Irish Shore Fishing

Wicklow coast

Wicklow Head, Brides Head

Rock mark, Wicklow town. The usual tide here: the push of the flood into high water.

  • Pollack
  • Mackerel
  • Wrasse
  • Coalfish
  • Bass

Tomorrow 06:01 – 11:38

Too rough

The push of the flood into high water, light from 07:10. Yellow Small Craft warning. Yellow Gale warning covers some or all of this window.

Wind
S 48 km/hGusts 60 km/h
Waves
1.6 mModerate surf, over the window
Tide
High 11:10Mon, 2.7 m

The coast’s call for these hours: effort from the wind, gusts and rain read at Greystones. Not a call on this mark, and whether the fish are there is not called.

Sunrise, Mon07:10

Sunset, Mon17:05

Moon, calculatedFull moon (100%)

Small Craft warning for all coasts of Ireland, in force for the Wicklow coast. Checked 22:54.Hazards not checked on site. Moderate hazard: cut-off risk, strong current. Tide now: falling, low water at 04:35 Mon, 0.3 m. On record as cutting off on the tide.

Next 24 hours at Wicklow town

Tide, light, wind and sea conditions for your session. The wind is read at Greystones; which way this mark faces is not verified yet, so it is not judged against its shore.

View detailed forecast
Sunrise 07:10 MonSunset 17:05 MonHigh 22:502.7 mHigh 11:10 Mon2.7 mNow
The next 24 hours: the next tide window 06:01 Mon to 11:38 Mon, Too rough; high water 22:50, 2.7 m; low water 04:35 Mon, 0.3 m; high water 11:10 Mon, 2.7 m; low water 17:00 Mon, 0.4 m; sunrise 07:10, sunset 17:05.
Wind, gusts and rain by the hour, read at Greystones
HourWind km/hGusts km/hRain mm
22:0021 from SSWnot given0
23:0021 from SW260
00:0021 from SW270
01:0017 from SSW250
02:0017 from SSW220
03:0019 from S230
04:0028 from S280.4
05:0040 from S401.1
06:0045 from S491.3
07:0047 from S572.0
08:0048 from S601.2
09:0041 from SSW600.3
10:0035 from SSW550
11:0037 from SSW500
12:0041 from SSW530
13:0045 from SSW590.1
14:0045 from SSW640
15:0046 from SSW650
16:0047 from SSW660.1
17:0048 from SSW690.2
18:0048 from SSW730.2
19:0052 from S760.5
20:0055 from S801.1
21:0057 from S821.6

Wind and rain at Greystones: MET Norway. Gusts: Met Éireann. Tide: Marine Institute, predicted. Light from the sun’s position; the moon, full moon, about 100% lit, calculated.

The coast north to south

Check the latest wind at each stretch of the coast.

View all areas

Illustrations, made with Adobe Firefly.

Safety here

Rock marks today: Caution. A Met Éireann yellow warning covers this coast for the time judged. Waves 0.4 m. A rock mark is never clear until two wave models agree below the threshold: caution.

Not verified · no fact on this mark has a dated check yet

Hazards: not checked on site. Assume the worst footing and tide cut-off, and read the hazard notes below as a starting point.

Fishing permission: not checked. No bye-law, harbour rule or landowner permission has been read for this mark.

Moderate hazard

  • Cut-off risk
  • Strong current

Walk-in from the R750 car park; rough cliff terrain. Less exposed than the lighthouse rocks but still requires care. Tide rip can be significant.

Met Éireann warnings

Yellow Small Craft warning until 23:59 TueIssued in 2 parts

Small Craft warning for all coasts of Ireland

Level
yellow
Event
Small Craft
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI811 (Wicklow Head to Carnsore Point)
  • EI822
  • EI817
  • EI806
  • EI812
  • EI819
  • EI820
  • EI821
  • EI807
  • EI808
  • EI810 (Howth Head to Wicklow Head)
  • EI805
  • EI813
  • EI814
  • EI815
  • EI816
  • EI818
  • EI809 (Carlingford Lough to Howth Head)

Storm Boelo: Westerly winds will reach force 6 or higher at times.

