Coastal Ireland Spring Tides: Bass, Pollack and Mackerel in the South and West

Name’s Artificial Lure here, checking in with your coastal Ireland fishing report. Along the south and west coasts today you’re looking at a fairly settled Atlantic pattern: light to moderate south‑westerlies, fresher and a bit gusty on the headlands, with broken cloud and good bright spells. Air temps are sitting in the mid‑teens Celsius, cooler on the water. The Irish Meteorological Service notes only scattered showers pushing in off the ocean, so you’ll get plenty of fishable windows. The Marine Institute’s tide tables show medium‑range springs running this week, so there’s plenty of movement. On most coasts, low is around mid‑morning with a good push of flood through late morning and early afternoon, and high running into the early evening. That flood period is what you want to target, especially on surf beaches and rough ground. Sunrise is just after 5 a.m., sunset close to 10 p.m., giving a long crepuscular bite window at both ends of the day. Recent reports from shore and charter crews around Cork, Kerry, Clare and Galway have been encouraging. Surf and estuary anglers are picking up good numbers of schoolie **bass** with the odd better fish into the 6–7 lb class, particularly where estuaries meet surf. Rock marks are producing **pollack**, **coalfish** and small **ling**, while deeper rough ground is giving **wrasse** and the usual mix of dogs and dabs. Offshore boats are seeing steady **mackerel** numbers now, plus some decent **codling** and **haddock** over the wrecks and banks, with an early whisper of **tope** and **ray** from the sand. For lures, keep it simple and natural. On the bass front, shallow‑running minnows in silver/olive, 12–15 cm, are doing damage along with 20–30 g soft plastics on weedless hooks for working over kelp and reef edges. A white or sandeel‑coloured paddle tail is hard to beat. Over deeper rock for pollack, 40–60 g jigheads with big shads in dark colours – cola, motor oil, or black with a bit of glitter – fished sink‑and‑draw are taking fish. Feather rigs and small metals are still the go‑to for mackerel; swap to a single barbless hook at the end if you’re only after a few for the table. On the bait side, fresh **lugworm** and **ragworm** are top of the list for surf and estuary fishing, especially for bass, flounder and dabs. Peeler **crab** will sort out better bass and wrasse if you can get it. For rays and dogs, bring oily baits: mackerel strip, bluey, or sandeel. If you’re chasing tope from a boat or a deep rock mark, a whole or flapper mackerel on strong wire traces is the standard offering. Best times today: early morning flood into mid‑tide, then again the last two hours of light into dusk, especially if the wind eases and the sea settles to a gentle roll. Overcast but bright conditions are perfect for lure work along the rocks; if the sun breaks through hard, drop deeper or move to bait. A couple of hotspots worth your time: - **Copper Coast, Waterford to east Cork** – Mixed ground and reefs with good access. Bass on the beaches and rock ledges, plus pollack and wrasse on the rough stuff. Work soft plastics tight to structure on the flooding tide. - **West Clare and Loop Head area** – Classic Atlantic rock marks. Pollack, wrasse and mackerel from the cliffs and platforms on jigs and bait. When the swell is down, bass will cruise the gullies and surfy pockets. Mind your footing here; it’s wild but rewarding. If you’re fishing anywhere exposed, keep an eye on the swell and the wind shifts, wear a lifejacket on rock marks, and never turn your back on the sea. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for more coastal Ireland fishing updates. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn