Orcombe Point Fishing

Last updated: 1 month ago

Orcombe Point Fishing Map

Rocky headland at the eastern end of Exmouth beach (by the Geoneedle). Mixed rough ground with kelp gullies and sand patches gives varied fishing, especially through late spring to autumn. Productive for lure and float fishing on flooding and high tides, with night sessions picking out scavengers. Access via the South West Coast Path and short scrambles to ledges; do not approach along the beach near high water due to cut-off risk. Slippery weeded rocks and swell reflection make it a place to take care. Little shelter but superb views along the Jurassic Coast.

Ratings

⭐ 7.1/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 5/10
Accessibility 6/10

Fish You Can Catch at Orcombe Point

🐟 Bass 9/10
🎯 Tip: Lures or surf baits in the tide race around the point; best at dawn/dusk on a flooding tide with some swell. Fish the gullies on the rock-to-sand edge.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 8/10
🎯 Tip: Crab or rag tight to kelp and rock holes on the flood; summer to early autumn. Use strong gear and short casts from the ledges.
🐟 Mackerel 7/10
🎯 Tip: Summer shoals on calm evenings; cast metals/feathers into working birds from the point on the flood.
🐟 Pollack 6/10
🎯 Tip: Soft plastics or metal jigs worked along kelp lines at first/last light; retrieve parallel to the rocks on the flood.
🐟 Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
🎯 Tip: Small hooks with rag/lug or prawn close to weeded rock faces; steady summer sport on the flood.
🐟 Garfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Float fish small strip of mackerel or sandeel over clean water in summer; best on a rising tide with clear water.
🐟 Pouting 5/10
🎯 Tip: After dark around rough ground; small baits on short snoods dropped into gullies, neap tides fish best.
🐟 Whiting 5/10
🎯 Tip: Winter nights casting from the beach side to clean sand; small fish baits or worm on two-hook rigs over the ebb or first of the flood.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
🎯 Tip: Late summer-autumn nights; small sabikis or mackerel strips under a float around the point on the flood.
🐟 Golden-grey Mullet 5/10
🎯 Tip: Warm months in gentle surf along Sandy Bay; tiny hooks and rag/Isome on light gear; best during flooding tide with clear water.
🐟 Flounder 4/10
🎯 Tip: Late autumn-winter on the beach side; cast worm baits to the channels on neap tides and an incoming tide.
🐟 Spotted Ray 3/10
🎯 Tip: Occasional from rock-to-sand seams at night; long casts with sandeel/squid to clean patches on a flooding tide in summer.

Orcombe Point Fishing

Summary

Orcombe Point is the red-sandstone headland at the eastern end of Exmouth’s beach and the western gateway to the Jurassic Coast. It offers mixed ground with kelp-filled gullies and sand patches that hold bass, wrasse and summer pelagics. Fish it for scenic, close-range sport when conditions and tides line up.

Location and Access

This mark sits just east of Exmouth seafront, reached on foot along the South West Coast Path to the Geoneedle monument. Access to the fishing ground is typically from the beach at low water, working around the point onto the rocky ledges.

  • Approach from Exmouth promenade and follow the coast path east to the Geoneedle; various pay-and-display car parks line the seafront and Maer area.
  • From Sandy Bay (holiday park end) you can also walk west along the beach at suitable tides to reach the point.
  • The walk is easy on the promenade but becomes moderate on uneven rock once off the sand; plan footwear accordingly.
  • Best access to the ledges is within a couple of hours either side of low tide; many platforms are covered or cut off on the flood.
  • Terrain is a mix of red sandstone shelves, boulders, weed and adjacent clean sand; expect scrambling and slippery weed.
  • Parking is plentiful along Exmouth seafront; parking within the Sandy Bay holiday park is for guests only.

Seasons

Orcombe fishes like classic mixed ground: wrasse and bass over the reef, flatfish and the odd ray on the sand, and summer surface action when baitfish move through.

  • Spring (Mar–May):
    • Bass nosing along the sand/rock interface on the flood
    • Ballan wrasse on the reef once the water warms
    • Plaice and dabs on adjacent sand; early garfish possible in May
  • Summer (Jun–Aug):
    • Mackerel and scad at dawn/dusk; garfish on clear, calm days
    • Bass on lures and crab baits around the gullies
    • Ballan wrasse (with occasional cuckoo wrasse) around kelp; pollack from deeper tongues on overcast evenings
    • Smoothhound possible on crab in settled spells; dogfish common at night
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov):
    • Peak bass time, especially after a blow as the sea settles
    • Scad and late mackerel into the dark; increasing pout and conger from rough patches
    • Thornback or small-eyed ray occasional on sand with sandeel/squid
  • Winter (Dec–Feb):
    • Whiting, pout and dogfish on small baits; the odd codling in a cold snap (uncommon)
    • Flounder more reliable inside the Exe estuary rather than off the point

Methods

Lure work and light-to-medium ledgering cover most opportunities here. The ground is snaggy in places, so scale rigs to conditions and use weak links to save gear.

