Tope at Wicklow Town Pier.

Quick facts

Mark type

Pier

Skill

Beginner/Intermediate

Catalogue rank

Occasional

Why fish Tope at Wicklow Town Pier

Deep-water working-harbour pier. Pollack, coalfish, winter whiting; rare connection to autumn shore-tope traffic on big distance baits.

A substantial working harbour pier with deep-water access close in.

The outer pier wall drops into a channel that holds pollack, coalfish, whiting and the occasional bass.

Codling move in during winter nights.

Whiting are reliable through the colder months, confirmed across the regional guides.

Deep sandy ground close inshore during autumn when whiting and herring shoals run tight to beaches and channels.

Deep water working pier. Year-round species.

Deep harbour pier, winter whiting and pollack, occasional autumn tope traffic on big baits at range.

Whiting is a documented winter pier target here.

The wrasse fishing attributed to this pier in some guides is actually on the rocks below the castle ruins on Wicklow Head proper, not the East Pier itself; treat wrasse here as occasional.

The non-obvious tactical edge is the connection to offshore tope traffic: when Wicklow Boat Charters is catching tope close in during October and early winter, distance casts of whole mackerel from the pier head can intercept stragglers, shore-caught tope to over 40 lb has been reported in this stretch.

Season and tide

At Wicklow Town Pier, Tope is worth targeting in October to early winter (shore-cast distance baits, low frequency). Coast-wide, Tope runs September to December (peaks November late October and November spring tides).

Wider mark season: Pollack: year-round (fishes best from the pier April to November), Coalfish: October to February, Whiting: October to February (night), Codling: October to January (night), Flounder: October to March, Mackerel: June to September, Bass: April to November (peak autumn Sep to Nov), Tope: October to early winter (shore-cast distance baits, low frequency)

Tide guidance here: Last two hours of ebb and first of flood concentrate fish in the channel. Pollack and coalfish present at most states of tide. Mackerel feathering most productive on the morning rising tide in summer. Night sessions on the outer wall in autumn and winter produce codling, whiting and bass.

Autumn night tides on the big spring tides are the most likely window. October and November only from shore.

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

Tactics on this mark

Present large, freshly caught baits on strong wire traces and heavy shore gear, allowing fish to run freely before tightening into them on big autumn tides.

Running ledger; Float rig; Mackerel feathers; Sidewinder/shad jigs; Distance pulley with whole mackerel (autumn tope chance)

Gear: pier wall. Facing E.

• Heavy beachcaster or uptide rod, tope run hard
• 30 to 50 lb wire trace (tope have cutting teeth)
• Running ledger with a large bait presented on the bottom
• Let the fish run before striking
• Running ledger
• Float rig
• Mackerel feathers
• Sidewinder/shad jigs
• Distance pulley with whole mackerel (autumn tope chance)

Baits and lures

Tope baits and lures: Fresh whole or half mackerel; Fresh herring; Large sandeel.

What this mark typically holds: Mackerel strip; Ragworm; Lugworm; Sandeel; Whole mackerel (tope baits).

Mackerel strip; Ragworm; Lugworm; Sandeel; Whole mackerel (tope baits)

Access and ground

Follow signs for Wicklow harbour from the town centre. Short drive from the main street.

Parking: Free parking on the pier and in the adjacent harbour area. Wicklow town has additional parking nearby.

Safety: Active fishing harbour, vehicle, forklift and trawler movement is the real safety issue, not slips. Stay alert for boat movements especially in the morning. Outer wall can be slippery, wear non-slip footwear. Keep away from boat launching activity.

Nearest tackle: Wicklow town centre has fishing tackle shops within easy walking distance of the pier.

Nearest town: Wicklow. Skill level: Beginner/Intermediate.

Size and identification

Typical shore size: 7 to 12 kg from deep surf beaches. Specimen class: Shore tope over 20 kg are possible but rare.

Slender, streamlined shark with a long pointed snout and strong keeled tail. Grey-brown back, white belly. Second dorsal fin is roughly equal to the anal fin below it. Much more slender than a smoothhound, and much bigger.

Tip: Tope from the shore are a rare catch, treat it as a bonus if one appears. The key is fresh whole mackerel or herring on a heavy wire trace. When a tope picks up the bait it will run, let it go at least 30 metres before engaging the reel and striking. Handle with extreme care and return immediately.

Irish shore context: record class around 34.02 kg, Greystones, 2018.

Same-mark companions

Other ranked targets on the same mark include Pollack, Coalfish, Mackerel, Whiting, Codling, Bass. Open those pair pages or the full mark guide when you want a multi-species session.

Live ranked advice for Wicklow Town Pier updates on the daily plan. Pair this page with the Tope species guide for coast-wide season bars and conservation detail.

Conservation

Tope should always be returned. They are a vulnerable, slow-growing species and release is the strong norm in Ireland, though not a legal requirement here.

Guide conservation label: Highly Recommended C&R.

Confirm current bag limits and closures on the Tope species guide and /learn/rules before retaining fish.

Other species at Wicklow Town Pier

• Pollack
• Coalfish
• Mackerel
• Whiting
• Cod
• Bass
• Dogfish
• Rockling

Full mark guide lists all 18 catalogue pair pages.

Next steps

Related article: Night Fishing from Irish Shores: Complete Guide

Live ranked session advice for this mark sits on Today's plan. Rules and bag limits: learn / rules.