Best common sole lakes in Ireland
47 Ireland waters hold common sole, 47 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. A nocturnal flatfish of sand and soft mud that feeds along gently sloping estuary flats and channel margins.
- Waterford Harbour — Inner — 135 ft max · survey depth data · Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, Garfish, European SeabassWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Shannon Estuary — Lower — 240 ft max · survey depth data · Sea Trout, Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, GarfishWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Dungarvan Bay — Inner — 242 ft max · survey depth data · Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, Garfish, European SeabassWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Clew Bay — West — 203 ft max · survey depth data · Sea Trout, Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, GarfishWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Tralee Bay — Outer — 139 ft max · survey depth data · Sea Trout, Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, GarfishWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Cork Harbour — West — 147 ft max · survey depth data · Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, Garfish, European SeabassWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Bays — Clonakilty — 291 ft max · survey depth data · Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, Garfish, European SeabassWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Dublin Bay — Middle — 109 ft max · survey depth data · Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, Garfish, European SeabassWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Cork Harbour — East — 255 ft max · survey depth data · Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, Garfish, European SeabassWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Youghal Bay — Outer — 235 ft max · survey depth data · Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, Garfish, European SeabassWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Mulroy Bay — Outer — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Sea Trout, Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, GarfishWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Wexford Harbour and Rosslare Bay — Wexford Inner — 147 ft max · survey depth data · Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, Garfish, European SeabassWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Wexford Harbour and Rosslare Bay — Wexford Outer North — 56 ft max · survey depth data · Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, Garfish, European SeabassWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Kinsale Harbour — Inner — 227 ft max · survey depth data · Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, Garfish, European SeabassWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lough Swilly — Middle — 66 ft max · survey depth data · Sea Trout, Atlantic Herring, European Flounder, GarfishWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
…plus 32 more Ireland waters holding common sole.
Find the closest common sole waters to you →
How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Ireland waters with public access data
When to fish common sole in Ireland
- Spring 6–30 ft — Present a small bottom bait slowly where firm sand grades into softer mud.
- Summer 3–30 ft — Warm settled nights and a gentle moving tide are the most consistent estuary conditions.
- Fall 8–40 ft — Shift from upper flats to deeper channel margins as temperatures fall.
- Winter 20–70 ft — Most adult sole move deeper or offshore; treat inner-estuary marks as low-confidence winter opportunities.
Also in Ireland: best sea trout lakes · best atlantic herring lakes · best european flounder lakes · best garfish lakes · best european seabass lakes · best european plaice lakes · best whiting lakes · best thick-lipped grey mullet lakes · best brill lakes · best thornback ray lakes · best atlantic mackerel lakes · best atlantic cod lakes · best saithe (coalfish) lakes · best atlantic pollock lakes · best haddock lakes · best ling lakes
Common Sole elsewhere: United Kingdom · France · Netherlands · Denmark