Anstey's Cove

Anstey's Cove is a picturesque, limestone-framed notch between Babbacombe and Torquay, offering sheltered rock and shingle fishing within Torbay. Clear water, handy access, and a choice of ledges make it a rewarding venue for wrasse, pollack, and summer pelagics, with conger and whiting after dark. It’s popular, so timing and finesse can make all the difference.

Set on the east side of Torquay, Anstey's Cove is reached via Anstey's Cove Road off the A379 (Babbacombe Road), with a signed pay-and-display car park at the top. A steep, well-made footpath and steps drop to the shingle beach; from there, short scrambles lead onto rock ledges either side of the cove.

The cove fishes differently through the year thanks to clear water and mixed ground. Expect wrasse and pollack in the warmer months, with night-time species showing in winter and on gloomy days.

• Spring (Apr–May): Ballan and corkwing wrasse, early pollack, garfish late spring; occasional mullet nosing around the margins.
• Summer (Jun–Aug): Mackerel, garfish, scad, pollack, ballan/corkwing wrasse, schoolie bass on rougher days; mullet in calm, bright conditions.
• Autumn (Sep–Nov): Pollack peak at dusk, scad and mackerel shoals, wrasse tailing off late; conger and pouting after dark; occasional squid on calm, clear nights.
• Winter (Dec–Mar): Whiting and pouting after dark, 3-bearded rockling, conger; very occasional codling on an easterly blow.

Mixed ground and clear water favour finesse by day and heavier gear after dark. Choose methods that keep bait or lure just clear of the kelp and broken ground.

• Float fishing: Size 6–2 hooks, ragworm for wrasse, small sandeel/mackerel slivers for garfish and pollack; set the stop-knot to run 8–15 ft depending on ledge depth.
• Lures: Small metals and casting jigs for mackerel/scad; 3–5 inch weedless soft plastics and leadheads for pollack along the margins at dusk; natural colours in bright, clear water.
• LRF/UL gear: Isome/gulp worms and tiny metals for blennies, gobies, small wrasse, scad—great when it’s busy or midday-clear.
• Bottom fishing (snag-prone): Use a pulley or running rig with a short snood and a rotten-bottom link; 2–4 oz leads are usually enough. Big mackerel baits or squid for conger/pouting after dark.
• Mullet tactics: Bread flake on size 8–10 below a clear controller float; loosefeed sparingly to draw fish along the wall/weed line.
• Casting range: Often 15–40 m is plenty—work the drop-offs and kelp edges rather than launching long.

The cove generally fishes best on the flood into high water with a gentle sea and decent clarity. It’s sheltered from prevailing south-westerlies but exposed to easterlies, which can push in swell and weed.

• Tide: Two hours up to high water and the first hour of the ebb are prime on the ledges; neaps often give the best clarity.
• Light: Dawn, dusk, and into full dark for pollack, scad, and conger; wrasse feed confidently from late morning to mid-flood if there’s a little movement.
• Sea state: Clear-to-green water is ideal; a slight chop helps. Strong easterlies can make it unfishable with surge and kelp—try another Torbay mark if that happens.
• Seasonality: Summer–autumn for surface and mid-water action; winter nights for whiting/pouting. After storms, give it 24–48 hours to clear.

This is a steep-sided limestone cove with real hazards—treat it with respect. The beach is reachable by steps, but rock ledges involve uneven, sometimes slippery scrambles.

• Steep descent/ascent: Allow time and fitness for the walk back; not suitable for wheelchairs and challenging for buggies.
• Rockfalls/cliffs: Do not linger under the overhangs; observe all fencing and warning signs. Nearby Redgate Beach remains closed—do not bypass closures.
• Slippery ground: Kelp and spray make ledges treacherous—use grippy boots and avoid in big swell.
• Swell/surge: Easterly swell reflects in the cove; keep a safe distance from the edge and wear a PFD when rock fishing.
• Snaggy ground: Expect tackle losses—use a rotten-bottom and keep line angles high where possible.
• Night fishing: Take headtorches and spare lights; let someone know your plan. Mobile signal can dip in the notch.

Facilities are better than many rock marks, especially in summer, but always check seasonal opening times. Bring what you need if fishing early or late.

• Parking: Pay-and-display car park signed for Anstey's Cove at the top of the path.
• Toilets/café: Seasonal beach café and toilets when open; alternative public toilets up on Babbacombe Downs.
• Shops/tackle: Tackle shops and supermarkets in Torquay/Babbacombe within a short drive for bait and spares.
• Buses: Regular services along Babbacombe Road (A379) offer a car-free option.
• Phone signal: Generally fair but can be patchy down on the beach and ledges.

Subtle presentation outfishes brute force here, and timing beats pure persistence. Treat it like a clear-water reef rather than an open-coast chuck-it-and-chance-it beach.

• Right-hand rocks (toward Long Quarry side) offer deeper water and dusk pollack—work soft plastics down the face and retrieve up the contour.
• For wrasse, feed little-and-often with chopped rag or prawn; a size 4–2 strong hook, short fluorocarbon snood, and a float set just off the kelp gets takes.
• Garfish love movement: a sliver of mackerel belly under a pencil float, twitched back, can outfish spinners in bright conditions.
• Mackerel/scad shoals swing in and out—if it’s dead for 15 minutes, change depth or move 10–20 m along the ledge rather than waiting.
• Scale down in gin-clear water: 10–12 lb fluoro leaders for float/lure; keep hardware minimal and use clear floats.
• Busy hot days draw swimmers and kayaks—fish very early/late and avoid feathering where people are in the water.
• Climbers use the crags above—check above before casting and avoid fishing directly below active routes.

Anstey's Cove lies within the Torbay Marine Conservation Zone, where rod-and-line angling is permitted. Normal national and local fisheries rules apply—always check for updates before your trip.

• Marine protected area: MCZ status does not ban rod angling but be mindful of sensitive habitats (e.g., seagrass and rocky reef) and avoid damaging collection in the intertidal.
• Bass: Recreational bass fishing is subject to seasonal rules and bag limits that change periodically—check the latest MMO guidance before retaining any fish.
• Minimum sizes: Devon & Severn IFCA minimum conservation reference sizes apply to finfish and shellfish; return all undersized specimens and any berried lobster/crab immediately.
• Wrasse: Local conservation interest in wrasse populations—many anglers practice catch-and-release for larger ballan wrasse from rocky reefs.
• Access restrictions: Obey any Torbay Council safety closures (e.g., Redgate area) and do not cross fences or closed paths.
• General: No fires on the beach/ledges, take all litter and line home, and avoid fishing where swimmers are present.