Summary
Hallsands sits on the southern end of Start Bay in South Devon, just north of Start Point, with a steep shingle beach backed by low cliffs and rocky fringes. It’s a classic South Hams mark that offers bass in surf, summer mackerel and garfish, and a real chance of rays and huss after dark. The shifting shingle and dramatic history of the lost village give it a bit of magic—plus it often fishes better than the busier beaches nearby.
Location and Access
This is a rural, exposed beach reached by narrow Devon lanes, so plan your approach and arrive early for parking. Most anglers use the small clifftop car park at North Hallsands and walk down the steps to the shingle. If spaces are full, park at Beesands and walk the coast path, but it’s a longer carry with gear.
- Approach from the A379 via Stokenham, following signs for Beesands/Hallsands/Start Point; expect single-track lanes with passing places.
- Main access: small car park at North Hallsands with a stepped path down to the beach; spaces are limited and fill quickly in summer weekends.
- Alternative: park at Beesands green and walk the South West Coast Path south to Hallsands (roughly 20–30 minutes depending on pace and load).
- Terrain: steep shingle bank with areas of rough ground and rock, especially towards the Start Point (southern) end; shingle can be soft and mobile.
- Sat-nav: search for “Hallsands, South Hams” or “North Hallsands car park.” Do not rely on the ruins access; that viewing platform is not a beach access point.
Seasons
Hallsands produces a good mix through the year, with classic Start Bay species on the shingle and wrasse/pollack off the rocks.
- Spring: bass (schoolies to mid-fish), wrasse, early garfish, occasional thornback ray; chance of smoothhound in late spring on peeler crab.
- Summer: mackerel, garfish, bass (lure and bait), wrasse, pollack from the rocks, gurnard, dogfish; occasional thornback/small-eyed ray on settled, coloured seas at dusk/night.
- Autumn: bass (often better with onshore push), mackerel late on calm evenings, pout, rays, increasing whiting after dark; bull huss from rough patches.
- Winter: whiting, pout, dogfish, occasional codling (rare), bull huss; sporadic conger after dark from rockier ground.
- Occasional/bonus: smoothhound (late spring/summer), spurdog (very occasional in winter), plaice/flatties are rarer here than on sandier stretches further north in the bay.
Methods
Match your approach to the conditions: shingle gutters and close contours can bring fish tight in coloured water, while calm, clear days often demand range or lures.
- Bottom fishing: pulley pennel (4–5 ft trace) with 4/0–3/0 hooks for rays/bass/huss; 2-hook flapper for whiting/pout/gurnard; clipped-down rigs for distance in calm, clear water.
- Baits: peeler or hard crab (bass, wrasse, smoothhound), sandeel (whole or sections) and squid cocktails (rays, bass), mackerel/squid/fish strips (huss, dogfish, whiting), rag/lug for general bits and garfish.
- Lures: shallow divers, metal spoons, and 20–40 g casting jigs for bass/mackerel/garfish in clear, calmer seas; weedless soft plastics over rough patches for bass; small surface lures at dawn/dusk in gentle surf.
- Float fishing: small strips of mackerel/sandeel or rag for garfish and mackerel along the edges of the shingle drop-off.
- Rock edges: wrasse on simple paternoster with crab or prawn; conger/huss at night with stout gear and big fish baits from the rough.
- Timing: dawn/dusk for bass and mackerel; rays and huss after dark; winter whiting best on dark, especially with a little colour in the water.
Tides and Conditions
Tide size and wind direction dictate a lot here. The beach faces roughly east, so onshore easterlies build surf and colour; westerlies flatten it off.
- Best states: the flood into and through dusk is a prime window for bass and rays; first two hours of the ebb can also be productive on a building sea.
- Tide size: medium to large springs often fish well; too much surf may make it unfishable due to backwash on the steep shingle.
- Wind/sea: light to moderate easterly-onshore with some colour suits bass and rays; calm and clear favour lure work, mackerel, and garfish.
