Beesands Fishing

Last updated: 1 month ago

Beesands Fishing Map

Beesands is a long shingle beach in Start Bay between Hallsands and Torcross. It shelves quickly into relatively deep water with mixed sand and shingle, plus rougher patches toward both ends. Access is easy via Beesands Green with parking close to the beach, though walking the loose shingle can be tiring. It fishes on most states, with the last two hours of the flood, high water, and the first of the ebb especially productive, and nights often best. An easterly or northeasterly onshore breeze raises a surf that brings bass tight in; calm summer evenings draw in mackerel, scad and garfish. From late spring to autumn the cleaner sand produces rays and smoothhound, while winter brings whiting, pouting and the odd flatfish. Sandeel or bluey works for rays, peeler crab for smoothhound and bass, and lug or rag on attractor rigs for plaice and dabs. Safety: steep shingle and occasional dumping surf; avoid wading in swell and beware lesser weever on the sand. Facilities (pub, toilets) are by the green, with Start Point views making it a comfortable, scenic venue.

Ratings

⭐ 7.4/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 6/10
Accessibility 8/10

Fish You Can Catch at Beesands

🐟 Mackerel 9/10
🎯 Tip: Jun–Sep, evenings into dusk. Feathers/sabikis or small metals; cast to showing shoals in clear water with a light onshore breeze.
🐟 Bass 8/10
🎯 Tip: After a blow on a flooding tide; surf over shingle. Peel crab, lug or baitfish; also surface/soft lures at dawn/dusk along gutters.
🐟 Whiting 7/10
🎯 Tip: Winter nights in calm seas. Clip-down rigs with small fish/squid baits at range; keep baits small for steady bites.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 7/10
🎯 Tip: All year, best after dark. Mackerel/squid on 2-hook flapper or pulley; 30–80 m over clean to mixed ground.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 7/10
🎯 Tip: Late summer–autumn at dusk and after dark. Small sabikis or size 6–8 hooks with fish slivers; slow retrieve midwater.
🐟 Plaice 6/10
🎯 Tip: Mar–May on calm, clear days. Long casts over sand patches; blinged rigs with lug/rag and small squid tips; ebb and first flood.
🐟 Dover Sole 6/10
🎯 Tip: Jun–Oct on warm, calm nights. Rag/maddies on small hooks; fish close in along the shingle edge on the last ebb and first flood.
🐟 Starry Smoothhound 6/10
🎯 Tip: May–Sep. Fresh peeler crab on running ledger/pulley; medium range over sand, best on the flood into dusk.
🐟 Garfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: May–Oct in settled seas. Float-fish mackerel strip or small spinners; keep baits shallow and moving along the back of the surf.
🐟 Pollack 5/10
🎯 Tip: From the rocky ends (Beesands Cellars) at dusk. Work soft plastics or small metals parallel to the rocks on the flood.
🐟 Pouting 5/10
🎯 Tip: After dark around any rougher patches or ends. Small fish/worm baits on 2-hook rigs tight to the seabed.
🐟 Thornback Ray 5/10
🎯 Tip: Apr–Oct. Sandeel or squid/fish cocktails on pulley rigs at long range over sand; best on the flood into dusk/night.

Beesands Fishing

Summary

Beesands is a long, steeply shelving shingle beach in Start Bay, South Hams, Devon, a short hop north of Start Point. It’s a classic South Devon surf beach that produces bass, smoothhounds and rays in the right conditions, with reliable winter sport for whiting and dogfish after dark. Easy access, good local amenities and plenty of room to spread out make it a firm favourite for visiting and local anglers alike.

Location and Access

Beesands sits between Hallsands and Torcross on the east-facing shore of Start Bay. Access is straightforward, with parking right behind the beach and only a short walk over shingle to the waterline.

  • Approach via the narrow lanes signposted Beesands from the A379 (Kingsbridge–Dartmouth road); allow time for passing places in peak season.
  • Parking: roadside/seafront parking in the village; additional spaces by the green. Postcode for the seafront area: TQ7 2EN.
  • The walk is short (10–150 m) but on loose shingle; a beach trolley with wide wheels helps. Steps/ramps from the sea wall in places.
  • Terrain: clean to mixed ground shingle, with patches of sand; largely snag-light compared to neighbouring rougher marks.

Seasons

Beesands has year-round potential, with the headline fishing from late spring to early autumn. Expect surf species close-in when there’s a bit of colour, and winter shoal fish after dark.

  • Spring (Mar–May):
    • Bass (schoolies to decent fish, especially after onshore blows)
    • Plaice and dabs (over sand patches on neaps)
    • Dogfish and the first smoothhounds (late May on crab)
  • Summer (Jun–Aug):
    • Smoothhound (prime time, often 5–12 lb)
    • Small-eyed and thornback ray (settled seas, evening into dark)
    • Bass, garfish, mackerel and scad (dawn/dusk or into darkness for scad)
    • Sole on calm, warm nights
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov):
    • Bass (can be excellent on a dropping sea after easterlies)
    • Rays and gurnard; mackerel/scad linger into Oct in mild years
    • Pouting and dogfish more numerous after dark
  • Winter (Dec–Feb):
    • Whiting (often prolific in darkness)
    • Pouting, dogfish, the odd strap conger
    • Occasional codling in onshore blows (uncommon but possible)

Methods

Standard beach ledgering covers most bases at Beesands, with lure and float tactics adding fun in summer. Match your approach to the species and sea state.

