Summary
Start Bay, Devon is a long, shingle-backed arc running from Start Point to Blackpool Sands, with deep water close in and a rich mix of clean and mixed ground. It’s a classic South Hams venue that produces rays, bass, smoothhounds and summer silver fish, with reliable winter sport after dark. Easy road access and multiple distinct sub-marks make it a year-round favourite for both bait and lure anglers.
Location and Access
Start Bay is stitched together by the A379 between Dartmouth and Kingsbridge, with several car parks dropping you straight onto the shingle. Choose your sub-mark by conditions and target species.
- Northern end (Strete Gate/Blackpool Sands): large car parks behind or near the beach; shingle access via ramps but the bank is steep and loose
- Central (Slapton Sands/Torcross): parking by the Sherman tank memorial and in Torcross; promenade facilities behind the shingle
- Southern end (Beesands/Hallsands): village parking by the green at Beesands; limited parking for Hallsands; short walks to the beach
- Start Point headland: pay-and-display car park above the lighthouse, then a walk down; rocky ledges demand good footwear and a steady head
- Terrain: steep pea-to-fist sized shingle that shifts underfoot; walking any distance with gear is tiring
- Public transport is limited; most anglers drive. Arrive early on settled summer days as car parks fill quickly
- Blackpool Sands is privately managed; follow on-site signs and keep clear of designated bathing areas in season
Seasons
The bay offers classic south-coast seasonality, with clean-ground species over the shingle and rough-ground options near the headlands.
- Spring (Mar–May)
- Bass on a building sea; first garfish and mackerel late spring
- Smoothhounds begin on peeler crab; small-eyed and thornback rays appear with warmth
- Plaice/gurnard occasional on the cleaner patches
- Summer (Jun–Aug)
- Mackerel, scad and garfish in clear water; surface-feeding bass at dawn/dusk
- Small-eyed ray a headline species from Slapton/Beesands; thornbacks mixed in
- Smoothhounds (best May–Aug) on crab; black bream occasional in calmer spells
- Conger after dark near rougher patches; pollack from Start Point rocks
- Autumn (Sep–Nov)
- Prime bass months; rays continue on calmer nights
- Late mackerel/scad runs; whiting and pout start to show
- Squid possible on calm, clear nights with jigs
- Winter (Dec–Feb)
- Whiting, pout and dogfish reliable after dark; conger from rougher edges
- Occasional codling in cold snaps; sporadic spurdog from deeper southern ground
Methods
Most fishing is from steep shingle into quick access depth; choose rigs that cast cleanly, hold bottom, and present streamlined baits.
- Bottom fishing
- Rays/smoothhound/bass: pulley pennel or up-and-over with 3/0–5/0 hooks; 5–6 oz grip leads
- Distance work: clipped-down 1–2 hook rigs for clean presentation and range
- Whiting/pout/bream: 2–3 hook loop or flapper with size 2–1 hooks
- Baits: sandeel (whole or sections) and squid for rays; fresh peeler or hardback/ hermit crab for smoothhounds; lug/rag cocktails for general work; mackerel/bluey for bass/conger
- Lure and float
- Lures for bass at first/last light and in mild surf: metal jigs, SP minnows, soft plastics on 10–30 g heads
- Feathers/sabikis or small metals for mackerel/scad when shoals are in
- Float rigs with strips of mackerel for garfish and pollack (near Start Point rocks)
- Squid jigs (2.5–3.0) on calm, clear autumn nights
- Tackle notes
- Shockleader (60 lb typical) and strong tripods are essential; shingle backwash drags gear
- Long casting helps on quieter days, but bass can be in the first gutter when there’s surf
- Use bait elastic to streamline offerings and survive casts/backwash
Tides and Conditions
The bay faces broadly east, so wind and swell direction matter. Think “onshore for bass, settled for rays,” and time your sessions around light levels.
