Where’s The Fish? Logo for Where's The Fish?
Devon

Exmouth Beach

7.2 · Beach · Devon

A long, shallow, sandy beach running along Exmouth’s seafront and the mouth of the River Exe. Mostly clean ground with shifting gutters and bars; easy access from the promenade, car parks, and amenities. Best on a flooding tide into dusk and after dark. Winter brings whiting, dabs and dogfish; spring–autumn see bass, plaice and sole, with mackerel and garfish occasionally tight to the shore. Thin‑lipped mullet work the river outflow on making tides, and the channel edges can turn up the odd smoothhound or thornback. Beware strong tidal pull toward the estuary mouth and lesser weever fish in warmer months; expect crowds and water sports in summer—fish early/late.

Should you fish Exmouth Beach?

54 Fair

Today · Best available

Best available: 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide

Most likely species: Mullet (Thick-lipped) and Plaice

Fair conditions. Best available around 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide, but no window reaches the strong threshold today. Good chance of Mullet (Thick-lipped) and Plaice.

NW 4 mph Rain 0% High tide 12:14

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Exmouth Beach — 7-day forecast

Scores and best windows are weighted for .

Met Office Met Office · Open-Meteo

Where the data comes from. Weather and sea-state readings come from the Met Office and Open-Meteo forecast models, refreshed several times a day. High and low water are taken from tide-station predictions for this stretch of coast.

How the score works. Each window is scored 0–100 from the signals that most reliably move fish inshore: tide movement (a running tide carries food, so the last of the flood and first of the ebb are usually the prime spells), wind speed and direction (onshore wind stirs food into the surf — up to the point it makes fishing hard), sea state (a little wave and swell movement helps, heavy swell hurts), and weather — rain, temperature and light. Behind the headline number we score bite opportunity and comfort separately, and run a separate safety check on wind and swell. The size of the tide counts too: spring tides move more water than neaps, so the tidal range for this stretch of coast is weighed alongside the tide's direction, your target species and this mark — and unusually big springs strengthen the safety check, because the water rises faster and covers more ground.

Your target species counts. Pick a species below and the score also weights what we know about it — its season, preferred sea temperature, tide stage and sea state, and whether it feeds by day or night.

The rating is guidance, not a guarantee — conditions change fast on the coast, so always judge the sea in front of you before you fish.

Wednesday looks better than today. Unlock the week to see its score and exact window.

· windows & tide

Spring vs neap tides. Spring tides have a larger difference between high and low water, so more water moves on each tide — usually stronger flow that stirs up food and gets fish feeding. Neap tides have a smaller range and generally gentler movement. The range here is compared with what is normal for this stretch of coast, and the cycle swings between springs and neaps roughly every week, following the moon.

Big spring tides: the water rises faster and covers more ground than usual — double-check access routes and cut-off points before you fish.

Now

Tide curve will appear once tide data is available.

All windows will appear once the forecast is loaded.

Premium forecast

Unlock exact best windows, tactics and backup options for this mark.

Trip planner

Find the best time to fish Exmouth Beach

Choose when you're free and what you want to catch. We'll show the best tide, weather window and method for this mark.

Premium unlocks exact windows, tactics and alerts.

Premium Mark Insight

Locked

Exmouth Beach is a long, shallow sand venue where timing and feature-finding matter more than distance alone. The best sessions usually come on the flood into dusk and after dark, with fish working the shifting gutters, bar edges and estuary-influenced channels. It is clean-ground, beginner-friendly fishing, but the tidal pull towards the Exe mouth, summer crowds, weed after blows and fast-filling channels can quickly make the wrong area or tide hard work.

  • Know whether to fish the open gutters or the estuary channel edge.
  • Time the flood so your bait is working as the bars fill.
  • Pick the right Exmouth rig for sole, bass, plaice or hounds.
  • Avoid the tide stages that turn the river mouth into hard work.
  • Have a clear backup when weed, crowds or surf spoil the beach.

Included with Premium

Cancel anytime · Stripe

Unlock this mark's plan

Jump to towns around this mark for more marks and guides.

Exmouth 1.2 mi Cockwood 1.6 mi Starcross 1.8 mi Dawlish Warren 1.9 mi Lympstone 2.4 mi

Explore nearby towns: Exmouth · Cockwood · Starcross · Dawlish Warren · Lympstone

Zoom and pan to explore access points and nearby marks.

Jump to guide

Forecast tuning currently supports Bass and Mackerel — more species are on the way.

Overall rating

7.2 /10

Blend of catch potential, access, safety, and overall experience.

