Burgh Island Fishing

Summary

Burgh Island sits just off Bigbury-on-Sea on Devon’s south coast, linked by a tidal causeway and famed for its Art Deco hotel and the historic Pilchard Inn. For sea anglers, the island’s rocky ledges, kelp gullies and tide-swept points create classic rough-ground sport alongside a productive surf line on the causeway. Access is tide-dependent, the ground is snaggy, and conditions can be lively—perfect for lure fishing bass, wrasse and pollack when it all lines up.

Location and Access

This is a tidal-access mark reached from Bigbury-on-Sea; plan around the tide or you will be cut off. The foreshore is public, but the island itself includes private land—stick to the shoreline below the high-water mark and heed any signage near the hotel and sea-tractor landings.

• Drive to Bigbury-on-Sea and use the signed pay-and-display beach car park; arrive early in summer or weekends as spaces fill fast.
• Cross the tidal causeway on firm sand at low tide; at high water the hotel-operated sea tractor may run (weather/operational dependent, fee payable). Do not rely on it as your sole exit plan.
• Terrain is mixed: sandy bar on the causeway, then barnacle-covered boulders, uneven rock platforms and kelp-fringed gullies. Good boots with grip are essential.
• Respect private areas around the Burgh Island Hotel and Pilchard Inn; do not fish from hotel terraces or near guest areas. Keep to the foreshore and obvious rocky ledges away from buildings.
• Expect a short, easy walk to the island at low tide; once there, moving between ledges can involve mild scrambling and wet, slippery rock.

Seasons

The island offers classic South Devon rough-ground species through spring to autumn, with limited but worthwhile winter options in weather windows.

• Spring (Apr–May):
  • Bass (schoolies building into better fish as temps rise)
  • Pollack (increasingly active at dawn/dusk)
  • Ballan and corkwing wrasse (from late spring)
  • Garfish on calmer, clearer days
• Summer (Jun–Aug):
  • Bass (surf on the causeway and along the points)
  • Pollack (lures and float)
  • Ballan wrasse (many kelp gullies)
  • Mackerel and scad (evenings), garfish
  • Conger eel after dark from deeper holes
  • Occasional gilt-head bream on the sandy fringes during heatwaves (uncommon)
• Autumn (Sep–Nov):
  • Larger bass (blowy, stirring conditions often best)
  • Pollack (peak lure fishing at dusk)
  • Scad (night), mackerel tapering off
  • Conger, bull huss in rougher ground at night
• Winter (Dec–Feb, only in calm spells):
  • Pollack, pout, whiting from deeper edges
  • Conger in the dark
  • Rockling; codling are very rare here

Methods

Rough ground and fast water favour mobile lure work and snag-conscious rigs. Match methods to the side you fish and the state of tide.

• Lure fishing:
  • Bass: 12–20 g weedless soft plastics (paddletails/slug-go) and small surface/subsurface hard baits on the flooding or ebbing tide; fish the causeway surf line and current seams off the points.
  • Pollack: 10–20 g jigheads with slim soft plastics, worked mid-water at dawn/dusk; long leaders and steady retrieve along drop-offs.
  • Wrasse: weedless creature baits/crabs on cheb/Texas rigs; work close to kelp edges; expect brutal first runs.
  • Mackerel/scad/gar: small metals (10–28 g) or sabikis under a 1–2 oz sinker; evenings are prime.
• Float fishing:
  • Ragworm, prawn or strips of sandeel for wrasse and pollack along rock faces; set depth 8–15 ft and adjust for gullies.
• Bottom fishing (snaggy):
  • Use strong gear (30–50 lb leaders) and a rotten-bottom/weak link for leads to save tackle.
  • Pulley pennel (3/0–4/0) with fish baits for bass/huss; large single hook for conger at night.
  • Keep traces short to reduce tangles in kelp; lift and wind decisively once hooked.
• Tackle notes:
  • Lure rods 8’6”–9’6” (10–35 g) for bass/pollack; heavier 20–60 g if working metals in tide.
  • Bottom rods 12–13 ft, 4–6 oz rating, with 0.35–0.40 mm mono or 30–40 lb braid and abrasion-resistant leaders.
  • Bring spare leads, clips and soft plastics—losses are normal here.

Tides and Conditions

Tide movement is essential, but big springs can create fierce races around the island’s corners. Choose manageable movement and safe swell.

