Whiting Bay, Co Waterford

SPECIES
Shallow and gradually shelving sand surf beach with a stream in the middle. Good for bass in southwest winds, especially over low water from September through to Christmas. Big tides in summer and autumn produce thornback and small-eyed rays. Tope have been reported here in May and June. Short casts produce turbot, dabs, dogfish and flounder. Plaice at long range. Winter species include codling, whiting, dabs and coalfish, with big flounder by the stream.

BEST BAITS
Lugworm tipped with crab is good for the bass, but the biggest fish take squid or mackerel fillets. The rays favour sandeel or mackerel strips. Ragworm is the top plaice bait, though a combination of lug, mussel and a tippet of squid is also effective. Use lug for the winter codling, whiting and dabs. Big winter flounder like lug and razorfish cocktails.

TACKLE
Big casts are an advantage here, so a 5 to 6oz beachcaster and reels loaded with 15lb line and a 60lb shock leader are ideal. Use a clipped down 3/0 pennel rig for the rays, bass and codling. Turbot take sandeel best presented on a sliding ledger rig with a 24-inch hook trace to give movement. Three-hook rigs take everything else.

GETTING THERE
Whiting Bay is signposted with a Central Fisheries Board sign to the left off the main N25 heading west towards Cork. It is 2 miles outside Ardmore on the R673. The main access road has a CFB sign indicating the road to the beach. There is a large free parking area adjacent to the beach.