- Tide states
- Flood into dusk and the first hours of darkness fishes well across the bay
- Rays often prefer neaps to mid-tides with steady, manageable pull
- Springs can bring heavy weed; be mobile if lines clog
- Wind/sea
- Light W/SW winds flatten the sea: good for rays, hounds, bream and long-range tactics
- Easterly onshore builds surf: great for bass as it settles; avoid the roughest peaks for safety
- Clear water favours mackerel/garfish and lures; coloured water suits bass and rays
- Timing/season
- Dawn/dusk are prime across all targets; summer nights for rays and hounds; winter nights for whiting/pout
- Start Point rocks: avoid big swell and strong tides; neaps with small waves are safest and most productive
Safety
This is a high-energy shingle coast with a notorious backwash. Treat the water with respect and plan exits before setting up.
- Steep shingle shelves; powerful undertow and sudden set waves—do not turn your back on the sea
- Backwash can pull tripods and anglers; set rods high and well back from the lip; never wade
- Weed can load lines dangerously in onshore blows; cut free rather than risking a fall
- Headland/rock marks near Start Point are slippery with exposure to swell—fish with a partner, carry a headtorch, and wear a lifejacket
- Mobile signal is generally good along the A379, patchier under cliffs and by the lighthouse
- Accessibility: ramps exist at Strete Gate/Torcross, but loose shingle makes wheelchair or limited-mobility access difficult
- Blackpool Sands and busy bathing spots: keep clear of swimmers and obey any seasonal lifeguard or beach-staff instructions
Facilities
Facilities are good by South Hams standards, especially around Torcross, Beesands and Blackpool Sands. Out-of-season provision can be limited.
- Toilets: Torcross, Strete Gate (often seasonal), Beesands and Blackpool Sands
- Food and drink: Start Bay Inn (Torcross), cafés/kiosks at Torcross and Strete Gate; Britannia @ The Beach (Beesands); Venus Café at Blackpool Sands (seasonal hours)
- Tackle/bait: options in Dartmouth and Kingsbridge; check local shop hours and pre-order bait in summer
- Parking: multiple pay-and-display car parks close to the beach; arrive early on settled days
- Phone signal: generally fair to good; can dip near Start Point and in hollows
- Water and bins: bring water; use provided bins or take litter home—shingle beaches show rubbish quickly
Tips
Local patterns and a few tweaks make a big difference on these shingle banks.
- For small-eyed rays, fish whole sandeel or sandeel-squid wraps at 60–120 yards on neap-to-mid tides after dark
- Smoothhounds love proper crab—fresh peeler is king; hardbacks or hermit score when peelers are scarce
- Bass often work the first gutter in a mild surf—no need to blast it; lures at first light can out-fish bait
- Raise your tripod and angle rods seaward to reduce backwash drag; a long drop helps clear the shingle lip on the cast
- Weed can be brutal on onshore easterlies—try the opposite end of the bay or wait for it to drop out
- Use a longer shockleader than usual so the knot is well up the rod when you retreat up the shingle under load
- Night fishing is productive: keep lights low, watch for gannets/dolphins to locate baitfish, and be ready to move to active patches
- If Blackpool Sands is busy with bathers in summer, slide down to Strete Gate or up to Slapton where there’s more elbow room
Regulations
Angling is generally permitted around Start Bay, but rules change—always check current notices and byelaws before you go.
- Bass (European seabass): recreational retention is tightly controlled; minimum size 42 cm and seasonal/day limits apply—check the latest MMO/DEFRA guidance before retaining any fish
- Devon & Severn IFCA: local byelaws cover netting and certain gear; shore angling is allowed, but review D&S IFCA updates for any spatial or seasonal restrictions
- Marine protected areas: parts of the bay sit within designated sites (e.g., Skerries Bank & Surrounds MCZ). Recreational rod-and-line angling is allowed, but avoid damaging features and observe any posted restrictions
- Private/managed beaches: Blackpool Sands is privately managed; follow on-site signage—angling may be restricted near designated swimming zones in peak season
- Minimum sizes/best practice: adhere to UK minimum conservation reference sizes; return undersize fish quickly and consider catch-and-release for wrasse and other slow-growing species
- As of the last update, there is no statutory recreational bag limit for mackerel in England, but only take what you can use and respect local notices
- Never fish within marked lifeguarded bathing zones, and comply with any temporary event closures or storm-damage access restrictions
