Mark × species · Secondary target

Wrasse at Wicklow Head, Long Rock.

Wrasse is a regular secondary target at Wicklow Head, Long Rock near Wicklow. Best window on this ground: May to September. Access from the southern side of Wicklow Head.

Full mark guide Wrasse species guide

Wicklow Head, Long Rock, Wicklow shore fishing mark

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

Why fish Wrasse 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.

Rocky ground, kelp forest and reef structure where wrasse hold tight to cover and rarely move far from their home territory.

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, Wrasse is worth targeting in May to September. Coast-wide, Wrasse runs April to November (peaks June to September on rock marks).

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.

Wrasse feed throughout the day from mid-May to October. Neap tides allow safer access to rock marks. Sunny calm days in summer produce consistent sport. Avoid big swell which makes wrasse rock marks extremely dangerous.

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

Tactics on this mark

Fish float or light ledger rigs tight to kelp and rock, setting baits just above the weed and applying immediate side strain when a wrasse dives for cover.

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

Gear: rough rock. Facing SE.

Float fishing, set the depth to just above the kelp canopy
Sink and draw with a ragworm or crab bait through rock gullies
Drop-shotting soft plastics around pier walls
Short-range fishing, wrasse don't venture far from structure
Spinning
Lures cast across the current (bass)
Float fishing
Fish-bait ledger (occasional conger)

Baits and lures

Wrasse baits and lures: Peeler crab; Ragworm; Harbour ragworm; Prawns; Soft plastic worms.

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: 300 g to 1 kg from shallow kelp-ledges. Specimen class: Ballan wrasse over 2 kg are realistic on deep rock marks.

Ballan Wrasse are the most common shore-caught species, heavily built with thick lips, a humped back and vivid mottled colouring ranging from brick red and orange through to deep green and brown. Males are often far more colourful than females. Corkwing Wrasse are smaller and more slender.

Tip: Wrasse fight ferociously and immediately dive for kelp when hooked, you need to apply hard side pressure immediately to steer them away from cover. Use a relatively strong fluorocarbon hooklink (12 to 15 lb) and a small hook (size 1 or 2) to present the bait naturally. Wicklow Head Long Rock is an outstanding open wrasse mark; fish with a partner and stay clear of swell.

Irish shore context: record class around 4.59 kg (Ballan Wrasse).

Same-mark companions

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

Conservation

Highly recommended catch and release; long-lived and increasingly important as cleaner fish in aquaculture.

Guide conservation label: Highly Recommended C&R.

Confirm current bag limits and closures on the Wrasse 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.