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Devon

Mothercombe Beach

6.9 · Beach · Devon

A scenic sandy beach at the mouth of the River Erme with rocky fringes on both sides. The estuary channels, surf lines and adjacent rocks offer varied fishing through the seasons. Expect fast tidal movement near the mouth, soft sand underfoot and big sandbars; time sessions around the flooding tide for best results. Estate parking nearby (check opening/tide times).

Should you fish Mothercombe Beach?

58 Fair

Today · Best window

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

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

Fair conditions. Best around 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide. Good chance of Mullet (Thick-lipped) and Bass.

NW 4 mph Rain 4% High tide 11:35

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Mothercombe 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.

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Mothercombe is a highly tidal sand-and-estuary mark where the best results usually come from reading the Erme mouth rather than casting blindly. The main decision is whether to fish the surf seams and channel lips for bass, smoothies and dogfish, or move tighter to the channel and clean sand for flounder, sole and mullet. The flood is the key window, but strong flow, soft sand and shifting bars mean this is a mark to plan conservatively.

  • Know when to fish the Erme mouth rather than the open sand
  • Pick the right flood window for bass, smoothies and dogfish
  • Find the gutter lips that matter before the tide fills
  • Use the rocky ends only when they suit the target and conditions
  • Avoid the spring-tide mistakes that cut sessions short
  • Have a nearby backup plan without guessing access

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Bigbury-on-Sea 3.2 mi Yealmpton 3.2 mi Noss Mayo 3.8 mi Newton Ferrers 3.9 mi Newton Ferrers 3.9 mi

Explore nearby towns: Bigbury-on-Sea · Yealmpton · Noss Mayo · Newton Ferrers · Newton Ferrers

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

Overall rating

6.9 /10

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

Category scores

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

Bass 9/10
Tip: Prime in surf by the Erme mouth on a flooding tide at dawn/dusk. Shallow divers, soft plastics or sandeel/peeler. Beware strong currents and soft sands.
Lesser Spotted Dogfish 7/10
Tip: Reliable after dark over clean sand; squid or mackerel strips. Cast 60–90 m. Best mid to last of the flood.
Starry Smoothhound 7/10
Tip: Late May–Sep; peeler crab on clean patches and channel edges. Best 2 hrs either side of high on a gentle swell. Use strong snoods and circles.
Flounder 6/10
Tip: Autumn–winter in the channel; lug/rag or soft crab on size 2 flappers. Cast uptide and let it sit. Neap tides help presentation.
Mullet (Thick-lipped) 6/10
Tip: In the river mouth on the flood; bread flake or small rag under a float. Stealth and light gear. Best on clear neaps.
Golden-grey Mullet 6/10
Tip: Summer over surf tables; small rag/Isome or tiny fish strips on size 8s, or bread under a float. Clear, calm evenings—keep mobile to find shoals.
Pollack 5/10
Tip: Work metals or weedless soft plastics along rocky points at dusk on a flooding tide; keep lures high to avoid kelp.
Whiting 5/10
Tip: Late autumn–winter nights; small mackerel/squid strips at range on two-hook flappers. Best after dusk on the flood.
Dover Sole 5/10
Tip: Aug–Oct nights; short cast rag or crab to firmer sand at the channel edge. Slack water into first push often scores.
Ballan Wrasse 5/10
Tip: From rocky ends either side; fish crab or weedless soft plastics tight to kelp. Daytime on the flood. Use abrasion-resistant leaders.
Plaice 4/10
Tip: Spring on clean sand; long casts with blinged rigs and worm/shellfish baits. Daylight on neap tides.
Garfish 4/10
Tip: May–Sep; float-fish small mackerel strips or use slim spinners over the flood in clear water along the surf line.

Local knowledge

Mothercombe Beach fishing guide

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

Mothecombe (often written Mothercombe) Beach sits at the mouth of the River Erme in South Hams, Devon, on the privately owned Flete Estate. It’s a sheltered, sandy bay flanked by rocky shoulders and a dynamic estuary channel — prime ground for surf bassing, estuary flounder and summer smoothies. Quiet, scenic and very tidal, it rewards mobile anglers who read the gullies and seams.

Access is straightforward but involves a short downhill walk to the sand. The beach is near Holbeton, with estate-managed parking above the bay and footpaths down to the water.

  • Navigate via Holbeton; follow signs for Mothecombe/Mothercombe Beach. The estate car park postcode is roughly PL8 1LB (for sat nav guidance to the vicinity).
  • Pay-and-display parking on the Flete Estate; opening days/hours and charges vary seasonally — check estate notices at the gate.
  • From the car park it’s a 5–10 minute walk on a sloping track with some steps; allow extra time when carrying gear.
  • Terrain is mainly clean sand with patches of shingle and rock at either end, plus the Erme’s shifting channels and sandbars.
  • The opposite shore (Wonwell Beach) is visible across the estuary; there is no bridge — do not plan on crossing except at very low water and only if you fully understand the tides and risks.

The Erme mouth and adjacent surf produce a mix of estuarine and open coast species. Expect fast changes with tide and weather.

  • Spring to autumn (Apr–Oct): bass (schoolies to decent fish), thick-lipped and golden grey mullet (calm spells), smoothhound (May–Sep), garfish, wrasse along rocky fringes, the odd pollack from rougher corners.
  • Summer (Jun–Aug): small-eyed and spotted ray possible on the cleaner sand at night, dogfish common, occasional gilthead bream in settled, warm conditions.
  • Late winter to early spring (Nov–Mar): flounder inside and around the estuary channels; school bass still possible on milder days (often catch-and-release by regulation).
  • Year-round: dogfish and the odd whiting in colder months; expect lesser weever fish in summer shallows (hazard to bare feet).

