St Patrick's Bridge is a natural stone causeway reaching from the shore on the east side of Kilmore Quay out towards the distant Saltee Islands. The causeway is raised above the surrounding ground with numerous surface breaking rocks showing on each side. It is a magnet for shoals of small baitfish and sandeel, with the rocky ground a haven for crab, gobies and small eels.

It fishes best on the rising tide, especially for the bass and codling during the bigger spring tides, though more resident species like ballan wrasse can be caught during smaller neap tides.

The reef is also an excellent venue to wade out on a short distance and cast plugs and spinners. It's also a popular venue for saltwater fly fishing during calmer weather.

SPECIES
Bass arrive in April and stay until January. Wrasse show from May, as will garfish and mullet. Black bream are caught occassionally from the reef using long casts, these appearing in early June and staying until September. A few smoothound are also caught in June. Mackerel are found as single fish throughout the summer months, though big tides in July and August during calm warm weather will bring big shoals in tight along the causeway.

Smaller crab sections take corkwing and goldsinny wrasse, also the occasional cuckoo wrasse.

Codling can show any time of year, but are most prolific from September on, with November to January the best time. Whiting and the occasional dab make up a mixed catch.

BEST BAITS
For summer bass and wrasse soft or peeler crab is the top bait. Alternatives are big baits of ragworm or lugworm, and for the bass tip off with squid. For specimen sized bass try a whole squid or mackerel in amongst the outside boulders.

Winter cod take big lug baits or frozen crab. Also try a squid head for the bigger codling.

TACKLE
It's rough ground, so choose a 5-6oz beachcaster and a reel loaded with 25lb line and a 60lb shock leader. Top rig is a pulley rig with size 4/0 hooks for the bass, codling, big wrasse and smoothound.

Change to a two-hook rig for the bream and smaller wrasse using size 4 Aberdeen's

For plugging try a surface popping Storm Chug Bug. Top spinners are a Dexter Wedge or the ABU Toby in 1oz chrome. A 9-weight fly rod is ideal with black flies at dusk and white flies by day taking the bulk of the bass.

GETTING THERE
As you head out of Kilmore Quay heading back towards Wexford on the R739, on the right hand side is a road turning right that leads down to a small parking area with the causeway immediately in front of you. The road is well sign posted with a Central Fisheries Board sign.

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