Small Craft warning for all coasts of Ireland

Level
yellow
Event
Small Craft
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI811 (Wicklow Head to Carnsore Point)
  • EI822
  • EI817
  • EI806
  • EI812
  • EI819
  • EI820
  • EI821
  • EI807
  • EI808
  • EI810 (Howth Head to Wicklow Head)
  • EI805
  • EI813
  • EI814
  • EI815
  • EI816
  • EI818
  • EI809 (Carlingford Lough to Howth Head)

Southerly winds will reach force 6 or higher, veering westerly on Tuesday.

Yellow Gale warning from 09:00 Mon to 02:00 Tue

Status Yellow - Marine Gale warning for all coasts of Ireland and on the Irish Sea

Level
yellow
Event
Yellow Gale
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI811 (Wicklow Head to Carnsore Point)
  • EI822
  • EI817
  • EI806
  • EI812
  • EI819
  • EI820
  • EI821
  • EI807
  • EI808
  • EI810 (Howth Head to Wicklow Head)
  • EI805
  • EI813
  • EI814
  • EI815
  • EI816
  • EI818
  • EI824
  • EI809 (Carlingford Lough to Howth Head)
  • EI823
  • EI825

Southerly winds, veering westerly on Tuesday, will reach gale force 8 or strong gale force 9.

Yellow Wind warning from 17:00 Mon to 23:59 Mon

Status Yellow - Wind warning for Carlow, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Mayo, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow

Level
yellow
Event
Yellow Wind
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI01
  • EI10
  • EI20
  • EI03
  • EI11
  • EI30
  • EI06
  • EI04
  • EI13
  • EI31 (Wicklow)
  • EI27

Very strong and gusty south to southwest winds.

Be aware of potential impacts:

  • Debris, loose objects displaced
  • Difficult driving and cycling conditions
  • Large coastal waves
  • Some fallen trees, branches
Other warnings in Ireland

Met Éireann weather warnings for other parts of Ireland, as issued.

Status Yellow - Rain warning for Cork, Kerry

Level
yellow
Event
Yellow Rain
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI11
  • EI04

A spell of rain on Sunday night and Monday morning, turning heavy at times.

Be aware of potential impacts:

  • Difficult travelling conditions
  • Localised flooding possible
  • Outdoor events impacted

Status Yellow - Rain warning for Cork, Galway, Kerry, Mayo

Level
yellow
Event
Yellow Rain
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI10
  • EI20
  • EI11
  • EI04

A spell of heavy rain.

Be aware of potential impacts:

  • Difficult travelling conditions
  • Localised flooding possible
  • Outdoor events impacted

Status Yellow - Marine Gale warning from Slyne Head to Bloody Foreland to Belfast Lough

Level
yellow
Event
Yellow Gale
Severity
Moderate
Certainty
Likely
Not yet in force. Onset
Expires
Issued
Areas
  • EI822
  • EI806
  • EI819
  • EI820
  • EI821
  • EI805

Southwest to west winds will reach gale force 8 or strong gale force 9.

Checked at .

The usual tide here, the next three days

The push of the flood into high water, from the predicted highs and lows. Each with the coast’s call for those hours: how hard the wind, gusts and rain make fishing.

  1. Yellow Small Craft warning, Yellow Gale warning covers this window.

    Tomorrow06:01 to 11:38The push of the flood into high water in daylight., light from 07:10
    Too rough
    • South 48 km/h
    • Gusts 60
    • Some rain
    • High 11:10, 2.7 m

    S wind 48 km/h over tomorrow 06:01 – 11:38: too rough on sustained wind.

  2. Yellow Small Craft warning, Yellow Gale warning, Yellow Wind warning covers this window.

    Tomorrow18:24 to 23:53The push of the flood into high water after dark.
    Too rough
    • South-south-west 57 km/h
    • Gusts 82
    • Some rain
    • High 23:25, 2.8 m

    S wind 57 km/h over tomorrow 18:24 – 23:53: too rough on sustained wind.

  3. Yellow Small Craft warning covers this window.

    Tue06:40 to 12:12The push of the flood into high water in daylight., light from 07:12
    Too rough
    • South-west 45 km/h
    • Gusts 68
    • Dry
    • High 11:45, 2.8 m

    WSW wind 45 km/h over Tuesday 06:40 – 12:12: too rough on sustained wind.

