Tope at The Murrough.

Quick facts

Mark type

Beach

Skill

Intermediate

Catalogue rank

Occasional

Why fish Tope at The Murrough

Broad Lough / Murrough wild beach. Flounder-focused wetland shore; bass and occasional sea trout.

A wild, unspoiled stretch of steep-to shingle beach along the Murrough and Broad Lough coastal wetland (ERFB Site 28 Broadlough), south of Wicklow town.

Remote and often unfished.

The steep shingle profile means deeper water is reached with shorter casts.

Flounder and bass are the main shore targets; sea trout and occasional grey mullet appear in season.

Deep sandy ground close inshore during autumn when whiting and herring shoals run tight to beaches and channels.

Remote wild beach. Bass, mullet, grey mullet.

Wild lagoon beach, specialist mullet and sea trout potential, not a casual first-mark choice.

ERFB Site 28 Broadlough is a flounder-first Murrough shore: flatfish stack along the Broad Lough freshwater edge through winter, with bass on the steep-to surf table in season.

Sea trout and occasional mullet appear but this is not the published specimen-mullet channel: that is Kilcoole Breaches (Site 23) under the rail bridge, 12 km north.

The Greystones-to-Wicklow shingle belt fishes best on a falling tide per regional sources.

Season and tide

At The Murrough, Tope is worth targeting in September to December. Coast-wide, Tope runs September to December (peaks November late October and November spring tides).

Wider mark season: Flounder: October to March (primary), Bass: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov), Grey mullet: May to October (occasional), Sea trout: July to October, Dab: October to February, Coalfish: October to February

Tide guidance here: Multi-source consensus for the Greystones-to-Wicklow shingle belt is that these venues fish best on a falling tide (Eastern Regional Fisheries Board, Planet Sea Fishing). Flounder concentrate at the Broad Lough freshwater interface; bass along the surf table at dawn/dusk.

Autumn night tides on the big spring tides are the most likely window. October and November only from shore.

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

Tactics on this mark

Present large, freshly caught baits on strong wire traces and heavy shore gear, allowing fish to run freely before tightening into them on big autumn tides.

Running ledger; Float-fished bread or flake (mullet, specialist fishery); Surface lures (bass at outlet); Single-handed fly (sea trout)

Gear: general shore. Facing E.

• Heavy beachcaster or uptide rod, tope run hard
• 30 to 50 lb wire trace (tope have cutting teeth)
• Running ledger with a large bait presented on the bottom
• Let the fish run before striking
• Running ledger
• Float-fished bread or flake (mullet, specialist fishery)
• Surface lures (bass at outlet)
• Single-handed fly (sea trout)

Baits and lures

Tope baits and lures: Fresh whole or half mackerel; Fresh herring; Large sandeel.

What this mark typically holds: Ragworm; Peeler crab; Bread/flake (mullet); Sandeels; Worm cocktail tipped with mackerel (summer).

Ragworm; Peeler crab; Bread/flake (mullet); Sandeels; Worm cocktail tipped with mackerel (summer)

Access and ground

Access from Wicklow town beach car park or pull-ins along the Murrough coastal road, then a walk of 1 to 4 km depending on where you start. No road on the beach itself. Productive ground is the Broad Lough / Murrough wetland edge (Site 28 Broadlough), not the Kilcoole Breaches rail-bridge outflow 12 km north (separate spot record).

Parking: Parking at The Murrough is limited and can be uncertain, options include small pull-ins along the coastal road but space is not guaranteed. Check conditions before travelling and be prepared to park further away and walk.

Safety: Very exposed to easterly winds, with patchy mobile coverage and a fast lagoon outlet at peak ebb. Never wade the outlet. Tell someone where you are going and your expected return time.

Nearest tackle: Wicklow town tackle shops. Stock up before making the walk in.

Nearest town: Wicklow. Skill level: Intermediate.

Size and identification

Typical shore size: 7 to 12 kg from deep surf beaches. Specimen class: Shore tope over 20 kg are possible but rare.

Slender, streamlined shark with a long pointed snout and strong keeled tail. Grey-brown back, white belly. Second dorsal fin is roughly equal to the anal fin below it. Much more slender than a smoothhound, and much bigger.

Tip: Tope from the shore are a rare catch, treat it as a bonus if one appears. The key is fresh whole mackerel or herring on a heavy wire trace. When a tope picks up the bait it will run, let it go at least 30 metres before engaging the reel and striking. Handle with extreme care and return immediately.

Irish shore context: record class around 34.02 kg, Greystones, 2018.

Same-mark companions

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

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

Conservation

Tope should always be returned. They are a vulnerable, slow-growing species and release is the strong norm in Ireland, though not a legal requirement here.

Guide conservation label: Highly Recommended C&R.

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

Other species at The Murrough

• Flounder
• Bass
• Sea trout
• Grey mullet
• Dab
• Coalfish
• Whiting
• Rockling

Full mark guide lists all 11 catalogue pair pages.

Next steps

Related article: What's Biting Now: Wicklow Shore, September and October

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