Tope
Tope are the largest shark regularly taken from Irish beaches and a serious target for boat anglers along the east and south coasts. They move inshore during summer, following prey into the fast-tide ground that Ireland's bays and estuaries produce so well.
Greystones and Wicklow dominate the specimen record; Tralee Bay has been a key tagging site for decades. Given their critically endangered global status, virtually all Irish tope are returned alive.
Scientific Name: Galeorhinus galeus
Also known as School shark, soupfin shark
- Slender, torpedo-shaped body; bluish-grey on the back and flanks fading to creamy white underneath — counter-shading that makes them hard to spot from above or below.
- Long, pointed snout and a distinctive notched tab on the upper lobe of the tail fin — the clearest single ID feature separating tope from other Irish sharks.
- Typical Irish fish run 10–30 kg; the Irish record stands at 34.02 kg (75 lb) from a boat, with the shore specimen threshold set at 18.14 kg (40 lb).
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to Irish waters; a migratory species that moves inshore to shallow, fast-tide ground in summer and disperses offshore or south in autumn and winter.
- Tagging data from Inland Fisheries Ireland's Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme shows Irish fish travelling as far as the Azores, the Canaries, and the Shetland Islands — evidence of a single Northeast Atlantic population.
- Found around most of the Irish coast wherever strong tidal runs develop over clean ground: the east coast (Wicklow, Greystones), the south (Kilmore Quay, Wexford), the southwest (Tralee Bay), and channels off Donegal.
- Generally works the seabed in depths from the surf zone out to several hundred metres, but inshore tope fishing targets fish in relatively shallow, fast-moving water.
Key Locations
- Greystones and Wicklow — dominate the Irish specimen record by a wide margin; the east coast is internationally known tope ground, particularly July through November.
- Tralee Bay, Co. Kerry — the most heavily tagged location in Inland Fisheries Ireland's 40-year Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme; a key inshore summer ground.
- Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford — consistent south-coast boat venue; Wexford beaches also produce shore fish.
- Red Bay, Co. Antrim — northern contributor to the specimen record.
- Carlingford Lough and Donegal channels — deep-water tidal channels between islands and mainland hold fish; Carlingford produced the previous Irish record.
Specific Spots
- Fast-tide runs over clean, sandy or mixed seabed — tope follow the current to intercept prey, so anchor uptide of the run and let a scent trail work downcurrent.
- Deep holes and channels adjacent to shallow bays and estuaries: as the tide floods and ebbs across vast shallow areas, baitfish concentrate at the edges and tope patrol the drop-offs.
- From shore, fish the darkest part of the tide — night spring tides — at beach marks where deep water comes close to the surf line, such as the north end of Kilcoole and The Murrough on the Wicklow coast.
- Rocky headland marks with deep water and strong rips can hold fish, but access and safety must be assessed carefully in daylight before committing to a night session.
Tope FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Tope?
Whole mackerel or herring is the go-to shore bait; for boat fishing, a mackerel flapper (head-on, backbone removed, fillets splayed) on a large circle hook releases the most scent and is the most widely used presentation in Irish waters.
When is the best time to fish for Tope?
May to October, the main inshore season as tope move into Irish coastal waters to feed; boat fishing peaks in summer. July, August, and September, peak months for specimen-sized fish based on Irish Specimen Fish Committee records, particularly on the east coast.
How do you catch Tope?
Boat fishing accounts for the majority of Irish tope catches: anchor uptide of a fast tidal run, deploy a chum bag near the seabed, and fish a fresh mackerel flapper downtide on a running ledger.
What do Tope eat?
Tope feed heavily on fish, mackerel, herring, launce (sand eels), and whatever baitfish the tide concentrates. A freshly caught mackerel presented as a flapper (fillets left attached to the head section) is the standard Irish boat bait because it releases maximum scent and moves naturally in the current.
Where do Tope live?
Native to Irish waters; a migratory species that moves inshore to shallow, fast-tide ground in summer and disperses offshore or south in autumn and winter.
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