Common Dace
Dace aren't native to Ireland — they arrived in 1889 when English anglers tipped leftover live bait into the Munster Blackwater at Cappoquin. From that single introduction they've spread to the Barrow, Nore, Suir, and Shannon catchments.
Classified as invasive, they're nonetheless a legitimate coarse angling target: fast-water shoal fish that can be caught in big numbers on light tackle where populations are established.
Scientific Name: Leuciscus leuciscus
- Slim, silvery body with large flat scales; flanks fade from silver to a faint bronze-gold toward the back, white on the belly.
- Yellow eyes — the clearest field mark separating dace from roach, which have distinctly red eyes.
- Both the dorsal fin and anal fin have a concave (inward-curving) outer edge; this distinguishes dace from chub, whose fins are convex.
- Typical Irish fish run well under a pound; the specimen weight is 14 oz, and the Irish record stands at just over 2 oz above that — a 14 oz fish is a genuine achievement.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Not native to Ireland; introduced to the Munster Blackwater in 1889 and now established in the Barrow, Nore, Suir, and parts of the Shannon catchment.
- Favour fast-flowing, clean, well-oxygenated rivers — typically the middle to lower reaches where current is steady and the bottom is gravel or clean stone.
- Shoal near the surface in moving water; occasionally found in the brackish tidal stretches near river mouths.
- Populations are densest in the Blackwater around Fermoy and Cappoquin, and in the Barrow around St. Mullins and the lower Nore near Inistioge.
Key Locations
- Munster Blackwater around Fermoy and Cappoquin — the original introduction point and still a stronghold for the species.
- River Barrow at St. Mullins — dace established here and can be caught in large numbers on light float tackle.
- Lower River Nore near Inistioge — where specimen-sized fish to 14 oz have been recorded.
- River Suir at Carrick-on-Suir and Clonmel — a more recent expansion, with reports of very large shoals in recent years.
Specific Spots
- Dace hold in the faster, shallower runs and glides — look for them where current breaks around gravel bars or the tail of a pool where water picks up pace again.
- Shoals often sit just below the surface in mid-river current; they're not tight to the bank the way roach tend to be.
- In summer, feeding fish dimple the surface in streamy water — treat it like a rise and fish accordingly.
- Downstream of weirs and mill races concentrates fish, especially in cooler months when they stack up in the oxygenated flow below the white water.
Common Dace FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Common Dace?
Maggot and caster (the chrysalis stage of a maggot) are the most reliable baits, fish one or two on a small hook under a float, and loose-feed the same bait to hold the shoal. Small pieces of bread punch or soft bread flake also work, particularly in slower sections of a swim.
What flies work for Common Dace?
Small dry flies, size 16–18 Elk Hair Caddis (imitating adult caddisflies) or a simple CDC (cul de canard feather) dry, work well when dace are visibly rising to surface insects in fast water.
When is the best time to fish for Common Dace?
Dace can be caught year-round in Ireland where populations exist, they remain active and feeding even in cold winter conditions, unlike many coarse species. Summer and autumn see fish feeding near the surface in streamy water, making dry-fly and surface float fishing most productive.
How do you catch Common Dace?
Most Irish dace fishing is done from the bank with light float tackle, loose-feeding maggots or casters to build a shoal in a streamy run or glide. Anglers who find an active shoal can catch large numbers in a short session.
What do Common Dace eat?
Dace eat aquatic and terrestrial insects, surface flies, nymphs, and small larvae, as well as crustaceans and algae. This makes small hooks with maggot, caster, or bread the go-to conventional baits, and dry flies or small nymphs the fly-fishing equivalent.
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