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Devon

Rapparee Cove

7.3 · Rocks · Devon

A small, sheltered cove on the east side of Ilfracombe Harbour with mixed ground: clean sand in the centre and kelpy, boulder-strewn ledges around the sides. The rocks give excellent LRF opportunities for blennies, gobies and wrasse, while summer brings mackerel, scad and garfish into the cove on the flood. Pollack, pouting and poor cod show from dusk, with the chance of conger after dark from the rougher edges. Target the flooding tide for best results (last three hours up to high), working the weed lines and gullies; over the sand, light ledgering can pick out flatfish. Access is via a steep path/steps, and space is limited at higher states, so travel light and keep an eye on the tide and swell.

Should you fish Rapparee Cove?

55 Fair

Today · Best window

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

Most likely species: Ballan Wrasse and Corkwing Wrasse

Fair conditions. Best around 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide. Good chance of Ballan Wrasse and Corkwing Wrasse.

NW 5 mph Rain 1% High tide 11:39

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Rapparee Cove — 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.

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· 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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Rapparee Cove is a compact mixed-ground cove where the best fishing is usually on the flood, especially where sand, kelp and boulders meet. Treat it as a mobile, light-tackle mark: work the side ledges, weed lines and gullies for wrasse, pollack and bass, then switch to the sandy apron or rougher edges for bait fishing as dusk or darkness arrives.

  • Know when to fish the sand and when to work the kelp seams
  • Time the flood so you are on the edges as fish move in
  • Pick the right side of the cove for wrasse, pollack or conger
  • Avoid the tide traps and tight high-water space
  • Switch cleanly between float, lure and ledger tactics

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Ilfracombe 0.2 mi Chambercombe 0.4 mi Combe Martin 3.9 mi Woolacombe 4.9 mi Georgeham 6.4 mi

Explore nearby towns: Ilfracombe · Chambercombe · Combe Martin · Woolacombe · Georgeham

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

Overall rating

7.3 /10

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

Category scores

Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 9/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 5/10
Accessibility 5/10

Ballan Wrasse 8/10
Tip: Float or light ledger with crab or rag tight to kelp and rock ledges on the flood; summer-autumn. Keep tackle strong to lift fish clear of snags.
Bass 7/10
Tip: Dawn/dusk on a rising tide; work soft plastics or surface lures along the cove mouth and rocky points after a swell. Peeler crab baits also score.
Pollack 7/10
Tip: Cast small metals or soft plastics parallel to weed beds and rock edges on the flood; dusk best, summer-autumn.
Pouting 6/10
Tip: 2-hook flapper with small strips of mackerel or squid into mixed ground at dusk/night on a flooding tide; peaks autumn-winter.
Mackerel 6/10
Tip: Metals or sabikis at dusk on calm summer evenings when shoals push in on the flood; long casts from the points help find fish.
Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
Tip: Small hooks, ragworm or shrimp under a float tight to rock walls/kelp, mid-flood; summer.
Mullet (Thick-lipped) 6/10
Tip: Bread flake under a waggler in calm, clear water around back eddies; feed bread mash. Neap tides and bright days, late spring-autumn.
Lesser Spotted Dogfish 5/10
Tip: Half-squid or sandeel on clean sand patches at night; keep baits static on a simple ledger. Best on the ebb to low then first of the flood.
Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
Tip: Small sabikis or size 6 hooks with mackerel slivers under a float at dusk/night on the flood; late summer-autumn.
Garfish 5/10
Tip: Float-fish a sliver of mackerel just under the surface on clear, calm floods; late spring-summer.
Whiting 4/10
Tip: Winter nights; 2-3 hook rigs with worm or mackerel cocktail cast to sand patches. Best mid-flood to high.
Conger Eel 4/10
Tip: Large fish bait (mackerel or squid) lowered among boulders after dark on the flood; use heavy gear and keep fish out of snags. Summer-autumn.

