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West Sussex

Goring-by-Sea Beach

6.5 · Beach · West Sussex

Goring-by-Sea Beach is a broad, easily reached shingle-and-sand shore west of Worthing, with groynes, shallow gullies and occasional mixed ground providing varied casting lines. It is a relaxed, family-accessible mark, generally best fished over the flooding tide and into darkness for flatfish, bass, whiting and occasional rays, while summer brings mackerel and garfish within reach.

Should you fish Goring-by-Sea Beach?

65 Good

Today · Best window

Best window: 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide

Most likely species: Plaice and Mackerel

Good conditions. Best around 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide. Good chance of Plaice and Mackerel.

E 2 mph Rain 0% High tide 12:44

Worth fishing if you can hit the best window.

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7-day fishing forecast for Goring-by-Sea Beach — 7-day forecast

Scores and best windows are weighted for .

Met Office Met Office · Open-Meteo

Where the data comes from. Weather and sea-state readings come from the Met Office and Open-Meteo forecast models, refreshed several times a day. High and low water are taken from tide-station predictions for this stretch of coast.

How the score works. Each window is scored 0–100 from the signals that most reliably move fish inshore: tide movement (a running tide carries food, so the last of the flood and first of the ebb are usually the prime spells), wind speed and direction (onshore wind stirs food into the surf — up to the point it makes fishing hard), sea state (a little wave and swell movement helps, heavy swell hurts), and weather — rain, temperature and light. Behind the headline number we score bite opportunity and comfort separately, and run a separate safety check on wind and swell. The size of the tide counts too: spring tides move more water than neaps, so the tidal range for this stretch of coast is weighed alongside the tide's direction, your target species and this mark — and unusually big springs strengthen the safety check, because the water rises faster and covers more ground.

Your target species counts. Pick a species below and the score also weights what we know about it — its season, preferred sea temperature, tide stage and sea state, and whether it feeds by day or night.

The rating is guidance, not a guarantee — conditions change fast on the coast, so always judge the sea in front of you before you fish.

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· windows & tide

Spring vs neap tides. Spring tides have a larger difference between high and low water, so more water moves on each tide — usually stronger flow that stirs up food and gets fish feeding. Neap tides have a smaller range and generally gentler movement. The range here is compared with what is normal for this stretch of coast, and the cycle swings between springs and neaps roughly every week, following the moon.

Big spring tides: the water rises faster and covers more ground than usual — double-check access routes and cut-off points before you fish.

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A shallow, tide-dependent shingle-and-sand beach where the productive water is usually close enough to be covered without extreme casting. Build the session around the flooding tide into high water, using the groynes, shallow gullies and clean sand as your decision points. It can be patchy, so move or alter range rather than waiting on one static line.

  • Fish the flood-and-high-water window that suits Goring’s shallow ground
  • Know when to work gullies and when to target clean sand between groynes
  • Set a two-rod spread that searches range and bait instead of waiting on one cast
  • Switch to a nearby backup only after checking access and conditions separately

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Worthing 2.1 mi Rustington 3.0 mi Clapham (Arun) 3.1 mi Sompting 3.7 mi Findon 4.3 mi

Explore nearby towns: Worthing · Rustington · Clapham (Arun) · Sompting · Findon

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Fish forecast key

Excellent (80+) Good (65-79) Fair (50-64) Poor (0-49)

Overall rating

6.5 /10

Blend of catch potential, access, safety, and overall experience.

Category scores

Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 6/10
Scenery & Comfort 7/10
Safety 7/10
Accessibility 9/10

Bass 7/10
Tip: Fish worm, peeler crab or small fish baits in the gullies on a flood tide, especially at dusk.
Whiting 7/10
Tip: Reliable after dark in autumn and winter; two-hook clipped rigs with lugworm work well.
Plaice 7/10
Tip: Common spring target; use ragworm, lugworm or tipped squid on clean sand between groynes.
Pouting 6/10
Tip: Regular on evening and night sessions, taking worm, squid and fish-strip baits.
Flounder 6/10
Tip: Best from autumn to spring on worm baits fished in shallow, sandy channels.
Mackerel 6/10
Tip: Seasonal shoals can come within casting range in summer; use feathers, a small metal lure or float-fished strip.
Dover Sole 5/10
Tip: A warm, calm summer-night possibility; use small worm baits close in.
Thornback Ray 5/10
Tip: Occasional on the cleaner ground, mainly in warmer months; fish squid, sandeel or peeler crab baits.
Smoothhound 5/10
Tip: A summer possibility over sand and shingle; peeler crab is the standout bait.
Garfish 5/10
Tip: Present in settled summer weather; fish a small strip bait beneath a float or use a slim lure.

Local knowledge

Goring-by-Sea Beach fishing guide

Practical access, seasons, methods, tides, safety and facilities for this mark.

Goring-by-Sea Beach is a broad, easy-to-reach shingle shore on the western side of Worthing, suited to relaxed beach fishing rather than extreme-distance casting. It can produce good summer sport and worthwhile winter flatfish sessions, although it is a relatively shallow, tide-dependent venue and catches can be patchy.

The mark runs along the Goring seafront, where a shingle beach, promenade and a series of groynes provide plenty of room to spread out away from the busiest public areas. It is generally one of the more accessible Sussex shore marks, particularly for anglers travelling light.

The beach offers a mixed Sussex shoreline catch, with the best targets changing markedly through the seasons and tide. Do not expect every species on every visit: local conditions, water clarity and bait movement make a substantial difference.

A simple two-rod approach works well here: one bait rod searching the bottom and, when conditions permit, a second rod covering a different distance or bait. The ground is usually manageable shingle and sand, but groynes, occasional debris and weed can make careless casting or retrieval awkward.

Goring is commonly more productive around a building tide and near high water, when fish can move over the shallow inshore ground. The ideal session depends on the target species, but clean or lightly coloured water and a manageable sea are usually more useful than simply choosing the largest tide.

The promenade gives relatively straightforward access to much of the frontage, but the loose shingle and groynes still require care, especially in darkness or when carrying heavy gear. Treat it as an active public beach: give walkers, swimmers, water users and nearby residents plenty of space.

Goring seafront benefits from the services associated with the Worthing urban area, making it convenient for short evening trips as well as longer sessions. Facilities and parking arrangements vary along the frontage, so it is sensible to arrive early in good weather or at popular tide times.

The key to this beach is mobility and observation rather than relying on one famous casting spot. A short walk and a look at the state of the sea, weed level and position of the groynes can save an unproductive session.

Beach angling is not known to be universally prohibited at Goring-by-Sea Beach, but access and fishing must be conducted within local beach, harbour and fisheries rules. Restrictions can change, and temporary controls may apply for events, works, bathing areas or safety reasons, so check current official information and signs before setting up.