This is a venue where reading the water matters more than casting to the horizon. Adjust tactics to tide height, swell and water clarity.

  • Surf bassing: 9–10 ft lure rod or light surf outfit; work the seams where coloured estuary water meets clearer sea. Soft plastics (10–14 cm paddletails in natural/sandeel tones), surface walkers at dawn/dusk on calm days, and metal jigs in choppy cross-tide.
  • Estuary/clean ground bait fishing: 10–12 ft light beach rod; 2-hook flapper or up-and-over with size 2–2/0 hooks. Baits: peeler or hardback crab for bass/smoothhound; sandeel or squid for rays; ragworm for flounder and general bites.
  • Ray/rougher surf sessions (evening into dark): pulley dropper or clipped-down pulley with 3–5 oz leads depending on run; sandeel or squid/sandeel cocktail. Target the edges of the deeper channels two hours up to high.
  • Flounder: light gear, rolling lead and long snoods; size 2 long-shank hooks with ragworm or small crab baits. Let the rig trundle across the sand and gutters.
  • Mullet: freelined bread flake or small clear waggler with bread; groundbait sparingly with bread mash. Golden grey mullet will also take small rag or isome-style artificials on size 8–12 hooks.
  • Wrasse/pollack (rocky fringes): weedless soft plastics and small metals; release wrasse promptly and avoid heavy bait fishing over reef to reduce deep-hooking.

Tide state is critical at Mothecombe. The ground transforms from ankle-deep gutters to fast, filling channels within minutes.

  • Best tide windows: the last 2 hours of the flood into high and the first hour of the ebb for bass and rays; mid-ebb for flounder as fish drop back along runnels.
  • Springs vs neaps: springs reveal excellent gullies but bring stronger flow and quicker cut-offs; neaps are kinder for wading and lure work along the seams.
  • Wind and swell: light-to-moderate onshore (S–SW) raises a friendly surf for bass; big swells push weed and make the channels turbulent. In clear, calm spells, scale down and fish dawn/dusk with subtle lures.
  • Water clarity: coloured after rain favours bait for bass and flounder; clear water suits surface/sub-surface lures and mullet tactics.
  • Time of day: first light and last light are standout, with night sessions (calm to moderate surf) producing hounds, rays and better bass close in.

This is a beautiful but highly tidal estuary mouth with shifting sands. Plan conservatively and wear appropriate safety gear.

  • Rapid flooding channels and strong cross-tides near high water; identify your exit route before the push and avoid being cut off on bars or near the Coastguards side.
  • Wading is optional, not essential; if you wade, use a wading staff and wear a lifejacket. Never attempt to cross the main estuary channel.
  • Soft sand, occasional mud patches and hidden drop-offs in gutters; move carefully, especially at dusk.
  • Rocky fringes can be weed-slick and unstable after swell; good boots recommended.
  • Not wheelchair accessible; the path is sloped with steps. Carrying heavy gear back up is strenuous.
  • Lesser weever fish in summer—wear footwear in the shallows. Beware jellyfish on warm, calm days.
  • Mobile signal can be patchy in the valley; tell someone your plan and timings.

Expect minimal but welcome facilities, mostly seasonal. This is a rural estate beach with limited services.

  • Estate car park above the beach (charges apply; seasonal opening hours).
  • Public toilets typically open in the main season near the car park; times vary.
  • The Schoolhouse café (seasonal) operates near the beach on selected days; check opening times.
  • No pier lighting or shelter; bring headlamps for evening sessions.
  • Nearest tackle and bait: look to Plymouth or Ivybridge for shops and fresh bait. Pre-order crab/sandeel in summer if possible.
  • Phone signal can be unreliable down by the sand; better on higher ground near the car park.

Local patterns repeat: find the seams, stay mobile, and let the tide do the work.

  • Walk the beach at low water to map gullies and bars; return to the best features for the flood.
  • On coloured tides after rain, crab baits in the first push of flood can be explosive for bass.
  • On calm, bright days, fish tiny paddletails or surface lures along the shade lines of the rocky shoulders at first light.
  • Don’t waste time feathering for mackerel — they rarely pin in close here; target bass instead.
  • For rays, fish the cleaner sand towards the eastern side at dusk with sandeel. Keep casts just beyond the lip of the main gutter rather than blasting distance.
  • Mullet show along the inner channels on neaps; keep noise down and use fine fluorocarbon.
  • Weed can be bad on big SW swells — switch to weedless lures or delay until the sea drops.
  • Parking gates are locked to advertised times in season; give yourself margin to de-kit and climb back up.

Angling is generally permitted at Mothecombe, but it sits within sensitive coastal designations and a privately managed estate. Always follow posted signs and current fishery rules.

  • Flete Estate: no camping, fires or BBQs on the beach; respect any seasonal access restrictions and dog rules shown on estate signage.
  • Conservation designations: the Erme and surrounding coast fall within protected landscapes; avoid disturbing wildlife and saltmarsh, and keep to established paths and firm sand.
  • Bass rules: England-wide recreational bass measures apply. These typically include a 42 cm minimum size and a limited open season with a daily bag limit, with catch-and-release only outside that season. Check the latest MMO/DEFRA notice before fishing as dates can change year to year.
  • Minimum sizes/retention: comply with national and Devon & Severn IFCA minimum conservation reference sizes for species such as plaice, flounder, bass, etc. When unsure, release the fish.
  • Estuary/netting/bait: local IFCA byelaws may restrict shore netting and certain bait collection in estuaries. Check Devon & Severn IFCA for any specific Erme Estuary prohibitions or permits before digging or setting any gear.
  • Protected species: do not target shad, sea trout or salmon in the estuary; release any accidentally hooked fish immediately.
  • General: take litter home, avoid light pollution at night, and use barbless or de-barbed hooks where practicable to aid safe release.