Mark × species · Primary target
Bass at Wicklow Head, Long Rock.
Bass is a primary target at Wicklow Head, Long Rock near Wicklow. Best window on this ground: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov; dawn/dusk lures). Access from the southern side of Wicklow Head.
Quick facts
- Mark type
- Rock
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Catalogue rank
- Primary target
Why fish Bass at Wicklow Head, Long Rock
Southern Wicklow Head rock mark. Spinning for mackerel/pollack; bass on across-current lures at dawn/dusk.
The southern rock mark on Wicklow Head, named locally as 'Long Rock'.
Spinning produces mackerel and pollack; lures cast across the current take bass with dawn or dusk being the documented prime window.
Fish baits will produce occasional conger.
Short: Southern Wicklow Head rock mark.
Surf beaches, rocky headlands, harbour walls, estuaries and sandy gutters, most reliably in coloured, wind-driven surf and around tidal rips or white water.
Southern Head rock, lure fishing for mackerel and pollack, bass on across-current lures at dawn.
Long Rock is the southern counterpart to Brides Head and is the documented bass-on-lures mark of the three Wicklow Head sub-marks.
Lures cast across the current at dawn or dusk is the explicit Eastern Regional Fisheries Board prescription, not a generalisation, a specific tactical instruction.
Pollack and mackerel come on standard spinning gear; the bass need across-current presentation to work the tidal flow.
Season and tide
At Wicklow Head, Long Rock, Bass is worth targeting in April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov; dawn/dusk lures). Coast-wide, Bass runs April to November (peaks September to November autumn peak on Wicklow beaches).
Wider mark season: Mackerel: June to September, Pollack: year-round (fishes best from the rocks April to November), Bass: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov; dawn/dusk lures), Wrasse: May to September, Coalfish: October to February
Tide guidance here: Across-current lure work for bass on the flooding tide at dawn or dusk is the documented prime window for the biggest fish.
First two hours of the flooding tide in surf conditions. Dawn and dusk are most productive, bright midday sun switches them off. After a good easterly blow, any stage of tide can produce fish close in.
Fishable phases: first-flood, mid-flood, high, first-ebb. Peak: mid-flood, first-ebb.
Tactics on this mark
Target the first two hours of flood on surf beaches, casting short into coloured water with crab baits or soft plastics; in calm clear conditions, switch to lures around rock edges and harbour walls at dawn and dusk.
Spinning; Lures cast across the current (bass); Float fishing; Fish-bait ledger (occasional conger)
Gear: rough rock. Facing SE.
- Running ledger, 15 to 20 lb fluorocarbon hooklink, size 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook
- Pulley rig in heavy surf
- Soft plastics, paddle tails and shads on 10 to 20g jig heads
- Surface lures at dawn and dusk in calm conditions
- Spinning
- Lures cast across the current (bass)
- Float fishing
- Fish-bait ledger (occasional conger)
Baits and lures
Bass baits and lures: Peeler crab (spring and autumn); Sandeel; Ragworm; Soft plastic lures; Surface poppers and walkers.
What this mark typically holds: Mackerel strip; Sandeel; Ragworm; Whole fish baits (conger).
Mackerel strip; Sandeel; Ragworm; Whole fish baits (conger)
Access and ground
Access from the southern side of Wicklow Head. Walk required. Rough terrain.
Parking: R750 car park area.
Safety: Currents remain strong on this southern Wicklow Head rock mark. Do not fish it alone in any swell; keep to settled seas and leave a wide margin around the waterline.
Nearest tackle: Wicklow town tackle shops.
Nearest town: Wicklow. Skill level: Intermediate.
Size and identification
Typical shore size: 1 to 3 kg from the shore on Wicklow beaches. Specimen class: Irish specimen weight is 4.5 kg; a bass over that is a fish of the season, not a routine surf capture.
Silver flanks with a blue-grey back and white belly. Two dorsal fins, the first with sharp spines. Mouth large and slightly upturned. Young bass show faint lateral spots. Unmistakable once you've seen one.
Tip: Bass feed into the wind and surf, don't be put off by rough conditions. A short cast (30 to 50m) into coloured water consistently outperforms distance casting into the clean water beyond the surf. In calm clear conditions switch to lures and work the edges of kelp and rock.
Irish shore context: record class around 8.08 kg (17 lb 13 oz), Doughmore Strand, 2000.
Same-mark companions
Other ranked targets on the same mark include Mackerel, Pollack, Wrasse, Coalfish. Open those pair pages or the full mark guide when you want a multi-species session.
Live ranked advice for Wicklow Head, Long Rock updates on the daily plan. Pair this page with the Bass species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.
Conservation
Bye-Law No. 826 of 2007 applies: two bass per angler per 24 hours at 42cm when retention is permitted, catch-and-release only 1 Feb to 31 Mar (Irish Sea / EU ICES 7a), no bass angling 15 May to 15 June. Most serious anglers practice full catch and release.
Guide conservation label: Bag Limit Applies.
Confirm current bag limits and closures on the Bass species guide and /learn/rules before retaining fish.
Other species at Wicklow Head, Long Rock
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.