Exmouth Beach Fishing

Last updated: 1 week ago

Exmouth Beach Fishing Map

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.

Ratings

⭐ 7.2/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 6/10
Accessibility 9/10

Fish You Can Catch at Exmouth Beach

🐟 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.

Exmouth Beach Fishing

Summary

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.

Location and Access

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.

Seasons

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.

Methods

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.

Tides and Conditions

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.

Safety

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.

Facilities

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

Tips

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.

Regulations

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.