• Best tide states:
  • 2 hours either side of high water for most ledges; first of the flood across the causeway surf for bass.
  • Neap to mid-range tides are easier and safer on the rocks; springs can be too fast and cut you off quickly.
• Sea conditions:
  • Light to moderate SW–S swell with some colour lifts bass fishing; too much swell/wind from the south or southwest can make ledges dangerous.
  • Clear, calm evenings suit pollack, garfish, scad and mackerel on lures/float.
• Time of day/season:
  • Dawn and dusk are prime; night sessions produce conger, huss and better pollack in settled weather.
  • Peak season runs June–October; spring can be excellent in the right weather windows.

Safety

This is an exposed, tidal rock mark with real cut-off and swell risk. Treat it like remote rock fishing even though it’s close to a beach.

• Tidal cut-off: know your tide times; the causeway floods quickly. Have a firm exit plan—never gamble on the sea tractor operating.
• Swell and wash: Atlantic groundswell wraps the island; rogue waves are possible even in modest forecasts. If swell is hitting the ledge, don’t fish it.
• Footing: barnacles, weed and uneven rock demand grippy boots and careful movement; consider studs or cleats.
• Edges: some drops are abrupt; keep low, wear a buoyancy aid/lifejacket, and avoid fishing alone.
• Snaggy ground: expect gear losses; avoid overhanging lines when people are on the shoreline below.
• Accessibility: not suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility; access involves soft sand and slippery rock.
• Wildlife and nesting birds: keep clear of roped-off areas and avoid cliff-top disturbance in nesting season.
• Private property: do not climb fences or fish from hotel structures/terraces; obey any on-the-spot “No Fishing” signs.

Facilities

Despite the island’s remote feel, you’re next to a popular family beach with seasonal amenities. Plan self-sufficiently for evening or off-season sessions.

• Parking: large pay-and-display at Bigbury-on-Sea; arrive early in peak season.
• Toilets: public toilets by the beach car park (seasonal opening hours may apply).
• Food/drink: beach café at Bigbury-on-Sea (seasonal); the Pilchard Inn on the island operates limited hours—anglers aren’t guaranteed entry.
• Tackle/bait: nearest options in Kingsbridge, Modbury and Plymouth; buy bait en route, as there’s none on the beach.
• Mobile signal: generally fair on higher ground; patchy in gullies—carry a charged phone and offline tide info.
• Lighting/water: no lighting on the rocks and no fresh water—bring headtorch, spares and supplies.

Tips

Treat Burgh Island as a mobile, opportunistic venue—read the water and move. Small changes in position can dramatically change your drift and depth.

• Use a rotten-bottom for leads and abrasion-resistant leaders; kelp and rock will punish light gear.
• The causeway surf at first flood often holds bass—keep a shallow-diver or topwater handy.
• Work lures up-tide to down-tide to keep contact; pollack frequently hit as the lure swings and rises.
• Wrasse will brick you instantly—lock up for the first seconds, then bully them clear of the kelp.
• Dusk into dark can see scad and better pollack switch on; downsize metals and add a small stinger or single assist.
• Crowds thin rapidly after the beachgoers leave—great for evening bites but increases isolation: tell someone your plan.
• Grey seals patrol the area; if one starts shadowing you, move marks rather than feeding it fish.
• After heavy rain, the bay can colour up—great for bass, poorer for visual wrasse work. Adjust lure profiles accordingly.

Regulations

There is no general shore-angling ban at Burgh Island, but you must respect private property and any on-site “No Fishing” signage near hotel facilities. Normal national and local fisheries rules apply.

• Sea bass: minimum size 42 cm; recent years have included seasonal catch-and-release periods and daily bag limits for retention. Check current MMO/DEFRA announcements before your session.
• Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes (MCRS): know sizes for common species (bass, wrasse not currently an MCRS species for retention but consider ethical release, pollack, mackerel, etc.). Use an up-to-date size chart.
• Devon & Severn IFCA byelaws: consult for any local restrictions, including estuarine nursery protections (the nearby Avon Estuary is a designated bass nursery area with method restrictions—mainly relevant to boat/net activity).
• Marine protected areas: the coast sits within/near designated sites (e.g., Start Point to Plymouth Sound & Eddystone SAC; Skerries Bank & Surrounds MCZ). Recreational hook-and-line from the shore is generally permitted, but avoid damaging sensitive habitats (e.g., seagrass) and adhere to any posted local guidance.
• Bait collection: responsible, small-scale gathering on open foreshore is typically allowed; do not dig in vegetated dunes or seagrass beds, and fill holes back in.
• Access: the island has private landholdings—staying below the high-water mark and obeying signage is essential. If staff request you move on from a particular spot, comply politely.