Local knowledge

Rapparee Cove fishing guide

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

Rapparee Cove, Ilfracombe (North Devon) is a small, sheltered pocket beach tucked just east of Ilfracombe Harbour under the slopes of Hillsborough. It offers mixed ground, easy-to-reach rock ledges, and a sandy apron that draws bass, wrasse and summer pelagics. Fish it for its variety, shelter from prevailing south-westerlies, and short, convenient sessions around the tides.

Set beneath Hillsborough on Ilfracombe’s eastern flank, Rapparee Cove is reached by a short walk from the harbour side. It’s one of the area’s quickest mixed-ground marks to dip into when you’ve only got a tide or two to spare.

  • Parking: Use Ilfracombe’s harbour-side pay-and-display or the Larkstone area car parks east of the harbour; arrive early in summer. Check local signage for hours and tariffs.
  • Walk-in: A few hundred metres on foot via a sloping path and steps down to the cove. The final section is steep and can be slippery after rain.
  • Terrain: Compact sandy/shingly beach at low water with kelp-fringed rock ledges either side. The left-hand side (toward the harbour) and right-hand side (under Hillsborough) both offer low rock platforms.
  • Public transport: Regular buses serve Ilfracombe; from the seafront/harbour it’s a short walk.
  • Night access: Straightforward with a headtorch, but take care on the steps and weeded rock.

This is a classic North Devon mixed-ground spot: wrasse and pollack in the kelp, bass working the sandy lip, and summer shoals sweeping past on a flood. Occasional surprises arrive with clear, warm water.

  • Spring (Apr–Jun): Ballan wrasse, pollack, early bass, garfish on clearer days; occasional thick-lipped mullet nosing around the calm margins.
  • Summer (Jul–Sep): Mackerel, scad (horse mackerel) at dusk, wrasse, pollack, school and better bass in a light swell; garfish in sunshine; odd triggerfish in warm spells.
  • Autumn (Oct–Nov): Bass in lively water, late mackerel/scad runs, wrasse tapering off, solid pollack at first and last light.
  • Winter (Dec–Mar): Whiting, pouting, shore rockling, dogfish; after dark from the rougher ledges you may find conger and the odd bull huss.

Most of Rapparee’s fish fall to simple, tidy presentations that cope with mixed ground. Travel light, keep leads just heavy enough, and use a rotten-bottom link where necessary.

  • Float fishing: Sliding float with size 1–1/0 hooks for wrasse (rag, prawn, crab) and pollack (sandeel strip). Set depth 6–15 ft to glide over kelp gullies.
  • Spinning/lure: 20–40 g metals for mackerel/scad/garfish; 10–20 g paddle-tails or weedless soft plastics for pollack and bass along the seams of kelp. Surface lures at dawn/dusk in a light chop for bass.
  • Bottom fishing (sand apron): 2-hook flapper, size 2–1 hooks with rag, lug or mackerel strip for whiting/pouting; scale up to a 1/0–3/0 running ledger or pulley dropper with sandeel/mackerel for bass or huss.
  • Rough-ground ledgering (rock ledges): Strong mono leader and abrasion-resistant trace; rotten-bottom clip to save gear; fish baits after dark for conger/huss.
  • Tackle notes: 10–20 lb braid with 25–40 lb leader for lures; 15–18 ft leaders help with rock rash. For bait, 4–6 oz covers most tides; step up if swell is running.

The cove floods quickly and concentrates fish along the edges. Aim your session to intersect moving water and use water clarity to choose methods.

  • Tide state: Very good 2 hours up to high and the first hour of ebb, especially for bass and pollack working the margins. Mid-flood is strong for wrasse under the ledges.
  • Low water: Fish the sandy tongue for bits and the first push of bass; be alert for cut-off on the rocks as the flood bites.
  • Sea state: A light to moderate swell with some colour is prime for bass; clearer, settled water favours wrasse, pollack and garfish/ mackerel on float or lures.
  • Wind: The cove is often fishable in prevailing SW winds; easterlies flatten the sea and bring clarity (great for wrasse/pollack, but bass may shy off in bright sun).
  • Time of day: Dawn and dusk markedly improve pelagics and bass; after dark for conger/huss and winter whiting.
  • Seasonality: Summer-autumn is the headline period; winter is a shorter-range, after-dark bait game.

