Berry Head Fishing

Last updated: 5 days ago

Berry Head Fishing Map

Prominent limestone headland near Brixham with deep water tight to the rocks. Productive through late spring to autumn for pelagics and rough-ground species; winter can see smaller codling/whiting and persistent conger/pouting. Best on a flooding tide with clear to moderate clarity. Access is a fair walk from the car park and some ledges are exposed or high above the water—fish only in calm conditions, use rotten-bottom rigs, and plan how you’ll land fish before you cast.

Ratings

⭐ 6.7/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 3/10
Accessibility 4/10

Fish You Can Catch at Berry Head

🐟 Mackerel 9/10
🎯 Tip: Summer shoals; spin metals/feathers from the headland on a flooding tide at dawn/evening. Use 1-2 oz lures to reach depth; avoid heavy swell.
🐟 Pollack 8/10
🎯 Tip: Work soft plastics or float-fished sandeel tight to kelp gullies; best dusk into dark on a rising tide. Retrieve slow and shallow over rough ground.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 8/10
🎯 Tip: Rag/crab baits on strong gear; drop into kelp-lined ledges and lift off bottom. Daylight on a flooding tide; use rotten-bottom to reduce losses.
🐟 Pouting 7/10
🎯 Tip: Small mackerel/rag strips on size 1-2 hooks, ledgered into deep water. Prolific after dark on the flood; keep baits just off the bottom.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 7/10
🎯 Tip: Late summer nights; small sabikis or a tiny strip under a glow float. Best on a flooding tide over deep water.
🐟 Conger Eel 7/10
🎯 Tip: Big mackerel/squid baits lowered straight down at night; neap tides safer. 80 lb mono trace and a drop net help; fish tight to the rock wall.
🐟 Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
🎯 Tip: Ragworm/peeler close to weed beds on small hooks; short casts into kelp in daylight on the flood. Rebait often due to crabs.
🐟 Garfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Float a small sandeel or mackerel strip shallow in clear summer seas; rising tide along the edges and tidal seams.
🐟 Black Bream 6/10
🎯 Tip: Float-fish small squid/peeler strips over rough ground late spring to autumn. Keep baits mid-water; trickle groundbait and use light gear.
🐟 Bass 5/10
🎯 Tip: Dawn/dusk plugging or live sandeel worked around headland wash on a rising tide. Keep lures high to avoid kelp.
🐟 Poor Cod 5/10
🎯 Tip: Tiny worm/fish baits on size 4-6 hooks, scratch rigs into deep water. More likely on winter evenings; fish just off bottom.
🐟 Bull Huss 5/10
🎯 Tip: Large fish/squid baits on a pulley rig to rough ground at night, preferably on neaps; 80 lb mono trace, patient fishing.

Berry Head Fishing

Summary

Berry Head is a dramatic limestone headland guarding the entrance to Brixham, Devon, and part of a protected nature reserve. Deep water tight to towering cliffs, clear tides and reefy ground make it a classic South Devon rock mark for lure, float and bottom fishing.

Location and Access

Set on the Torbay coast above Brixham, the mark is reached via the signed Berry Head Nature Reserve road and pay-and-display car park. From there it’s a 10–20 minute walk on good paths to the headland, with further uneven, sometimes steep tracks down to individual ledges.

Seasons

Berry Head fishes like a classic deep, clear South Devon rock mark, with summer pelagics and year-round residents. Expect variety, with the odd surprise in warm spells.

Methods

Depth, tide run and snags dictate relatively robust tackle for bottom work, while float and lure tactics shine in clear water. Travel light and use a drop-net for safe landing from higher ledges.

Tides and Conditions

This mark benefits from depth at most stages, with fish often pushing in on the flood and during low-light periods. Clarity and swell direction are key.

Safety

This is a serious rock venue above deep water with high, committing ledges and changeable swell. Treat it like a cliff environment and put safety first.

Facilities

Being within a popular nature reserve, basic amenities are close at hand near the fort, with full services in Brixham a short drive away.

Tips

Local anglers treat Berry Head as a roam-and-hunt venue—travel light, watch the water and move to life. Respect the reserve and you’ll be welcomed back.

Regulations

Berry Head sits within protected landscapes and sensitive wildlife areas. Shore angling is generally permitted, but restrictions and national fisheries rules apply.