  • Bottom fishing:
    • 2-hook flapper with size 2–1 hooks for whiting, dabs, sole and general scratching.
    • Pulley pennel (3/0–4/0) or up-and-over for rays and bass; use a weak link/rotten-bottom if targeting mixed patches.
    • Long snoods (60–120 cm) improve bites for plaice/sole in clear, calm water.
  • Baits:
    • Crab (peeler or hardback) for smoothhound and bass.
    • Sandeel (whole or sections), squid, and bluey/mackerel cocktails for rays and bass.
    • Ragworm/lugworm for plaice, sole, gurnard and general species; small fish baits for whiting/pout in winter.
  • Lure/float:
    • Lures for bass along the margins: 12–28 g metal jigs, soft plastics (paddle-tails 4–5 in), and surface lures at dawn/dusk in gentle surf.
    • Float-fish strips of mackerel or sandeel for garfish and mackerel in summer, especially around tide changes.
  • Distances and timing:
    • Don’t overcast: bass and hounds often patrol within 20–60 yards in a rolling surf; rays can be further, over the sand lanes.
    • Best sessions commonly coincide with evening into first dark.

Tides and Conditions

Start Bay’s east-facing beaches fish on many states, but Beesands really switches on with the right wind and sea colour. Time your trips around tide strength, light levels and recent weather.

  • Tide state:
    • Flooding tide into dusk is a banker for bass and hounds; first of the ebb can also be productive.
    • Neaps favour plaice/sole on clean patches; springs help bass/rays but can drag weed.
  • Wind and sea:
    • A 24–48 hour blow from the east through south-east that then eases, leaving a rolling, coloured sea, is prime for bass.
    • Rays prefer settled or slight lift with minimal weed; overly rough water pushes them off.
  • Time of day and water clarity:
    • Dusk, darkness and dawn significantly improve catch rates, especially in clear conditions.
    • In bright, clear seas, fish smaller, well-presented baits at range or switch to lures at low light.
  • Seasonality:
    • May–September for varied sport; October–February steadies into whiting/pout/dogfish with windows for bass during blows.

Safety

This is an open shingle beach with steep banks and wave rebound—simple to access but deserving of respect. Plan for loose footing and energetic surf on onshore winds.

  • Shingle shelves steeply; expect backwash and dumping waves—stay well back in strong onshore conditions.
  • Loose shingle makes footing unstable; wear boots with ankle support and keep tripods well bedded-in.
  • Weed rafts and debris are common after storms; beware sudden extra load on lines and trip hazards at the waterline.
  • Wading is rarely necessary and can be risky in swell; avoid in surf and at night.
  • Small craft launch from the slip—don’t block access and shine headlamps away from skippers.
  • Summer bathers present: keep a safe distance and avoid crowded areas.
  • Accessibility: short level approach to the sea wall, but the shingle is challenging for wheelchairs and those with limited mobility.
  • Always carry a headlamp at night and consider a PFD when fishing alone or in lively surf; check tide, forecast and swell before you go.

Facilities

Beesands has better-than-average on-site amenities for a rural beach. You can comfortably make a day or evening of it.

  • Toilets in the village (seasonal opening hours).
  • Food and drink: a popular pub and a seafood café by the beach (opening hours vary seasonally).
  • Parking adjacent to the beach; arrive early on sunny weekends/holidays.
  • Mobile signal: generally fair but patchy in places—don’t rely on data for safety-critical info.
  • Nearest tackle/bait: available in Kingsbridge or Dartmouth; ring ahead for live bait and peeler availability.

Tips

Local patterns at Beesands reward timing, bait choice and casting restraint. A few small tweaks can transform your session.

  • After an easterly blow, fish as the sea starts to drop and clear—bass patrol tight in the first gutter.
  • Fresh peeler or hardback crab outfishes almost everything for smoothhounds; fish short and hold the rod.
  • For rays, present neat sandeel or squid/mackerel cocktails on clipped-down rigs; a long, single hook trace often outperforms multi-hook rigs.
  • If you’re plagued by dogfish, switch to tougher baits (peeler, squid head) or up hook size and move slightly to find cleaner sand.
  • Float-fish for garfish an hour either side of high water in summer; keep slivers of bait thin and change them often.
  • Weed is a fact of life after blows—angled casts uptide and aerodynamic, clipped baits help reduce drag.
  • Look for slight colour lines and the edges of sand/shingle ‘lanes’; these travelators hold plaice and bass.
  • Head-torch discipline: dim red lights and low profiles keep bass and garfish confident in the margins.

Regulations

Angling is permitted from the beach at Beesands. Regulations change—always check the latest notices before you fish.

  • Bass (recreational): as of 2024, minimum size 42 cm and a limited daily retention period/season set annually by the UK government (MMO). Check current bag limits and open months before your session.

  • Size/bag limits: observe national minimum conservation reference sizes for species where applicable; return undersized fish promptly.

  • Devon & Severn IFCA district: shore angling is allowed; local byelaws mainly affect commercial/motorised gear. No special shore angling ban at Beesands.

  • Conservation areas: Start Bay is adjacent to designated marine conservation areas; hook-and-line shore angling is generally permitted—do not disturb seagrass or intertidal features and avoid collecting undersized shellfish.

  • General:

    • Use barbless or circle hooks where practical to aid safe release.
    • Take litter and line home; respect swimmers and local boat users.
    • If night fishing, be considerate with lights towards homes and boats.

  • Always verify up-to-date rules via the MMO and Devon & Severn IFCA websites before retaining bass or other species.