Fishing at Portrush Harbour

HarbourCo. Antrim🐾 Dogs allowed — with rules★★☆ family

A sheltered, easy-access harbour mark on the North Coast that's better for small codling, coalfish and dogfish than specimen fish — for the area's best pollack and wrasse on lures head instead to the nearby Blue Pool or fish the drift out towards Skerries Rocks.

📍 View on the map

What you can catch

Species	Season	Method
Coalfish	All year, best autumn/winter	Small feathers or soft plastics worked around the harbour walls and steps.
Codling	Oct–Feb	Bottom-fished lugworm or ragworm cast from the harbour wall on winter evenings.
Pollack	Apr–Oct	Soft plastics and lures fished along the harbour arm and nearby rock marks such as the Blue Pool.
Wrasse (ballan)	May–Sep	Float-fished ragworm or crab tight to the harbour wall and adjacent rocky pools.
Mackerel	Jun–Sep	Feathers cast from the harbour arm on the flood in calm summer conditions.

Tactics

Fish soft plastics or lures along the harbour walls and steps for pollack and coalfish, and float-fish ragworm or peeler crab tight to the structure for wrasse; for better sport, walk a short distance to the rock marks either side of the harbour (including the Blue Pool) where lure/soft-plastic fishing tends to outperform the harbour itself.

Best tide: Flood to high water, calm conditions preferred · Best time: Evenings/after dark in autumn and winter for codling; daytime through summer for mackerel, pollack and wrasse

Dogs

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council operates a summer dog control order (historically 1 June–15 September) on the West and East Strand beaches either side of the harbour; dogs must be kept on a lead on the promenade cycle paths along the strands. The harbour walls/piers themselves are not a strand and aren't covered by the beach ban, but check the council's current interactive Dog Control Orders map for this season's exact dates.

Access & parking

Portrush Harbour is right in the town centre, a short walk from the main street. Public car parking is available on Harbour Road next to the harbour itself. Sat-nav: BT56 8DF.Get directions → Family rating: ★★☆ — Harbour walls and steps are solid but there are drop-offs and no railings in places, and the mark can catch swell in onshore winds — fine for older children with supervision, less ideal for very young kids.

FAQs

What fish can you catch in Portrush Harbour?

Mainly small codling and coalfish, with wrasse, pollack, dogfish and summer mackerel also caught; bigger pollack and wrasse are better targeted at nearby rock marks like the Blue Pool or by drifting towards Skerries Rocks.

Are dogs allowed on Portrush Harbour?

The harbour walls themselves aren't covered by the seasonal beach dog ban, but the adjacent West and East Strand beaches have a summer dog control order (roughly June to mid-September) and dogs must be kept on leads on the promenade cycle paths.

Is there parking at Portrush Harbour for fishing?

Yes, there's a public car park directly on Harbour Road (BT56 8DF) right next to the harbour, a very short carry from the walls.

Nearby marks

Bangor Pier (Co. Down)

Last updated 7 July 2026 — sources & disclaimer

Compiled from angling guides, forums and the relevant council's dog byelaws, cross-checked where possible.

Rules and conditions change, so always check current signage and tides before you go. We do our best to keep this accurate but can't promise it's error-free.