  • Lures:
    • Soft plastics (10–14 cm paddle tails, weightless or 7–14 g jigheads) for bass along the flooding edge; go weedless over kelp.
    • Surface and subsurface hard lures in calm, clear water at first/last light.
    • 20–30 g metals for mackerel/scad; slow the retrieve into dusk for scad.
  • Float fishing:
    • Ragworm or prawn for wrasse over rough patches; mackerel strip for garfish in summer.
  • Bottom fishing:
    • 1–2 hook flapper with size 2–1 hooks for plaice/dabs/whiting on sand.
    • Pulley dropper or pulley pennel (3/0–4/0) with a rotten-bottom link for bass/ray on mixed ground.
    • Baits: peeler crab (prime for bass/wrasse/smoothhound), ragworm/lug, sandeel, mackerel and squid cocktails at night.
  • Tackle notes:
    • Use abrasion-resistant leaders; 4–5 oz leads usually suffice, step up if swell runs.
    • LRF tactics (2–7 g) will pick out blennies, gobies and small wrasse around rock pools on neaps.

Tides and Conditions

Success hinges on timing the flood over the reef edges and picking safe sea states. The point can fish very well as water pushes over the kelp and sand seams.

  • Tides:
    • Access and fish the ledges from about 2 hours before low to 2 hours after, then retreat to higher, safe spots or the beach.
    • Neaps are friendlier for access; big springs can create pushy flow and earlier cut-offs.
  • Conditions:
    • Slight colour after a westerly blow often switches on bass; too much swell makes the ledges dangerous and unfishable.
    • Clear, calm water by day favours wrasse and garfish; overcast evenings help for pollack close in.
    • Dusk into early night is prime for bass, scad and conger on the rough ground.
  • Seasonality:
    • Peak lure fishing runs May–October; bait fishing produces year-round with species changing by season.

Safety

This is an exposed headland with cut-off risks and unstable cliffs. Treat it as a genuine rock mark and plan your exit before you start.

  • The ledges around the point are cut off by the flood; always track the tide and keep a clear retreat route.
  • Slippery weeded rock, hidden gullies and occasional surge from passing swell; wear studded boots and consider a waist-belted lifejacket.
  • Red sandstone cliffs are prone to falls—do not set up beneath overhangs and keep clear after heavy rain or frost.
  • Avoid fishing in strong easterlies or heavy swell; if in doubt, switch to the beach or the promenade side.
  • Access is not suitable for wheelchairs or those with limited mobility once you leave the promenade; no railings or fenced platforms.
  • In summer, lifeguarded bathing zones on Exmouth beach may restrict fishing—observe flags and RNLI advice.

Facilities

Exmouth is a well-served seaside town, so amenities are close at hand; the headland itself is wild with no facilities on the rocks.

  • Public toilets, cafés and kiosks along Exmouth seafront (seasonal opening typical).
  • Tackle and bait available in Exmouth town; phone ahead for live/fresh bait, especially on weekends.
  • Lifeguards patrol sections of Exmouth beach in summer; first aid and advice available during patrol hours.
  • Mobile signal is generally good on the headland and promenade; can dip at the cliff base.
  • Bins along the promenade—pack out all waste from the rocks.

Tips

Small tweaks make a big difference here—read the ground and fish the seams where life congregates.

  • Polarised glasses help you pick out the sand/rock edges and kelp runnels—perfect ambush lines for bass on the first of the flood.
  • After rain, outflow from the Exe can colour the water; switch to darker, scented soft plastics or crabs rather than bright metals.
  • Use a short, weak link (rotten bottom) on ledger rigs to save leads in the kelp and sandstone snags.
  • Mackerel/scad often push tight to the point at first light; scale down metals and keep retrieves high in the water.
  • For wrasse, crab outfishes worm once the weed is full of peelers—strike quickly to beat the crabs.
  • Summer evenings get busy with walkers; keep gear tidy and head torches dipped to avoid dazzling.

Regulations

This coastline falls under the Devon & Severn IFCA district and the wider Jurassic Coast SSSI/World Heritage protections. Angling is allowed, but there are important rules to note.

  • Bass (recreational) in 2024: minimum size 42 cm; daily bag limit 2 fish per angler; open season 1 March–30 November, catch-and-release only December–February. Check MMO updates before you go, as rules can change.
  • Exe Estuary Bass Nursery Area: waters landward of a line between Orcombe Point and Langstone Rock (Dawlish) are designated a BNA. Targeting/retaining bass from boats is prohibited within BNAs; shore angling remains permitted. Confirm the current BNA boundary and provisions with the latest DEFRA/IFCA notice.
  • SSSI/Coast protections: no hammering or removing material from the cliffs; avoid damaging rock platforms and do not disturb nesting birds.
  • Lifeguarded beach zones: no fishing between red/yellow flags when in operation; follow local RNLI signage.
  • Local minimum sizes and byelaws: adhere to IFCA minimum conservation reference sizes for retained species; some estuary/netting and bait-collection restrictions apply nearby—check Devon & Severn IFCA before digging bait.
  • Access notes: sections of beach have seasonal dog restrictions; parking and cliff-top access are subject to council signage—comply with any temporary closures for erosion or works.