Sandymouth Beach Fishing

Last updated: 5 days ago

Sandymouth Beach Fishing Map

A broad, exposed surf beach north of Bude with long sandbars, shingle at the top, and rocky ledges at either end. Gutters and channels open up on the ebb and early flood, and a stream runs across the beach creating food-rich seams. It’s a productive summer–autumn surf mark for bass and flatfish, with rays after dark in calmer spells and winter whiting on settled nights. Access is via a steep path from the National Trust car park; watch strong rips, heavy swell, and fast-moving tides around the headlands.

Ratings

⭐ 6.1/10 Overall
Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 5/10

Fish You Can Catch at Sandymouth Beach

🐟 Bass 9/10
🎯 Tip: Work the surf gutters on a flooding tide at dawn/dusk or after a blow. Peeler crab, sandeel, or shallow/surface lures in white water.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 8/10
🎯 Tip: From rocky ends at mid-low tide; drop baits into kelp gullies. Peeler crab or worm on strong tackle. Best summer to early autumn on the flood.
🐟 Whiting 7/10
🎯 Tip: Winter evenings into dark; cast to first gutter. Small mackerel/sandeel strips on size 2-4 hooks. Flood tide best.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 7/10
🎯 Tip: Night over clean sand; small mackerel or sandeel baits on two-hook flappers. Last 3 hours of flood into first ebb, calm to moderate surf.
🐟 Pollack 6/10
🎯 Tip: Soft plastics or metals worked along kelp edges from the rocks at dusk on a flooding tide. Summer-autumn with a little swell/colour.
🐟 Mackerel 6/10
🎯 Tip: Summer, calm clear seas; spin or feather from rocky points at dawn/dusk on the flood.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
🎯 Tip: Summer nights; small metals or sabikis with a glow bead from rocky ends at dusk into dark on the flood.
🐟 Golden-grey Mullet 5/10
🎯 Tip: Gentle surf, evenings. Small fish or shellfish baits on size 6-8 hooks in the gutters on a flooding tide. Summer.
🐟 Weever Fish (Lesser) 5/10
🎯 Tip: Common in summer in shallow surf; small worm or baited sabiki on short casts over clean sand, mid-flood. Handle carefully due to spines.
🐟 Small-eyed Ray 4/10
🎯 Tip: Occasional in warm summer nights; long cast sandeel/launce onto clean sand an hour before high into the first of the ebb.

Sandymouth Beach Fishing

Summary

Sandymouth Beach sits on Cornwall’s wild north coast just north of Bude, a National Trust–managed expanse of sand, shingle and slate reefs framed by high, crumbly cliffs. It’s a classic surf beach mark for bass and small-eyed rays, with rocky fingers and gutters that fish superbly on the right tides. The setting is stunning, but it’s exposed to Atlantic swell—pick your day and you’ll be rewarded.

Location and Access

Access is straightforward via narrow lanes from the A39, with a National Trust car park on the cliff top and a steep footpath/steps down. The walk in is short but can feel long with heavy gear; travel light and plan your exit around the tide.

Seasons

This is a surf-driven venue with seasonal variety. Bass headline the show, with rays on calm nights and wrasse/pollack from adjacent rocks in settled seas.

Methods

Think surf and structure: work the parallel gutters on the flood for bass, and the open sands at night for rays. The rocky margins offer wrasse/pollack on calmer, clearer days.

Tides and Conditions

Tide timing is everything here. Work the flooding tide to find gutters and seams, then exploit the top and first of the ebb after dark for rays and whiting.

Safety

This is an exposed Atlantic beach under high, unstable cliffs, with powerful surf, rips and fast-flooding tides. Treat the rocks and reef platforms with great caution and never fish them in swell.

Facilities

Facilities are decent by north-coast standards thanks to National Trust management, though they are seasonal. Stock up in Bude for bait and spares.

Tips

Surf beaches change weekly—read the sand. Find the gutters, fish the seams, and you’ll find the bass.

Regulations

Sea angling is generally permitted at Sandymouth, but you must respect seasonal lifeguarded bathing zones and any on-site signage. Fisheries rules change—check before you go.