physically separates into coves and anglers have been caught out.

Season and tide

At Silver Strand, Plaice is worth targeting in May to September. Coast-wide, Plaice runs March to September (peaks May to July on clean sand and shingle. Five Mile Point fishes best early in the season for plaice on worm or spoon, Kilcoole and Greystones South fish well on calm warm days with plaice inside about 30 yards, and Silver Strand holds fish close in around high water.).

Wider mark season: Bass: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov), Flounder: October to March, Dab: October to February, Plaice: May to September, Spurdog: summer (night tides), Mackerel: June to September, Thornback ray: occasional summer

Tide guidance here: High water and the two hours either side give the best fishing. The beach is relatively shallow and fish move in closest at the top of the tide. Flooding tide on a summer evening is the best time for bass along the shoreline. Spring/autumn surf at night for the bigger bass.

Two hours either side of high water. Spring tides push plaice onto shallow feeding grounds. Warm calm days in April to June can produce fish at any state of tide over clean sand.

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

Tactics on this mark

On Kilcoole, Greystones South and Five Mile Point use the shingle-belt falling-tide pattern for much of your fishing, but still work the close-in plaice window after easterlies or flat warm spells, when fish hold inside about 30 yards and take worm or spoon in May. At Silver Strand expect plaice May to September, with the best of it close in around high water. Wicklow Head and Brides Head want crab or worm fished onto the sand pockets in mid-summer rather than long-range casting alone.

Two-hook flapper; Running ledger; Light spinning (bass); Pulley rig at distance (occasional ray, spurdog)

Gear: general shore. Facing ESE.

• Running ledger with a 12 to 18 inch hooklink
• Two-hook flapper to cover ground
• Size 1 or 2 Aberdeen, light wire hook to present worm naturally
• Attractor beads above the hook, orange and red are plaice favourites
• Two-hook flapper
• Running ledger
• Light spinning (bass)
• Pulley rig at distance (occasional ray, spurdog)

Baits and lures

Plaice baits and lures: Ragworm; Lugworm; Sandeel strip; Ragworm and mussel cocktails.

What this mark typically holds: Ragworm; Lugworm; Sandeel; Squid for spurdog.

Ragworm; Lugworm; Sandeel; Squid for spurdog

Access and ground

Follow the coastal road south from Wicklow town, signed from the R750. Access through caravan parks. Short walk from the car park.

Parking: Small car park at the strand, fills quickly in summer. Seasonal charges may apply. Arrive early in July and August.

Safety: The beach separates into coves at high tide, creating a genuine cut-off risk. Mark your retreat route on arrival. Rocky approaches at low water require care; stick to sandy sections when moving along the beach.

Nearest tackle: Wicklow town tackle shops, a short drive north on the coastal road.

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

Size and identification

Typical shore size: 400 to 800 g from clean sand with shell patches. Specimen class: Plaice over 1.5 kg are excellent shore fish.

The most distinctive flatfish on the Irish coast, upper surface is brown with vivid orange or red spots, each with a pale border. Eyes on the right side. Smooth skin with a row of bony knobs along the lateral line above the head. The bright orange spots are unmistakable.

Tip: Plaice respond well to a moving bait and to visual attractors. Thread a few orange or red beads above the hook on the hooklink, plaice are visually attracted to colour. On clean sandy ground, casting and slowly retrieving covers more ground and produces more bites than fishing static.

Irish shore context: record class around 3.84 kg.

Same-mark companions

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

Live ranked advice for Silver Strand updates on the daily plan. Pair this page with the Plaice species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.

Conservation

Managed under EU rules with size limits; return undersized fish carefully and minimise handling time.

Guide conservation label: Bag Limit Applies.

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

Other species at Silver Strand

• Bass
• Flounder
• Dogfish
• Dab
• Mackerel
• Spurdog
• Thornback ray

Next steps

Related article: Irish Plaice Season: Beach Marks and Rigs for Wicklow

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