Summary
Seaton Hole sits at the western end of Seaton Beach beneath the white cliffs leading toward Beer Head, in East Devon’s stretch of Lyme Bay. It’s a scenic, mixed-ground mark offering clean shingle, broken reef and boulders in close, which makes it a versatile spot for bass, wrasse and summer pelagics as well as nocturnal bottom fishing.
Location and Access
This mark is reached either by a long shingle tramp from Seaton’s seafront or via a steep lane and steps down from the Seaton/Beer side. Allow extra time if carrying beach gear, as the shingle and gradient make progress slow.
- Approach from Seaton: park on/near the Esplanade pay-and-display and walk west along the beach to the obvious cove beneath the cliffs (a demanding 15–25 minutes on shingle depending on fitness and load).
- Approach from the Beer side: a narrow lane leads to Seaton Hole with limited parking and a stepped path to the beach; spaces are few and can fill quickly in summer.
- Terrain: steeply shelving shingle with patches of rough ground and boulder reef close to the cliff side; generally clean further out and toward the central bay.
- Postcode: the area is within the Seaton EX12 district; check signage locally for the specific car park and restrictions.
- Footing: shingle is energy-sapping and unstable; use good boots and consider a trolley or backpack rather than hand-carrying heavy gear.
Seasons
The venue offers a genuine mix through the year. Expect summer variety on lures and float, with nighttime ledgering producing fish from spring into winter.
- Spring (Apr–Jun): bass, wrasse (from late spring), smoothhound (May/Jun), plaice on cleaner patches, dogfish, the first mackerel and garfish in settled weather.
- Summer (Jul–Sep): mackerel, garfish, scad, bass, ballan wrasse, pollack at dusk, sole on calm nights, smoothhound, the odd bream and gurnard, mullet in calm clear water.
- Autumn (Oct–Nov): peak bass time in lively seas, late mackerel and gar in fair weather, conger after dark from rougher patches, whiting starting to show, dogfish.
- Winter (Dec–Feb): whiting, pouting, rockling and dogfish on night tides; occasional codling is possible in an easterly blow but is rare nowadays.
Methods
Both beach ledgering and rock-edge tactics work here; choose your approach to match ground and conditions. Carry a lighter lure or float setup alongside a beach rod to make the most of bites between tide phases.
- Beach ledgering (clean to mixed ground): 1–2 hook clipped rigs for distance with lug/black lug, ragworm, or mackerel/squid cocktails; pulley pennels (4/0–2/0) with crab, squid or sandeel for bass and hounds; use a weak-link/rotten-bottom sinker where snags are likely.
- Rough ground/reef margins: short pulleys or up-and-over rigs with strong abrasion-resistant snoods (40–60 lb for conger) fished after dark; keep casts modest to avoid boulder fields.
- Lures: metals and epoxy jigs for mackerel/scad; sandeel-style soft plastics and shallow divers for bass; small paddletails on 10–20 g heads for pollack at dusk along colour lines and gully mouths.
- Float fishing: ragworm or hard/soft crab for wrasse near weed and ledges; mackerel strip for garfish. Set depths 6–12 ft and adjust until you find the band of fish.
- Fine tactics: bread or flake on size 8–10 hooks for mullet in calm, clear spells; small worm baits on size 2 hooks for plaice/dabs during neaps and bright days.
- Timing: dawn and dusk for lures and float; two hours either side of high water for ledgering; darkest nights for soles, conger and better bass.
Tides and Conditions
Seaton Hole fishes well around the top of the tide, with the broken ground creating gullies and seams that concentrate food. Water clarity swings quickly here; plan methods around colour and swell.
- Tide states: last 2 hours of the flood and first 2 hours of the ebb are prime; neaps favour finesse tactics and plaice, springs push bait and bass tight to shore.
- Sea state: a gentle onshore swell and light colour is excellent for bass; flat, clear evenings suit mackerel, gar and wrasse; heavy easterlies can dump surf and weed, making it unfishable.
- Light and timing: first light into early flood for lures; into dusk and full dark for soles, conger and whiting; after a blow, give it 24–48 hours for clarity to improve.
- Wind exposure: the cove gains some shelter from westerlies due to Beer Head; it’s more exposed to easterlies and long-period swell rolling up Lyme Bay.
Safety
This is a committing shingle-and-cliff venue; treat the cliffs and surf with respect. The walk-in and footing make it unsuitable for some anglers with limited mobility.
- Cliff risk: avoid sitting or setting up directly beneath the cliff face; rockfalls occur—heed any local signage.
- Cut-off risk: do not allow the tide to hem you in under the cliffs toward Beer; plan a clear exit route and watch the flood.
- Surf/backwash: the shingle is steeply shelving with strong undertow in a swell; do not wade and keep a safe margin from the waterline.
- Footing: weeded rocks and boulders are slippery; wear grippy boots and headtorch at night; consider a PFD if working near rock edges.
- Communications: mobile signal can be patchy under the cliffs; tell someone your plan and carry a charged phone and light.
- Accessibility: steep steps and unstable shingle; not wheelchair accessible and challenging with barrows—travel light if possible.
Facilities
Facilities are better in Seaton and Beer than at the mark itself. Plan to be self-sufficient on bait, water and lighting, especially outside summer.
- Parking: pay-and-display options on Seaton Esplanade; limited spaces nearer Seaton Hole via the narrow lane—arrive early in peak season.
- Toilets: public toilets are available in Seaton and Beer; none usually on the beach at Seaton Hole—check seasonal opening times.
- Food and shops: cafés, pubs and convenience stores in Seaton and Beer; a seasonal kiosk sometimes operates near Seaton Hole.
- Tackle and bait: bait/tackle available in Seaton and nearby towns (e.g., Axminster); pre-order live/fresh bait in summer weekends.
- Connectivity: mobile reception varies—better on the cliff top than under it.
Tips
Local patterns reward a flexible approach: carry a light setup alongside your beach rod and be ready to move a few yards to find the colour line or gully.
- Don’t always whack it: bass often patrol right under the lip—fish a big crab or squid bait just beyond the dump line on a pulley.
- Weed watch: after easterlies, expect string weed; fish shorter and keep rigs streamlined with minimal hardware.
- Gully mapping: use low-water recces to note sand tongues and reef gaps; return to those lanes on the flood.
- Float depth tweaks: wrasse often sit slightly deeper than you think; adding 1–2 ft can transform a quiet session.
- Night edges: conger and sole come very close after dark—quiet bankside behaviour helps.
- Travel light: a backpack and rod sling beat a box on this shingle; if you must bring a box, fit wide feet to stop it sinking.
Regulations
Angling is permitted at Seaton Hole, but you must follow national and local rules. Regulations can change—always check current notices, council signage and official sources before you fish.
- IFCA: this coastline falls under Devon & Severn IFCA byelaws; these include measures on netting, intertidal gathering and protected species—review the latest byelaws on the IFCA’s website.
- Bass rules (recreational): bag limits and seasons are set annually at UK/EU level; in recent years this has typically meant a closed retention period in winter, a minimum size of 42 cm, and a small daily retention limit in spring–autumn—check current MMO guidance before retaining any bass.
- Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes: observe national sizes for all species (e.g., bass 42 cm, wrasse often photographed and released, etc.). When in doubt, release.
- Protected areas: the cliffs and foreshore form part of protected Jurassic Coast designations/SSSIs—avoid hammering or removing geology/vegetation and follow any local restrictions on shore gathering or bait digging.
- Local bylaws: seasonal beach bylaws may restrict BBQs/fires and dog access—obey onsite signage. Take litter home and avoid blocking narrow lanes when parking.
