📍Cork · South West📋IFI (Republic of Ireland)Season Open
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Kinsale is one of Ireland's most celebrated sea angling centres, a historic harbour town where colourful streetscapes meet deep Atlantic waters. Situated on the southern Cork coast where the Bandon estuary opens into the Celtic Sea, Kinsale combines world-class charter boat fishing with productive shore marks and the charm of Ireland's acknowledged gourmet capital. The Old Head of Kinsale — one of the most dramatic headlands on the Irish coast — stands sentinel to the south, and it is the deep water off this promontory that gives Kinsale its exceptional offshore fishing.
The waters around Kinsale benefit enormously from the Gulf Stream influence, drawing warm-water pelagic species northward each summer. Blue shark arrive from June onwards and provide spectacular sport on light tackle, with fish averaging 50–80lb and specimens exceeding 100lb taken regularly. The famous Lusitania wreck, torpedoed in 1915 just off the Old Head, lies among dozens of other wrecks that create artificial reefs holding massive shoals of pollack, cod, ling, and conger eel.
Wreck fishing is Kinsale's particular strength. The Celtic Sea floor off this stretch of coast is littered with vessels from both World Wars, most sunk by U-boats while transiting St George's Channel. These wrecks sit in 65–110 metres of water and harbour extraordinary concentrations of fish. Pollack to double figures, ling exceeding 30lb, and conger to specimen size are regular catches for charter boats working these marks.
Inshore reef fishing over the rocky ground south of the harbour mouth produces excellent pollack, coalfish, and wrasse throughout the season, while the sandier ground yields ray, plaice, and dogfish. The Bandon estuary itself holds good stocks of bass and flounder, with specialist anglers targeting mullet around the harbour walls during summer.
Shore fishing around Kinsale offers tremendous variety. The harbour pier produces mackerel, garfish, and pollack through summer, while rock marks along both sides of the estuary mouth hold wrasse, conger, and dogfish. The beaches at Garretstown and Courtmacsherry to the west are renowned bass venues, and winter shore fishing from Kinsale's bridges and piers produces cod, whiting, and coalfish after dark.
Kinsale itself is a joy beyond the fishing. The town is compact and walkable, packed with exceptional restaurants, craft shops, and atmospheric pubs. Charles Fort overlooks the harbour entrance, and the Wild Atlantic Way passes through. Several charter boats operate from the main pier, making it easy to arrange half-day, full-day, or specialist trips with experienced local skippers who know every wreck, reef, and mark on this stretch of coast.
Species present
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Blue Shark
Kinsale is one of Ireland's premier blue shark destinations. Fish arrive from June and remain through September, with peak fishing in July and August. Average size is 50–80lb with specimens exceeding 100lb taken each season. Shark fishing is conducted on dedicated charter trips using rubby-dubby chum trails, with fish fought on 30lb class tackle. All sharks are tagged for scientific research and carefully released.
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Pollack
The wreck and reef marks off Kinsale hold exceptional pollack fishing. Fish to double figures are taken regularly from the deeper wrecks, while inshore reef marks produce good numbers of fish in the 3–6lb range. Pollack respond well to artificial lures worked through the tide over structure, and charter skippers use drift techniques to cover wreck marks effectively.
Also present: Cod, Ling, Bass, Conger Eel
Methods
Charter BoatShore FishingWreck FishingReef FishingSpinningBait FishingFloat Fishing
Venue details
Season dates
Fishing season: Year-round – Year-round
Best times
Shark: June, July, August, September
Winter Shore: October, November, December, January
Shore Fishing: May, June, July, August, September
Wreck Fishing: April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Difficulty
Intermediate
Access & bases
Kinsale is approximately 25km south of Cork city via the R600. Charter boats depart from the main pier beside the harbour master's office, near the Trident Hotel. Ample parking is available at the pier and throughout the town. Shore fishing marks are accessible along both sides of the harbour, with rock marks reached on foot from various coastal paths. The Bandon estuary offers bank fishing upstream of the town. Garretstown beach is a 15-minute drive west. Kinsale has excellent accommodation, restaurants, and all services.
