Last updated: 1 week ago
A small, steep-sided limestone cove between Torquay and Babbacombe with rocky ledges and kelp-covered ground flanking a narrow shingle beach. Most anglers fish from the rocks on either side where the water deepens quickly, giving access to wrasse and pollack close in and summer pelagics further out. Best on a...
Axe Cliff is a rough-ground rock mark beneath the cliffs east of Axmouth/Seaton. It’s a series of kelp-filled gullies, boulder tongues and small ledges with mixed sand patches just off. Water clarity is strongly influenced by the River Axe; fishing is best after a settled spell with a gentle swell,...
Secluded National Trust cove near Ringmore with mixed rough ground, kelp-filled gullies and adjacent sand patches. Best suited to lure and float fishing from the rock ledges and light ledgering onto the sand. Summer and early autumn are prime for wrasse, pollack and mackerel; bass show in surf and tide...
A sheltered shingle-and-sand cove within Babbacombe Bay, bordered by kelp-covered rocks and a small pier. The water is clear and relatively deep close in on the right-hand side, with mixed ground (sand patches between boulders). Best results are on a flooding tide into dusk and after dark. Summer brings prolific...
A small Victorian pier in sheltered Babbacombe Bay with mixed ground (sand, shingle and broken rock/weed) and reasonably quick access to depth. It fishes best on a flooding tide, especially at dawn/dusk and after dark in summer and early autumn. Expect summer shoals of mackerel and garfish/scad, wrasse tight to...
A prominent rocky headland between Croyde and Putsborough with deep kelp-lined gullies and ledges dropping quickly into tide-washed water. Best in settled seas with a light to moderate swell; water clarity matters. Productive through late spring to autumn for wrasse, pollack, mackerel, garfish and scad; after dark can produce pouting,...
Devon’s coast runs from the high-energy Bristol Channel cliffs and surf beaches of the north to the more sheltered, rocky bays and shingle strands of Lyme Bay and the South Hams. It offers a mix of headlands, reefs, piers, long beaches, and productive estuaries (Taw-Torridge, Exe, Teign, Dart, Salcombe). The variety of ground and conditions makes it one of England’s most versatile sea-angling counties, with year-round opportunities for bass, rays, smoothhound, wrasse, and seasonal mackerel.
| Season | Likely species (shore) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | Bass, rays (thornback/small-eyed, early blondes), smoothhound (late), plaice (East Devon), wrasse, pollack, mullet | Bass pick up from April. Plaice show on shingle/sand when crabs start peeling. Crab baits excel late spring. |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | Mackerel, garfish, scad, bass, black bream (Torbay/Lyme Bay), gilthead bream (estuaries), wrasse, pollack, smoothhound, rays, sole | Peak variety. Lures shine in clear water; nights for rays/sole/conger. |
| Autumn (Sep–Nov) | Larger bass, rays, smoothhound (early), bream (to Oct), mackerel (to early Oct), whiting, conger, mullet | Great for big bass after blows; mixed bags from shingle beaches. |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | Whiting, conger, rockling, dogfish, dab, flounder (estuaries), occasional codling (north/east coasts) | Estuaries produce flounder; rough ground for conger and huss. Catch-and-release often for bass under seasonal rules. |
| Area | Coast character & access | Best species | Prime season | Go-to methods | Key safety notes | Facilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Devon (Bristol Channel) | Cliffs, gullies, surf beaches; mixed access via coast path and beaches | Bass, small-eyed/thornback ray, smoothhound, huss, conger; estuary flounder/mullet | May–Oct (summer variety); Oct–Jan (winter mixed) | Pulley pennel with crab/fish baits; surf bassing; estuary running ledgers | Huge tides, fast floods, swell on ledges; cut-off risk | Town car parks (Ilfracombe, Woolacombe), tackle shops Barnstaple/Ilfracombe |
| South Hams & Plymouth | Shingle beaches, rocky headlands, deep water close in; good parking | Bass, blonde/thornback ray, smoothhound, wrasse, pollack, conger, mullet | Apr–Nov (peak Jun–Oct) | Ledgering on shingle; lure/float from rocks; estuary crab tactics | Swell/undertow on Slapton; tide races at Start/Bolt | Multiple shops in Plymouth/Dartmouth; ample car parks |
| Torbay | Sheltered bays, breakwaters, reefs; very accessible | Mackerel, gar, scad, black bream, bass, wrasse, pollack | May–Oct | Feathers/metals; light rigs for bream; lures/float fishing | Busy promenades; watch swell at Berry Head | Piers, breakwater, cafés, toilets, parking |
| East Devon (Lyme Bay) | Steep shingle/pebble beaches, cliffs; Exe/Teign estuaries | Bass, rays, sole/plaice, mackerel/gar, wrasse/pollack, whiting (winter) | Apr–Nov; winter for whiting/flounder | Clipped rigs for distance; crab/sandeel for bass/rays; lures in clear water | Steep shingle backwash; landslip/undercliff hazards | Car parks at Seaton/Budleigh/Exmouth; local tackle shops |