Irish Shore Fishing
The working Wicklow Head lighthouse and its white buildings above a rock arch.

Wicklow coast

Wicklow Head, Lighthouse Rocks

Rock mark, Wicklow town. The usual tide here: low water, and again on high water.

  • Pollack
  • Wrasse
  • Coalfish
  • Bass
  • Tope

The next usual tide here

No window

Its usual tide is not in the next three days.

The working Wicklow Head lighthouse and its white buildings above a rock arch. Illustration, made with Adobe Firefly.

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. Critical hazard: never fish alone, cut-off risk, rockfall or cliff risk, swell wash, 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: no tide window; 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.

Critical hazard · record reviewed August 2026

  • Never fish alone
  • Cut-off risk
  • Rockfall or cliff risk
  • Swell wash
  • Strong current

One of the most dangerous shore marks in the area: severe tide rip, deep holes off the steps, rockfall risk, and no margin in swell. Never fish alone, never in any swell, and only consider calm dry slack-water windows.

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 .

Fishing it

Cliff-base rocks beneath the Wicklow Head Lighthouse. Deep water close in, severe tide rip, very deep holes just off the steps. Pollack to specimen size on the wrecks offshore (Kit Dunne / Wicklow Boat Charters has multiple Irish Specimen Pollack recorded under 20nm), the shore mark connects to similar water but tide rip and depth holes make this an experienced-only venue. Tope and conger possible in October as herring shoals push into the bay with the first frosts.

In season here this month

All the species recorded here: Pollack, Wrasse, Coalfish, Bass, Tope, Conger, Mackerel.

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. Slack water is the only workable window, the tide runs very fast here. Lighthouse Rocks tide rip is described in SAI threads as 'lethal, your first accident could be your last'. October tide turn for the biggest pollack.

Methods. Float rig; Heavy ledger with sacrificial weak link to leads (tackle graveyard); Lure fishing (jigs, shads); Tope-rig with whole mackerel or fresh herring (October).

Baits. Sandeel; Mackerel strip; Ragworm; Whole mackerel or fresh herring (autumn tope/conger).

Local knowledge. This is the Wicklow Head sub-mark that requires the explicit safety overlay. SAI forum sources describe the tide rip as 'lethal' with multiple posters reinforcing that 'your first accident could well be your last'. There are very deep holes just off the steps, known locally as a 'tackle graveyard'. Budget heavy gear loss or rig a sacrificial weak link to your leads. The non-obvious October opportunity: as the first frosts hit, herring shoals push into the bay and tope/conger become viable on whole-mackerel or fresh-herring baits. This is a one-month window. The pollack connection: Kit Dunne's boat work shows multiple Irish Specimen Pollack recorded over the local wrecks under 20nm, same fish stock that uses this water column. Local poaching/take-everything behaviour at Wicklow Pier is reported to extend to this mark for the pollack fishing, worth a conservation note. Splitting Wicklow Head into three sub-marks rather than one record lets the site direct readers appropriately by skill level: Brides Head (intermediate), Long Rock (intermediate), Lighthouse (advanced only).

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

Getting there

Access. Approach via the lighthouse road from Wicklow Head; not far from the car. SAI threads note access is 'not too far from the car' but the descent to the rocks themselves is hazardous. Only attempt in calm dry weather; never alone.

Parking. At or near Wicklow Head Lighthouse.

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

Questions about Wicklow Head, Lighthouse Rocks
What fish can you catch at Wicklow Head, Lighthouse Rocks?
Wicklow Head, Lighthouse Rocks produces Pollack, Wrasse, Coalfish, Bass and Tope. 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, Lighthouse Rocks?
Sandeel, Mackerel strip, Ragworm and Whole mackerel or fresh herring (autumn tope/conger) are the baits that work at Wicklow Head, Lighthouse Rocks, fished on float rig, heavy ledger with sacrificial weak link to leads (tackle graveyard) and lure fishing (jigs, shads).
Where do you park for Wicklow Head, Lighthouse Rocks?
At or near Wicklow Head Lighthouse.
How do you get to Wicklow Head, Lighthouse Rocks?
Approach via the lighthouse road from Wicklow Head; not far from the car. SAI threads note access is 'not too far from the car' but the descent to the rocks themselves is hazardous. Only attempt in calm dry weather; never alone.
What are the hazards at Wicklow Head, Lighthouse Rocks?
One of the most dangerous shore marks in the area: severe tide rip, deep holes off the steps, rockfall risk, and no margin in swell. Never fish alone, never in any swell, and only consider calm dry slack-water windows.
Do I need a licence to fish at Wicklow Head, Lighthouse Rocks, 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.