Category scores

Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 6/10
Accessibility 9/10

Bass 8/10
Tip: Surf and estuary mouth on a flooding tide at dawn or dusk. Peeler crab, lugworm, or shallow-diving/surface lures worked along gutters.
Mullet (Thick-lipped) 7/10
Tip: Calm water inside the estuary on neap tides. Bread flake or crust under a float or freelined; stealth and light gear.
Whiting 6/10
Tip: Autumn–winter after dark on the beach; small fish or worm baits, best on a rising tide with a bit of surf.
Plaice 6/10
Tip: Spring to early summer over clean sand; long snoods with beads and rag/lug cocktails, cast to sandbanks on the ebb-to-flood turn.
Dover Sole 6/10
Tip: Warm nights May–Sept over fine sand or muddy patches; small ragworm or lug baits fished static close in on neap tides.
Lesser Spotted Dogfish 6/10
Tip: After dark from the sandy beach; small mackerel, squid or worm baits, especially on the flood.
Smoothhound 6/10
Tip: Summer evenings into dark near the estuary channel edges. Peeler or hardback crab on pulley rigs; best on the flood around springs.
Mackerel 6/10
Tip: Summer shoals along the seafront on calm evenings; small metals or feathers cast beyond the sand bar on the flood.
Flounder 5/10
Tip: Autumn–winter inside the estuary margins; light running rigs with rag or lug, keep baits moving slowly on the last of the ebb and first of the flood.
Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
Tip: Late summer nights under shoreline lights; small sabikis or metals worked midwater on the flood.
Ballan Wrasse 5/10
Tip: From Orcombe Point rocks at the eastern end; fish crab or worm baits tight to rough ground on the mid to high tide.
Garfish 5/10
Tip: Late spring–autumn on clear tides; float-fish mackerel strips or small lures from the seafront at midwater on the flood.

Local knowledge

Exmouth Beach fishing guide

Practical access, seasons, methods, tides, safety and facilities for this mark.

Exmouth Beach is a wide, gently shelving sand beach on the eastern side of the Exe Estuary, opening into Lyme Bay on Devon’s south coast. It’s an accessible, beginner‑friendly surf strand with big tidal movement, bass potential in the right sea, and consistent summer flats and dogfish action after dark. With easy parking and facilities along the esplanade, it’s a practical mark that rewards tide timing and reading the sandbars and gutters.

Set on Exmouth’s seafront between Orcombe Point and the estuary mouth, the beach is easy to reach and well signed from the A376. Access is straightforward via the promenade with multiple ramps and steps onto the sand.

  • Drive: Follow A376 into Exmouth; head for the seafront/esplanade (Queens Drive). Pay‑and‑display parking lines the front, with larger car parks behind the dunes (e.g., Maer Road). Typical sat‑nav target: EX8 seafront.
  • Public transport: Exmouth railway station is roughly a 15–20 minute walk to the beach; frequent buses stop along the esplanade.
  • Walk/terrain: Short, flat walks from the promenade onto firm-to-soft sand; at low water the shoreline can be a long way out due to the tidal range.
  • Access points: Numerous ramps and steps along Queens Drive; easiest for trolleys/rod bags are the wide ramps opposite the main car parks.
  • Where to set up: For surf bass and soles, target the open beach between The Maer and Orcombe. For estuary‑influenced species and mullet, edge nearer the river mouth but remain on the beach side and well clear of channel flows.

The mark fishes differently with the seasons; the estuary influence keeps schoolie bass and flounder around, while the open Lyme Bay fringe brings summer variety. Nights generally out‑fish days for bottom species.

  • Spring (Mar–May):
  • Schoolie bass, occasional better fish after a blow
  • Plaice building from April (daylight, coloured water helps)
  • Flounder early spring nearer the estuary side
  • Dogfish; chance of small-eyed ray on warmer spells
  • Summer (Jun–Aug):
  • Bass (lures dawn/dusk on calmer days, bait in a rolling surf)
  • Smoothhound on crab baits, especially evenings
  • Small‑eyed ray and thornback ray on sandeel/squid
  • Plaice, sole after dark, gurnard occasional
  • Garfish and mackerel shoals tight in during calm, bright spells
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov):
  • Peak bass time in lively surf; bigger fish on dropping barometer
  • Rays continue; sole at night; scad and garfish lingering
  • Whiting begin to show late autumn; pouting
  • Winter (Dec–Feb):
  • Whiting, pouting, dabs; odd bass on mild, coloured seas
  • Estuary‑side flounder in settled spells
  • Rockling in rougher, weedy conditions

Exmouth Beach rewards simple, tidy surf tactics and precise placement into gutters and along the edges of bars. Lures excel in clear water; bait rules when there’s some colour and motion.

  • Bait fishing:
  • Two‑hook flapper or long‑trace clipped rigs for flats and whiting; size 2–1 hooks, beads/spoons for plaice
  • Pulley/pulley‑dropper with 3/0–4/0 hooks for bass/ray; use 4–6 oz grip leads due to tide
  • Best baits: fresh lug and rag for flats/whiting; peeler or hermit crab for hounds/bass; sandeel and squid strips for rays and dogs; mackerel strip for whiting/pouting
  • Lure fishing:
  • Soft‑plastics and metal spoons along the surf line at first/last light
  • Surface walkers and shallow divers on calm, clear mornings/evenings for bass and garfish
  • Float fishing:
  • Small slivers of mackerel/sandeel or rag for garfish and mackerel when shoals push in
  • Tackle notes:
  • 11–13 ft surf rods, 15–18 lb mainline with 60 lb shock leader; clipped rigs help distance and presentation
  • Long snoods (24–36 in) for plaice/sole; shorter, stronger snoods for rays and hounds

This is a big‑range beach where tide state and surf shape the session. Learn where gutters form and time your casts to the first push and the top of the tide.

