Seaton Beach Fishing

Last updated: 2 days ago

Seaton Beach Fishing Map

A long, steeply shelving shingle beach on Lyme Bay with easy promenade access and parking. Clean-to-mixed ground with sand patches offers flatfish and rays at range, while the western end near the Axe estuary and the surf line produce bass, especially on a flooding tide and in a light surf. Summer brings mackerel and scad within feathering distance; winter nights see whiting, pouting and dogfish. Best results are typically at dusk into dark, two to three hours either side of the tide turn. Beware dumping surf on big swells and lesser weever in summer.

Ratings

⭐ 7.6/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 7/10
Accessibility 9/10

Fish You Can Catch at Seaton Beach

🐟 Bass 8/10
🎯 Tip: Surf and Axe river mouth on a flooding tide; peeler crab or lug. Best at dusk/dawn and after a blow.
🐟 Whiting 8/10
🎯 Tip: Winter evenings over clean ground; 2–3 hook flappers with lug/squid. Fish the flood into darkness.
🐟 Mackerel 8/10
🎯 Tip: Summer feathering from mid-beach; best at dawn/dusk on a flooding tide. Cast to visible shoals.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 7/10
🎯 Tip: After dark over clean/mixed ground; small fish or squid baits on a flowing trace. Flood and slack both produce.
🐟 Smoothhound 7/10
🎯 Tip: Late spring–autumn on peeler crab from clean sand patches; fish the flood into high in a slight surf.
🐟 Pouting 6/10
🎯 Tip: After dark over mixed ground; worm or fish-strip baits on 2-hook flappers. Flood into top of tide.
🐟 Flounder 6/10
🎯 Tip: Near the Axe mouth on ebb and first of flood; short casts with rag/lug tipped with crab. Light gear.
🐟 Dover Sole 6/10
🎯 Tip: Warm nights Jun–Sep on clean sand; small rag/lug or maddies. Short lob in gentle surf, last of ebb into flood.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 6/10
🎯 Tip: Summer nights; small sabikis or slow-retieved spinners. Best on the flood after dark.
🐟 Garfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Late spring–autumn; float-fished sandeel/strips or small metals. Clear water, flooding tide, dusk.
🐟 Golden-grey Mullet 6/10
🎯 Tip: Calm summer seas; tiny rag/maddies or isome on size 6–8 hooks in the surf line. Best on the flood near the river mouth.
🐟 Plaice 5/10
🎯 Tip: Spring–early summer; long casts over clean sand with blinged flappers and rag/lug. Daylight on the flood.

Seaton Beach Fishing

Summary

Seaton Beach in East Devon is a long, steeply shelving shingle strand in the heart of Lyme Bay, bordered by the River Axe mouth to the east and Seaton Hole’s rougher ground to the west. It’s a versatile mark that offers clean-to-mixed ground options, dependable summer sport, and excellent autumn bass fishing, all with easy seafront access.

Location and Access

Getting onto Seaton Beach is straightforward, with level promenades, ramps, and several pay-and-display car parks behind the seafront. You can pick your ground: cleaner shingle towards the town and east end, or more mixed/rough patches as you approach Seaton Hole to the west.

Seasons

Seaton’s seasonal spread is classic Lyme Bay: mackerel and garfish in summer, bass and rays through the warmer months, and whiting and pouting in winter. The river mouth also draws mullet and bass around the turn of tide.

Methods

Most anglers fish bottom tactics from the shingle, scaling rigs to the ground: long, delicate traces for plaice over clean ground, stronger gear and rotten-bottoms near rough patches. Lure and float tactics shine in summer for mackerel, garfish, and bass.

Tides and Conditions

Seaton fishes on most states, but the flood into dusk and the first of the ebb are often prime, especially near the River Axe mouth. Wind and colour dictate species: clarity for mackerel/plaice, a bit of churn for bass.

Safety

This is a steeply shelving shingle beach with a notable undertow in swell. Treat the River Axe mouth with extra caution due to currents, shifting shingle, and sudden depth changes.

Facilities

Seaton is a full-service seaside town, so shore anglers have most conveniences within a short walk of the beach. Expect seasonal variation with some kiosks and facilities closing early in winter evenings.

Tips

A few local wrinkles make Seaton more consistent: scale down in clear water, and keep mobile to find clean patches or feeding lanes. Night sessions close in can out-fish long chucks by a mile.

Regulations

Angling from Seaton Beach is generally permitted, but always heed seasonal beach management and any local signage, especially near the River Axe mouth and potential bathing zones. National and local fisheries rules still apply.