Stone Point

Stone Point is a remote, open shingle-and-mud mark on the Dengie side of the Blackwater Estuary, near Bradwell-on-Sea and the eastern end of St Lawrence Bay. It is valued for its estuary fishing, with the chance of seasonal bass, flatfish, whiting, rays and occasional codling when conditions are right.

• It is more of a natural, weather-dependent mark than a comfortable promenade venue.
• Fishing can be good, but results are strongly governed by tide height, water clarity, wind direction and the time of year.
• The point offers access to deeper moving water, although the ground immediately inshore can be shallow and muddy at low water.

Stone Point lies on the north side of the Blackwater Estuary, on the Dengie peninsula in the Bradwell-on-Sea/St Lawrence Bay area. It is reached via minor coastal roads and then on foot along the sea wall or shore; the precise practical approach can change with parking arrangements, flood defences and land access.

• Expect a walk rather than parking directly beside a fishing peg; travel light if possible, especially on a first visit.
• The shore is generally a mixture of shingle, firm-to-soft mud and saltmarsh/sea-wall frontage rather than a wide sandy beach.
• Keep to established public routes and do not cross seawalls, ditches, private fields or marshland where access is not clearly permitted.
• Check local parking signs carefully, as coastal lanes and small parking areas can be restricted, narrow or unsuitable for overnight use.
• This is an exposed coastal location, so allow enough time to return before dark and before a rising tide affects your route.

Stone Point can produce a useful range of Blackwater Estuary species, with the better prospects changing through the seasons. Flatfish are a particular attraction, while autumn and winter bring the chance of more whiting and codling-type fishing.

• Flounder are a principal target over the mud-and-shingle ground, particularly in the cooler months.
• Bass may show in warmer weather, especially when baitfish, crabs and coloured water are present.
• Whiting, dab and other small flatfish can provide regular sport through autumn and winter.
• Dogfish and small rays, including thornback rays where they are present, are possible on suitable tides and with fish bait.
• Codling can occur in autumn and winter, but should be regarded as a bonus rather than a certainty.
• Eels, mullet and other estuary visitors may appear seasonally, although they are not the usual target species for most beach anglers.

A simple beach setup is effective here: fish one rod close for flounder or bass and, where conditions allow, place a second bait farther out for whiting, rays or codling. The best approach is usually to match casting distance and bait size to the species rather than casting as far as possible.

• For flounder, use a light flowing or two-hook flatfish rig with ragworm, lugworm, maddies or small strips of fish; keep at least one bait in the nearer channels.
• For bass, a pulley, clipped-down rig or simple flowing trace carrying peeler crab, ragworm, lugworm or a fresh fish bait is a sensible starting point.
• For whiting and dab, two-hook clipped rigs with lugworm, squid, mackerel or mixed worm-and-squid baits are reliable choices after dark.
• For rays and the occasional codling, use stronger hooks and a clipped-down pulley rig with whole squid, sandeel, mackerel, bluey or substantial worm baits.
• A tripod, headtorch, spare leads and enough line to cope with tide run are worthwhile; the point can be windy and currents can move tackle.
• Use only enough lead to hold bottom. If tackle is repeatedly dragged, increase weight gradually or reposition to find less tide-swept water.

Stone Point is generally most practical and productive when there is enough water over the inshore ground, with the flood tide and the first part of the ebb often worth concentrating on. Exact productive stages vary with wind, season and the particular stretch being fished, so it pays to watch the water rather than rely on a single rule.

• A rising tide is usually preferable for access to fishable depth close in, particularly for flatfish and bass.
• The period around high water can be productive, but avoid being cut off or forced onto unsafe soft ground by the flood.
• Fish after dark for whiting, dogfish and larger bait-feeding species, especially from late summer through winter.
• Coloured water after a moderate onshore or cross-onshore blow can improve bass, ray and codling prospects; heavy seas can make the shingle uncomfortable and unsafe.
• Very clear, calm conditions may favour lighter presentation and smaller baits for flatfish, while larger fish baits can be reserved for dusk or darkness.
• Check a current local tide table and weather forecast before travelling, including wind strength and direction rather than simply the chance of rain.

This is not an easy-access promenade mark. Uneven shingle, soft estuarine mud, exposed weather and a potentially long walk mean that anglers need to be self-sufficient and cautious.

• Do not attempt to walk across exposed mudflats or take shortcuts over marsh: estuary mud can be deep, unstable and rapidly covered by the incoming tide.
• Wear robust waterproof footwear with good grip, and take warm/waterproof layers even in otherwise mild weather.
• Carry a fully charged phone, headtorch, first-aid kit and a means of attracting attention; phone signal can be variable in remote coastal areas.
• Fish with a companion where possible, tell somebody your plan, and leave well before darkness if you do not know the route.
• Keep clear of the sea-wall edge, drainage channels and any eroded banks, particularly after rain or during a strong tide.
• The rough approach and likely walking distance make the mark unsuitable for many anglers with limited mobility; there may be no level, hard-standing fishing platform.
• Stone Point is reached only on foot along the Naze beach and is cut off at high water; check the tide times before setting out and turn back early.

Facilities at Stone Point itself should be assumed to be minimal or absent. Treat it as a remote shore mark and bring everything needed for the session.

• There are unlikely to be toilets, lighting, tackle shops, fresh water or sheltered seating at the fishing area.
• Food, fuel, bait and other supplies are best obtained before heading down the coastal lanes.
• Take all litter, discarded line, bait packaging and fish waste home; the surrounding marsh and estuary are important wildlife habitat.
• A compact trolley can help with gear on firm surfaces, but may be awkward over loose shingle, grass and uneven sea-wall paths.
• Do not block gateways, passing places, access tracks or sea-defence maintenance routes when parking.

The most consistent Stone Point anglers tend to travel with a flexible plan: fish a tide that puts water over the close ground, carry several bait options and move their casting distance before changing venue. Fresh bait and neat presentation are often more important here than extreme casting range.

• Arrive in daylight on a first visit so you can identify the safe path, the state of the shore and a clear route back.
• Put one bait relatively close in for flounder rather than automatically casting both rods to the horizon.
• Use fresh peeler crab when targeting bass in season; when crab is unavailable, worm baits and small fish baits remain useful alternatives.
• If small fish are stripping worm quickly, protect the hook bait with squid, elastic thread or a tougher bait cocktail.
• Keep hooks, bait size and trace strength proportionate: small, tidy baits often score for flatfish, while larger baits are better saved for rays, codling and bigger bass.
• Respect other users of the sea wall and shore, including walkers, birdwatchers, bait diggers and sea-defence workers.

There is no clear, blanket indication that recreational shore fishing at Stone Point is universally prohibited, but local access can be constrained by private land, sea-defence works, conservation designations, temporary notices or parking controls. Anglers should therefore treat access as conditional and check the position on the day.

• Follow all on-site signs, gates, seasonal notices and instructions from landowners, wardens or sea-defence staff.
• Do not enter signed nature reserves, restricted marshland, working areas or private ground simply to reach a different section of shore.
• Check current national and local rules for minimum sizes, catch limits, protected species and any seasonal restrictions before retaining fish or shellfish.
• Return undersized, protected or unwanted fish carefully and promptly, and avoid retaining breeding-sized bass or rays unnecessarily.
• If collecting bait, check whether the area has restrictions on digging, collecting shellfish or accessing mudflats; permissions can differ between adjacent stretches of coast.
• Check official local authority, harbour/estuary and fisheries information for the latest access and conservation requirements before travelling.