Anstey's Cove Fishing

Last updated: 1 month ago

Anstey's Cove Fishing Map

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 flooding tide into high, especially dawn, dusk and after dark; clear, calm conditions suit lure and float work, while a mild swell can stir bass. Access is via a steep path and steps, footing can be slippery, and swells or easterly winds can make it dangerous. Expect tackle losses in the rough ground—use strong gear and rotten-bottom rigs. Scenic, but limited space in summer when kayakers and swimmers use the cove.

Ratings

⭐ 7.2/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 9/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 5/10
Accessibility 4/10

Fish You Can Catch at Anstey's Cove

🐟 Ballan Wrasse 8/10
🎯 Tip: Float or freelined crab/rag close to kelp-covered rocks and gullies. Best on flooding tide, summer to early autumn. Keep tackle strong for snags.
🐟 Pollack 7/10
🎯 Tip: Dawn/dusk; cast soft plastics or metals parallel to the rock faces/kelp lines. Work midwater. Best on a flooding tide, clear seas.
🐟 Mackerel 7/10
🎯 Tip: Summer shoals; spin small metals/feathers from deeper points. Look for birds/clear water. Flood or first of ebb, evening preferred.
🐟 Corkwing Wrasse 7/10
🎯 Tip: Small ragworm or prawn baits under a float around weed-fringed ledges. Productive on the flood in clear water, late spring–autumn.
🐟 Bass 6/10
🎯 Tip: After swell or murk, fish plugs/soft plastics across sand patches or crab baits into surfy corners. Dusk on a rising tide and first light.
🐟 Pouting 6/10
🎯 Tip: After dark from rocky drop-offs; small fish baits or rag tipped with mackerel. Any tide but better on flood. Expect snags—use short traces.
🐟 Tompot Blenny 6/10
🎯 Tip: Micro gear, size 12–16 hooks; tiny rag or prawn bits lowered into crevices among boulders. Most tides, calm conditions.
🐟 Garfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Late spring–autumn. Float a strip of mackerel/sandeel at mid–upper water over clean edges. Calm, bright days or dusk on the flood.
🐟 Conger Eel 5/10
🎯 Tip: Night fishing with big mackerel/squid baits lowered into holes under the cliffs. Heavy gear, wire trace optional. Best HW down. Mind swell/ledges.
🐟 Black Bream 4/10
🎯 Tip: Occasional in summer; small squid/strip or crab on light rigs over mixed ground just off the reef. Clear, slack-to-flood, daytime.

Anstey's Cove Fishing

Summary

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.

Location and Access

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.

Seasons

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.

Methods

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.

Tides and Conditions

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.

Safety

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

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.

Tips

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.

Regulations

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.