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1,612-acre Carlingford Lough. Outer saltwater fishing map with official INFOMAR survey bathymetry, measured-cell fishing spots, official fish evidence, seasonal forage guidance, access context and current-rule links. The outer trip-scale survey reach of Carlingford Lough, retaining only official survey-backed seabed cells that pass the Ireland release gates. The water tops out around 107 ft. The depth chart comes from INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Carlingford Lough - Outer runs 1,612 acres with 16.3 miles of edge. With a shoreline index of 2.9, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 6% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 6.5 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.8 mi at the beam. The nearest mapped water is Dundalk Bay - Outer, 7 mi to the southwest.
Marine Institute spawning, nursery, observation and range layers support the principal surveyed pelagic and groundfish. IFI's national and regional sea-angling publications support additional habitat-compatible recreational targets. This is occurrence and search guidance, not equal abundance, a section-level population estimate or a promised catch. The roster may combine exact-water monitoring with habitat-filtered official regional evidence; it does not imply that every species is equally abundant throughout the mapped section.
| Species | Evidence basis | Count / date |
|---|---|---|
| Mackerel (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| Pollack (Atlantic Pollock) | official species listing | — |
| Coalfish (Saithe (Coalfish)) | official species listing | — |
| Haddock (Haddock) | official species listing | — |
| Whiting (Whiting) | official species listing | — |
| Cod (Atlantic Cod) | official species listing | — |
| Plaice (European Plaice) | official species listing | — |
| Flounder (European Flounder) | official species listing | — |
| Thornback ray (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| Sea trout (Sea Trout) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
Spring atlantic mackerel on Carlingford Lough - Outer hold shallow, usually 5 to 45 ft. They move out to 15 to 80 ft in summer and finish the year down in 27 to 107 ft. Put INFOMAR measured current seam first on the milk run — a current seam near 48 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a feather rig or a small vertical jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (48 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (48 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (48 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 27 to 107 ft | midday | Deepest basin (106 ft) | Small deep jig |
When the water first warms, atlantic pollock slide up into 8 to 100 ft. Summer is a 9 to 107 ft game here, winter a 17 to 107 ft one. Start at INFOMAR measured point. It's a point holding about 36 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a surface plug or a baitfish swimbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured point (36 ft) | Sandeel-pattern lure, Soft-plastic shad |
| Summer | 9 to 107 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured point (36 ft) | Surface plug, Baitfish swimbait |
| Fall | 10 to 107 ft | dawn | INFOMAR measured point (36 ft) | Metal jig, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 17 to 107 ft | midday | Sharp break (48 ft) | Slow metal jig, Weighted soft plastic |
Spring puts saithe (coalfish) in skinny water — 10 to 107 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 10 to 107 ft, and winter fish hold in 15 to 107 ft. INFOMAR measured current seam is the standout, a current seam at roughly 48 ft, rated prime for spring saithe (coalfish). Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A speed jig or a heavy paddletail covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 107 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (48 ft) | Slim metal jig, Paddletail |
| Summer | 10 to 107 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (48 ft) | Speed jig, Heavy paddletail |
| Fall | 10 to 107 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured current seam (48 ft) | Metal jig, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 15 to 107 ft | midday | Deepest basin (106 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
In spring, haddock run shallow here, mostly 17 to 107 ft. Summer keeps them at 20 to 107 ft, and they winter in 19 to 107 ft. Deepest basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 106 ft, rated prime for spring haddock. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a compact metal jig or a bottom rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 17 to 107 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (106 ft) | Small bottom jig, Beaded trace |
| Summer | 20 to 107 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (106 ft) | Compact metal jig, Bottom rig |
| Fall | 19 to 107 ft | midday | INFOMAR measured flat (29 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Winter | 19 to 107 ft | midday | Deepest basin (106 ft) | Deep bottom jig |
In spring, whiting run shallow here, mostly 15 to 55 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 20 to 70 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 70 ft. INFOMAR measured channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 59 ft, rated prime for fall whiting. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a small vertical jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | INFOMAR measured channel edge (59 ft) | Small silver jig, Two-hook feather rig |
| Summer | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | INFOMAR measured channel edge (59 ft) | Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 60 ft | dusk | INFOMAR measured channel edge (59 ft) | Small silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 15 to 70 ft | dusk | INFOMAR measured channel edge (59 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
When the water first warms, atlantic cod slide up into 20 to 100 ft. Summer is a 27 to 107 ft game here, winter a 24 to 107 ft one. Start at Deepest basin. It's a deep basin holding about 106 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a heavy metal jig or a large soft-plastic jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20 to 100 ft | dawn | Sharp break (48 ft) | Diamond jig, Heavy bucktail |
| Summer | 27 to 107 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (106 ft) | Heavy metal jig, Large soft-plastic jig |
| Fall | 19 to 107 ft | dawn | Sharp break (48 ft) | Diamond jig, Bucktail with teaser |
| Winter | 24 to 107 ft | midday | Deepest basin (106 ft) | Heavy vertical jig |
Carlingford Lough - Outer also holds european plaice (6 to 40 ft in summer), european flounder (6 to 35 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), sea trout (15 to 50 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Carlingford Lough - Outer carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 106 ft down.
The complete Marine Institute Fishing Ports layer returned no port point inside this operational section. DepthScout does not substitute a nearby road, beach or community slipway as verified public fishing access; confirm legal access, parking, tides and local restrictions before visiting.
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ireland waters are set by the Loughs Agency and Inland Fisheries Ireland (cross-border rules) — and special regulations can apply to Carlingford Lough - Outer specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough are cross-border fisheries. Check current Loughs Agency rules and permits together with the applicable Irish and Northern Irish sea-angling, salmon and sea-trout rules before fishing. Jurisdiction, protected areas, harbour directions and access can change within one trip-scale section; a DepthScout boundary or port lead is never legal permission.
Check the official Ireland fishing regulations →
Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (2026 salmon and sea-trout status) →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Check official shore-access information →
Carlingford Lough - Outer is about 107 ft (33 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Marine Institute and Inland Fisheries Ireland informs the atlantic mackerel, atlantic pollock, saithe (coalfish), haddock, whiting, atlantic cod, european plaice, european flounder, thornback ray, sea trout roster for Carlingford Lough - Outer. The mixed roster combines exact-water records where available with habitat-filtered regional evidence; not every species is documented at this exact water, and it is not a promise of equal abundance or a catch on a particular trip.
INFOMAR measured current seam is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 48 ft of water that rates prime for atlantic mackerel in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For atlantic mackerel, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Carlingford Lough - Outer is regulated by the Loughs Agency and Inland Fisheries Ireland (cross-border rules). Check the official Ireland regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Dundalk Bay - Outer 7 mi, IRL · Dundalk Bay - Middle 12 mi, IRL · Strangford Lough - South 32 mi, UK · Strangford Lough - North 42 mi, UK · Dublin Bay - Middle 45 mi, IRL · Dublin Bay - Outer 45 mi, IRL · Dublin Bay - Inner 46 mi, IRL · Soulseat Loch 74 mi, UK · Loch Magillie 75 mi, UK · White Loch 76 mi, UK · Cults Loch 76 mi, UK · Black Loch 76 mi, UK
See how Carlingford Lough - Outer stacks up: best sea trout lakes in Ireland · best european flounder lakes in Ireland · best european plaice lakes in Ireland · best whiting lakes in Ireland
Browse all Ireland fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: INFOMAR (Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute) INFOMAR All Survey bathymetry mosaic (Source-survey vertical references retained in the INFOMAR All Survey mosaic; 100% measured, 0% source-interpolated). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.