It’s an accessible mark but still a true rock/kelp venue at the edges, with fast-flooding water and slippery weed. Treat it with the same respect you would any North Devon ledge.

  • Slips and swell: Weed-slick rocks are treacherous; wear good boots and keep an eye on sets and rebound in the cove.
  • Tidal cut-off: Don’t get trapped on the outer tongues of rock; plan exit routes and check tide times.
  • Gear: A rock-inflatable lifejacket is strongly recommended, especially when working the ledges or at night. Carry a headtorch and spare light.
  • Summer bathers: The beach is popular in settled weather. Avoid casting where people are swimming or using SUPs/kayaks.
  • Mobility: The final descent involves steps and a steep path; not ideal for wheelchairs or heavy barrows.
  • Weather: After heavy rain, paths can be muddy and the clay steps slick; allow extra time and take it slow.

Although compact, the cove sits right beside Ilfracombe’s amenities, making short sessions easy to plan. Expect typical seaside services within a short walk.

  • Toilets: Public toilets near the harbour/Larkstone area (check seasonal opening hours).
  • Food and drink: Cafés, pubs and kiosks around the harbour and seafront; plenty of options for early coffee or post-session food.
  • Tackle and bait: Tackle shops in Ilfracombe town centre carry bait, lures and end tackle; phone ahead for live bait availability in summer.
  • Bins: Take litter home if bins are full; gulls will rip open bags—double secure or carry out.
  • Mobile signal: Generally good around the harbour; can dip at waterline under the cliff.
  • Parking: Pay-and-display in the harbour/Larkstone area; summer spaces fill quickly.

Rapparee rewards tidy presentation and moving with the fish as the water rises. Think edges, gullies and the sand–kelp seam.

  • Work the seams: On a flood, walk-and-cast along the line where the sand meets kelp—bass and pollack patrol these lanes.
  • Natural baits for wrasse: Peeler crab and prawn out-fish rag on bright, clear days; keep hooklengths short to steer fish from snags.
  • Dawn metals: Mackerel/scad often show on first light—fan casts with 28–35 g metals before the beach gets busy.
  • Rotten-bottoms: A short weak link saves leads on the rougher tongues of rock to the right under Hillsborough.
  • Stealth helps: In clear water, step down to fluorocarbon hooklengths (12–15 lb) for garfish/mullet and use clear floats.
  • Night notes: For conger/huss, keep rod tips high, drags set, and use a headtorch with red mode to protect night vision.
  • Etiquette: Summer evenings can be mixed-use; a polite word keeps harmony with swimmers and SUP users.

Angling is allowed at Rapparee Cove; it sits within the Devon and Severn IFCA district and inside the Bideford to Foreland Point Marine Conservation Zone, where recreational hook-and-line fishing is permitted. Always check the most current rules before you go.

  • Bass: Recreational bass rules (bag limit and season) are set annually by Defra/MMO. Minimum size is 42 cm; retention outside the permitted months is not allowed. Check the current-year announcement before retaining any bass.
  • Minimum sizes: Observe UK minimum conservation reference sizes and locally advised sizes; return undersized fish promptly.
  • Protected areas: Although angling is permitted in the MCZ, avoid disturbing protected features and wildlife; no bait digging on fragile reef/biogenic habitats.
  • Ilfracombe Harbour byelaws: No fishing within the harbour’s prohibited zones; Rapparee is outside, but do not cast towards the harbour entrance when traffic is active.
  • Shellfish/crustacea: It is illegal to take berried lobster or crawfish; size limits apply to crab/lobster. If in doubt, return.
  • Tidy conduct: No littering, no retaining wrasse for pot-bait, and respect private property and signage on access paths.
  • Check sources: For up-to-date byelaws, consult Devon and Severn IFCA and the MMO before your trip.