Mark × species · Primary target

Mackerel at Wicklow Head, Long Rock.

Mackerel is a primary target at Wicklow Head, Long Rock near Wicklow. Best window on this ground: June to September. Access from the southern side of Wicklow Head.

Full mark guide Mackerel species guide

Wicklow Head, Long Rock, Wicklow shore fishing mark

Mark type: Rock
Skill: Intermediate
Catalogue rank: Primary target

Why fish Mackerel 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.

Open water around harbour mouths and headlands when baitfish shoals are pushed close in; often mid-water rather than tight to the surface.

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, Mackerel is worth targeting in June to September. Coast-wide, Mackerel runs June to October (peaks July to August off piers and open beaches once the shoals arrive).

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.

Early morning and evening are the most reliable windows. Mackerel feed throughout the day when shoals are present but often disappear at midday in bright conditions. Moving water always helps.

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

Tactics on this mark

Cast 20 to 30 g lures or feather rigs across the flow and retrieve at varying depths, counting down to find the level of the shoal and keeping pressure constant once hooked.

Spinning; Lures cast across the current (bass); Float fishing; Fish-bait ledger (occasional conger)

Gear: rough rock. Facing SE.

Multi-hook feather or sabiki rigs, cast and retrieve at medium pace
Small metal lures for sport fishing
Float fishing a strip of mackerel for larger specimens
Spinning
Lures cast across the current (bass)
Float fishing
Fish-bait ledger (occasional conger)

Baits and lures

Mackerel baits and lures: Feather rigs; Sabiki rigs; Metal slices; Small soft plastics.

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: 200 to 400 g from piers and headlands. Specimen class: Heavy “jumbo” mackerel 600 g+ arrive in late summer.

Unmistakable, iridescent blue-green back with dark wavy tiger stripes, silver-white belly. Streamlined torpedo shape built for speed. Bright eyes. One of the most beautiful fish in Irish waters.

Tip: When mackerel are showing at Greystones Harbour in July and August the whole pier can be alive with fish. The key is getting the depth right, mackerel often shoal at mid-water rather than the surface. If you're missing takes, count down further before retrieving. Fresh mackerel is outstanding eating, gut and ice immediately.

Irish shore context: record class around 1.36 kg.

Same-mark companions

Other ranked targets on the same mark include Pollack, Bass, 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 Mackerel species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.

Conservation

Highly perishable; gut and ice immediately and take only fish you will eat fresh, frozen mackerel is poor bait and eating quality.

Guide conservation label: Bag Limit Applies.

Confirm current bag limits and closures on the Mackerel 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.