Signature features
World War Wrecks
The seabed off Kinsale is scattered with wartime wrecks from both World Wars, including the RMS Lusitania. These wrecks create artificial reef ecosystems that attract enormous concentrations of pollack, cod, ling, conger, and coalfish. Charter skippers know dozens of productive marks within 30 nautical miles of the harbour, ensuring variety across multiple trips.
Blue Shark Capital
Kinsale has long been recognised as one of Ireland's top blue shark ports. The Gulf Stream influence draws these magnificent predators within range of half-day trips from the harbour. Dedicated shark trips use traditional rubby-dubby techniques, and all fish are tagged with scientific markers before careful release.
Gourmet Town
Kinsale's reputation as Ireland's gourmet capital adds a unique dimension to a fishing trip. After a day on the water, anglers can enjoy their catch prepared by world-class restaurants in the town, or explore the many pubs, galleries, and historic sites that make Kinsale one of Ireland's most popular coastal destinations.
Season by season
March – May
The offshore season gets underway with excellent wreck fishing for pollack, cod, ling, and coalfish. Shore fishing produces bass in the estuary as water temperatures rise. Mackerel begin to appear inshore. This is a quieter period with good availability on charter boats.
June – September
Peak season with the full range of species available. Blue shark fishing from June through September provides the headline sport. Wreck and reef fishing is at its best, with pollack, ling, and coalfish in prime condition. Shore fishing produces mackerel, garfish, pollack, wrasse, and bass. Charter boats are busiest during this period — advance booking is essential.
October – December
Autumn brings excellent wreck fishing as cod move inshore. Shore fishing improves with codling, whiting, and coalfish from piers and rock marks, especially on night tides. Ray fishing picks up on the sandy ground. The shark season ends but reef and wreck species remain productive.
January – February
Winter shore fishing from Kinsale produces cod, whiting, coalfish, and dogfish. Offshore wreck trips are weather-dependent but can be exceptionally productive when conditions allow. This is the quietest period for charter boats.
Best conditions
Based on 0 reports, these conditions consistently produce the best fishing on Kinsale:
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Light to moderate offshore (N/NE) for charter boats; onshore wind stirs up shore marks
Best wind
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Overcast days often fish better inshore; offshore fishing is primarily weather-dependent
Best sky
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12–17°C for peak shark season; wreck species available at all temperatures
Water temp
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Charter boats typically depart 09:30 and fish through to 17:00; shore fishing best around tide changes
Wreck fishing is conducted from charter boats drifting over marks in 65–110m of water. For pollack, work artificial lures or live launce through the mid-water column above the wreck structure. For cod and ling, fish pirks or baited rigs hard on the bottom. Conger take large fish baits presented tight to the wreck. Braided mainline with a fluorocarbon leader is standard for this depth of fishing.
⚠️Common mistake: Using tackle that is too light for the depth. At 80m+ depth with strong tides, you need heavy pirks (300g+) and powerful rods to stay in contact with the bottom and extract fish from wreck structure.
Shark Fishing (June – September)
Patterns
Mackerel flapperWhole mackerelRubby-dubby
Shark trips involve anchoring up-tide of known shark grounds and deploying a rubby-dubby chum trail of mashed fish, bran, and fish oil. Baits of whole or flapper mackerel are fished at varying depths on balloon or running ledger rigs with 30lb class tackle and wire traces. Patience is key — it can take an hour or more for the chum trail to draw sharks to the boat.
⚠️Common mistake: Striking too early when a shark takes the bait. Blue sharks often mouth the bait before committing — let the fish run and set the hook when the line starts peeling steadily.
Shore Fishing (Year-round)
Patterns
LugwormPeeler crabMackerel stripDexter wedge
Shore fishing from Kinsale harbour and surrounding rock marks is productive year-round. Summer brings mackerel and garfish on feathers and float-fished baits, wrasse on crab from rock marks, and bass on lures in the estuary. Winter sees cod and whiting from piers on worm baits fished on running ledger rigs, particularly on night tides around high water.
⚠️Common mistake: Ignoring the tidal state. The Bandon estuary is strongly tidal, and fish movement is closely linked to the flood and ebb. The best shore fishing is typically on the first two hours of the flood and the last hour of the ebb.