- Water clarity: a tea-stained green is perfect for rays/bass; gin-clear water needs stealth, smaller baits, longer traces, or lures at range.
- Seasonality: summer evenings for surface/metal lures; autumn blows for bass; winter nights for whiting/pout with the odd huss.
- Weed: after onshore blows, expect drifting weed along Start Bay; be ready to move to find cleaner water.
Safety
This is an exposed, steep shingle beach with strong backwash and limited escape at high water in places. Plan your session, watch the sea, and think about your exit route.
- Steep, mobile shingle: heavy backwash can knock you off balance—stay well up the bank and never wade.
- Tide pinch points: the shingle narrows at high water, especially near rocky ends—avoid getting boxed in against the cliff.
- Rocks: if fishing the rough ground platforms, wear a lifejacket, use cleated footwear, and avoid any swell running across ledges.
- Night fishing: bring a headlamp, spare light, and a fully charged phone; mobile reception can be patchy.
- Tripods: legs can sink into soft shingle—use wide feet or a mat/board under the stand.
- Weather: sudden onshore squalls raise short, dumping surf—be prepared to step back quickly.
- Access: stepped path is not wheelchair friendly; carrying heavy gear down/up the bank is strenuous—pack light.
- Old Hallsands: stick to the viewing platform and signed paths; do not attempt to access the ruins from the foreshore.
Facilities
Hallsands itself has minimal facilities, which helps keep it quiet. Most anglers use nearby villages for amenities before/after a session.
- Parking: small clifftop car park at North Hallsands (limited); larger parking at Beesands and Torcross.
- Toilets/food: public toilets and seasonal cafés at Beesands and Torcross; pubs and food options at Beesands and along Start Bay.
- Tackle/bait: options in Kingsbridge and Dartmouth; check opening times, especially off-season.
- Signal: mobile reception varies by network; assume patchy on the beach.
- Lighting: no lighting on the beach—bring your own and mind your footing on the shingle.
Tips
Hallsands often fishes differently to Beesands/Torcross on the same day—don’t be afraid to move and search. Read the shingle at low water and note where the bank is steepest or where a gutter forms.
- Walk the line at low tide to spot depressions and cut-back gutters; set up where the bank drops sharply.
- After a blow, try whole sandeel or squid-sandeel cocktails for rays on the first calm night.
- Bass can push shockingly close on coloured seas—short lob into the first breaker often out-fishes a 150-yard cast.
- When clear, scale down: longer traces, smaller baits, and fluorocarbon can make the difference.
- Use a rubber car mat or plywood square to stop your tripod legs sinking into soft shingle.
- Keep an eye out for floating weed lanes; a 20–30 m move can clear your line and transform the session.
- Summer evenings: carry a small float set-up for garfish—they’re great sport while waiting for dusk bass.
- Respect the area’s history: Old Hallsands was lost to the sea; please keep to marked paths and leave no trace.
Regulations
Recreational sea angling is permitted at Hallsands, but you must follow national and local rules. Regulations can change—check the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and Devon & Severn IFCA before your trip.
- Bass: minimum size 42 cm. Recent rules have allowed a limited daily bag during much of the year with catch-and-release-only periods—check the current dates and limits before retaining any bass.
- Minimum conservation reference sizes: adhere to national/IFCA sizes for species such as wrasse, rays, gurnard, etc.; if in doubt, release.
- Undulate ray: treat as catch-and-release if encountered—this species has special protections in parts of the Channel.
- Bait collection: follow IFCA byelaws and local codes of conduct; avoid damaging seagrass and sensitive features.
- MPAs: offshore waters fall within designated conservation areas (e.g., Skerries Bank & Surrounds MCZ; Start Point to Plymouth Sound & Eddystone SAC). Shore angling is generally allowed, but avoid disturbing features and obey any posted restrictions.
- Access: respect private land and signage around Old Hallsands; no climbing on or entering the ruins.
- Litter and fish care: take all litter and line home; dispatch or release fish humanely.