  4. Yellow Small Craft warning covers this window.

    Tue18:58 to 00:37The push of the flood into high water after dark.
    Hard work
    • South-west 29 km/h
    • Gusts 42
    • Dry
    • High 00:10, 2.8 m

    A Status Yellow Met Éireann weather warning for the Wicklow coast covers this window, so the band is no better than hard work.

  5. Wed07:21 to 12:57The push of the flood into high water in daylight.
    Workable
    • South-west 27 km/h
    • Gusts 35
    • Rain not given
    • High 12:30, 2.8 m

    Part of this window is read from six-hourly wind steps, so its wind is less exact.

  6. Wed19:43 to 01:22The push of the flood into high water after dark.
    No call yet
    • The hourly forecast does not cover every hour of this window yet, so its wind is not given.
    • Gusts at least 16
    • Rain not given

Fishing it

The northeast face of Wicklow Head, accessed on foot from the R750 car park down past the golf course. One of the three Wicklow Head rock marks, solid spinning ground for mackerel and pollack with float fishing for wrasse and coalfish. Worm and crab over sand patches between the rocks turn up dabs and plaice in July and August.

In season here this month

All the species recorded here: Pollack, Mackerel, Wrasse, Coalfish, Bass, Plaice, Dab.

The law for its species

  • Pollack: Retention allowed. At most three pollack per 24 hours from 1 June 2026, then catch and release. Pollack under 30 cm go back as good practice, not by law: that EU minimum is set for commercial fishing, not for shore anglers. Rules checked 30 September 2026.
  • Bass: Retention allowed. At most two bass per 24 hours; the rest go back. Minimum size 42 cm for any bass kept. Rules checked 29 June 2026.
How it is fished

The tide. Flooding tide for bass on across-current lures; dawn or dusk window. Most species accessible HW ± 2 hours.

Methods. Spinning (mackerel/pollack); Float fishing (wrasse/coalfish); Lures across the current (bass); Worm/crab on running ledger over sand patches (flatfish).

Baits. Mackerel strip; Sandeel; Ragworm; Crab.

Local knowledge. Brides Head is a spinning mark on the same headland as the Wicklow Head lighthouse rocks. The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board guide explicitly identifies this as a spinning mark below the golf course, with float fishing for the wrasse and coalfish. The non-obvious tactical edge is the SAND PATCHES between the rocks, a worm or crab bait dropped onto these clean patches in July and August produces plaice and dabs that most anglers miss while focused on the rock species. Bass on lures cast across the current at dawn/dusk on the flood is the lure-fishing window. Pair this mark with the existing wicklow-head-fishing article, the 3-sub-mark split now lets the site direct intermediate anglers to Brides Head and reserve the lighthouse for advanced rock anglers.

From the mark’s guide, not checked on site.

Getting there

Access. Walk required from the car park on the R750 to reach the rock fishing below the golf course on Brides Head. Rough but manageable terrain, sturdy boots essential.

Parking. R750 car park near Wicklow Head.

Nearest tackle. Wicklow town tackle shops, short drive north.

Questions about Wicklow Head, Brides Head
What fish can you catch at Wicklow Head, Brides Head?
Wicklow Head, Brides Head produces Pollack, Mackerel, Wrasse, Coalfish and Bass. Which of those are actually feeding depends on the month: the season grid on this page shows the peak and catchable months for every species listed here.
What bait works at Wicklow Head, Brides Head?
Mackerel strip, Sandeel, Ragworm and Crab are the baits that work at Wicklow Head, Brides Head, fished on spinning (mackerel/pollack), float fishing (wrasse/coalfish) and lures across the current (bass).
Where do you park for Wicklow Head, Brides Head?
R750 car park near Wicklow Head.
How do you get to Wicklow Head, Brides Head?
Walk required from the car park on the R750 to reach the rock fishing below the golf course on Brides Head. Rough but manageable terrain, sturdy boots essential.
What are the hazards at Wicklow Head, Brides Head?
Walk-in from the R750 car park; rough cliff terrain. Less exposed than the lighthouse rocks but still requires care. Tide rip can be significant.
Do I need a licence to fish at Wicklow Head, Brides Head, and what can I keep?
No State rod licence for ordinary sea angling. Salmon and sea trout need one. Retention rules do apply to some species here. Pollack: retention allowed, no statutory minimum and bass: retention allowed, 42 cm. Check the linked authority before keeping a fish.