Core technique
Wreck Drift Fishing
1The skipper positions the boat up-tide of the wreck using GPS marks and sonar to identify the structure.
2On the signal, lower your rig to the bottom, then wind up 10–15 turns for pollack (mid-water) or keep contact with the bottom for cod and ling.
3Work artificial lures with a steady retrieve through the water column, or jig pirks with a lift-and-drop motion for bottom species.
4When you feel a take, maintain steady pressure and pump the fish away from the wreck structure to prevent break-offs.
5At the end of each drift, reel up quickly as the boat repositions for the next pass over the wreck.
💡 On busy wrecks, the skipper will make multiple drifts over different sections of the structure. Pay attention to which part of the drift produces fish — this helps target future passes.
What works here
Flies and methods reported most successful by the community.
Where to fish
Kinsale Harbour & Pier
The main pier and harbour walls provide accessible shore fishing year-round. Summer produces mackerel, garfish, pollack, and wrasse. Winter sees cod, whiting, coalfish, and dogfish on bottom-fished baits. Mullet shoals enter the harbour in warm weather and provide challenging sport on light tackle.
Bandon Estuary
The tidal estuary upstream of the harbour holds bass and flounder. Best fished on the flood tide with crab or worm baits from accessible bank marks. The bridges and deeper pools are productive spots, particularly in the summer and autumn months.
Offshore Wrecks
Dozens of wartime wrecks within 30 nautical miles of Kinsale harbour provide world-class wreck fishing. These marks hold massive concentrations of pollack, cod, ling, conger, and coalfish. Charter boats work these marks from March through November, weather permitting.
Inshore Reefs
Rocky reef ground south of the harbour mouth and around the Old Head of Kinsale produces excellent pollack, coalfish, and wrasse on drift-fished lures. The famous Ling Rocks are a particularly productive inshore mark for pollack and ling.
Old Head of Kinsale
The dramatic headland south of the town marks where inshore waters meet the deep Atlantic. Rock fishing around the base of the cliffs produces pollack, coalfish, mackerel, and wrasse, though access can be difficult and conditions challenging. The offshore ground south of the Old Head is prime shark territory in summer.
Suggested trip formats
🎣 Half-Day Reef & Wreck Trip
A morning or afternoon session targeting pollack, cod, and other species on inshore reefs and nearer wrecks. Ideal for families and those new to sea fishing. All tackle provided with instruction from the skipper. Typically 3.5 hours on the water.
🎣 Full-Day Wreck Trip
A full day targeting the deeper offshore wrecks for pollack, ling, cod, conger, and coalfish. Covers more ground and reaches productive marks further from the harbour. Suit experienced sea anglers looking for bigger fish. Approximately 7 hours on the water.
🎣 Blue Shark Trip
A dedicated shark fishing trip running June to September. Typically a full day anchored over deep water south of the Old Head, using rubby-dubby chum to attract blue shark. All fish tagged and released. Tackle provided but serious anglers may prefer their own 30lb class gear.
🎣 Shore Fishing Session
Independent shore fishing from Kinsale harbour, the estuary, or surrounding rock marks requires no booking. Summer mackerel fishing from the pier is excellent for families. Specialist shore anglers target bass in the estuary or cod from rock marks in winter. Local tackle shops can advise on current marks and conditions.
Conservation & stewardship
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Blue sharks are always tagged and released as part of ongoing scientific research into their migration patterns. Anglers are encouraged to return all fish that are not being kept for the table, and to handle fish carefully using unhooking mats and wet hands. Bass bag limits of one fish per day (minimum 42cm) apply in all Irish waters. Undersized fish of all species must be returned immediately. Charter skippers enforce responsible fishing practices and can advise on current conservation measures.
Main access: Kinsale Tackle Shop, Pearse Street, Kinsale — bait, tackle, local knowledge, and rod hire, Kinsale has extensive accommodation from hotels and guesthouses to B&Bs and self-catering. Many charter operators can arrange accommodation packages., Several licensed charter boats operate from Kinsale pier including Harpy (43ft Aquastar, 12 anglers) and Sea Otter Charters. Full and half-day trips available.