  • Best tide windows:
  • 2 hours before to 2 hours after high water for bass/soles; last of the flood and first of the ebb near gutters are prime
  • On neaps, fish more into darkness; on springs, expect stronger lateral pull and heavier leads
  • Sea state:
  • Bass: a rolling, coloured surf after a south‑westerly blow as it settles
  • Flats/rays: gentle lift with some colour; too much weed/surf can kill presentation
  • Time of day/seasonality:
  • Dusk into night is consistently better for sole, rays, whiting and dogs
  • Dawn and dusk for lures and mobile bass hunting
  • Estuary influence:
  • The closer you get to the river mouth, the more current you’ll face, especially on springs and on the ebb—step up lead and gear accordingly

It’s a friendly, open sand venue, but the Exe Estuary and shifting bars create strong currents and fast‑flooding channels. Treat wading with caution and keep an eye on your retreat line.

  • Currents and cut‑offs:
  • Avoid wading near the estuary channel; the ebb runs hard and channels fill quickly on the flood
  • Do not attempt to access or cross to offshore banks (e.g., Pole Sands); they are notorious for rapid cut‑offs
  • Tide and surf:
  • Use sufficient grip leads; weed can be heavy after blows—don’t over‑wade to compensate
  • Stay well back from the waterline in big swells; rogue sets travel far on shallow beaches
  • Bathing zones:
  • In summer, RNLI‑flagged bathing/boardsports areas are usually in front of the main lifeguard posts—do not fish into them; follow on‑site signage and staff directions
  • Terrain and mobility:
  • Promenade level access with ramps make top‑of‑beach fishing accessible; soft sand can be challenging for wheelchairs—consider assistance or beach‑friendly aids if available locally
  • PPE:
  • A wading belt and inflation lifejacket are sensible if you ever step into the wash; use headlamps and high‑vis at night

Exmouth’s esplanade has excellent amenities, making long sessions easy. Expect summer crowds by day and quieter nights.

  • Parking: Multiple pay‑and‑display options along Queens Drive and larger car parks behind the dunes (e.g., Maer Road)
  • Toilets: Public facilities dotted along the seafront (seasonal opening hours)
  • Food and drink: Cafés, takeaways and kiosks on the promenade; supermarkets and town centre a short walk
  • Tackle and bait: Angling shops in Exmouth town for fresh/frozen bait; phone ahead in summer
  • Lifeguards: Seasonal RNLI patrols—observe flagged zones and advice
  • Phone signal: Generally good across the seafront
  • Lighting: Promenade lighting helps, but carry headlamps for the beach itself

Reading the sand is everything here—find the darker seams and depressions and you’ll find the fish. Little adjustments in position can double your bites.

  • Scout at low water to map bars, rips and gutters; mark features in line with landmarks on the promenade
  • First push of the flood often wakes up bass—start with a crab or lug bait tight to the inside edge of a gutter
  • For plaice, add small beads/spinners and keep baits fresh and moving with a slow retrieve every few minutes
  • Night sessions transform the beach: size 2 hooks, minimal beads, and quietly placed rigs for sole
  • After a blow, the day the sea just begins to drop and clear is a classic Exmouth bass window
  • Weed can be a nuisance in late spring; fish shorter casts and keep rod tips high to ride it over the line
  • Carry both sandeel and squid: sandeel gets the takes, squid stays on during crab/weed hassle
  • Lure anglers: work diagonally along the surf line at dawn—cover ground with SPs and topwaters rather than camping in one spot

Sea angling is generally permitted from Exmouth Beach, but several local rules and seasonal restrictions apply. Always check the latest notices on the promenade and current byelaws before you fish.

  • Bathing/lifeguard zones: Do not fish within flagged swimming/boardsports areas during lifeguard hours; obey any on‑site no‑fishing signs
  • Seasonal beach bylaws: Parts of the beach have summer dog restrictions and event zones—anglers should keep clear when in force
  • Estuary considerations: Sections of the Exe Estuary are designated for conservation and include bass nursery protections; additional restrictions often apply to fishing from vessels and specific methods—consult Devon & Severn IFCA
  • Minimum sizes and bag limits: National and local MCRS and species‑specific rules apply (e.g., bass retention rules vary by season). Check the current MMO and IFCA guidance before retaining fish
  • Bait collection: Follow local hand‑gathering codes; avoid protected dune areas (The Maer LNR) and adhere to any IFCA byelaws on shellfish/crab gathering
  • Protected species: If you encounter prohibited or protected species (e.g., certain rays), unhook carefully and release immediately
  • Litter and hooks: Remove all tackle waste; used line and bait wrappers must be taken home