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Devon

Strete Gate

7.3 · Beach · Devon

Strete Gate is the northern end of Slapton Sands: a long, steeply shelving shingle beach with quick access to depth and clear water in calm weather. It fishes year-round, with summer action for mackerel, garfish and scad at dusk, bass in surf after a blow, and rays and smoothhounds on crab or sandeel. Winter nights see whiting and dogfish in numbers, with the chance of a better flatfish. Parking is directly behind the beach and night sessions are productive. Take care of strong undertow on a swell, steep shingle banks and lesser weever fish in summer; sturdy footwear is advisable.

Should you fish Strete Gate?

58 Fair

Today · Best window

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

Most likely species: Mackerel and Garfish

Fair conditions. Best around 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide. Good chance of Mackerel and Garfish.

W 4 mph Rain 4% High tide 11:47

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Strete Gate — 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.

Friday looks better than today. Unlock the week to see its score and exact window.

· 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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Strete Gate is a steep, deep-water shingle beach where the right plan depends heavily on sea state. Coloured surf after easterly weather points you towards close-range bass tactics; settled clear water favours mackerel, garfish, scad, bream and longer-range scratching. The most consistent tide window is the last of the flood into the first of the ebb, with dusk and night sessions improving the better predators and winter whiting.

  • Know when to fish close instead of casting over the bass
  • Time the last flood and first ebb for the best all-round window
  • Match surf, clear water or light swell to the right species
  • Use the steep shingle drop-off to choose bass, rays or hounds
  • Know when Strete Gate is too dumpy, weedy or exposed to be worth it

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Slapton (South Hams) 0.9 mi Strete 0.9 mi Stokenham 2.4 mi Stoke Fleming 2.6 mi Chillington 3.1 mi

Explore nearby towns: Slapton (South Hams) · Strete · Stokenham · Stoke Fleming · Chillington

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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 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 5/10
Accessibility 8/10

Bass 8/10
Tip: Steep shingle; work the surf line at dawn/dusk or after an easterly blow. Lures on the flood, or peeler crab/sandeel baits near the drop-off. Best last 2 hrs of flood into first of ebb.
Starry Smoothhound 7/10
Tip: June-Sep; peeler or hardback crab on pulley rigs. Cast 40-80 m onto clean sand. Best at dusk into dark on a flooding tide with a light swell.
Mackerel 7/10
Tip: Summer to early autumn. Calm, clear evenings; watch for birds. Metals or small feathers, vary depth. Productive on the flooding tide from mid-beach.
Black Bream 7/10
Tip: Late summer-autumn in settled clear water. Long cast over mixed shingle/sand. Small hooks with squid or mackerel strip. Daylight or dusk on neaps.
Pouting 6/10
Tip: Regular after dark with deep water close in. Two-hook flappers, small fish baits or worm. Short to medium cast; fishes well through the flood.
Whiting 6/10
Tip: Nov-Feb nights. Clip-down rigs with lug, mackerel or sandeel. Long casts find fish; last of flood and first of ebb are prime.
Scad (Horse Mackerel) 6/10
Tip: Aug-Oct nights; small metals or sabikis with slow retrieve, or float-fished mackerel strip mid-water. Best on the flood.
Garfish 6/10
Tip: May-Sep in clear seas. Float-fish thin mackerel strip or small sandeel mid-water at dawn/dusk. Gentle surf, flooding tide.
Plaice 5/10
Tip: Spring in calm, clear conditions. Long boom rigs with beads/spoons and rag/lug or shellfish. Daylight; long casts onto clean sand.
Thornback Ray 5/10
Tip: Spring-early summer. Sandeel or squid on pulley rigs. Long cast to sand patches. Slack water around high often best.
Spotted Ray 4/10
Tip: Summer-autumn. Medium casts with sandeel or squid on a 4/0 pulley. Fishes neaps and the last of the flood over cleaner patches.
Bull Huss 4/10
Tip: After a blow or at night. Big fish baits (mackerel/squid) on heavy traces; drop into close gulley lines off the shingle. Flooding tide.

Local knowledge

Strete Gate fishing guide

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

Strete Gate sits at the northern end of Slapton Sands in Start Bay, South Devon, offering deep water close to a steep shingle beach. It’s a versatile open coast mark that produces bass in onshore surf, summer mackerel and smoothhounds, and winter whiting with the chance of a bonus ray or codling after a blow.

Reaching Strete Gate is straightforward via the A379 between Dartmouth and Kingsbridge, with the beach immediately below the roadside car park. Access is easy to find, but the shingle is steep and heavy-going underfoot once you step onto the beach.

  • Signed Strete Gate car park on the A379 (pay-and-display; check seasonal charges and opening times on local council notices)
  • Short walk from the car park to the beach; no long hike, but expect a steep shingle bank
  • Terrain: steep, shifting pea-to-medium shingle with a pronounced lip; largely clean ground with the odd snag from lost gear
  • Alternative access further south along Slapton Sands and at Torcross if this end is busy
  • Overnight parking and campervan rules vary by season; always check signs before leaving your vehicle

Strete Gate fishes year-round with a classic Start Bay species mix. Expect quick changes with wind direction and water clarity.

  • Spring (Mar–May):
    • Bass (first pushes on onshore colour)
    • Plaice and dabs (odd fish on worm baits)
    • Smoothhound (building from May on crab)
    • Dogfish, pouting
  • Summer (Jun–Aug):
    • Mackerel and garfish (calm, clear seas), scad at dusk and after dark
    • Bass (especially during or after an easterly blow)
    • Smoothhound, thornback ray, occasional spotted ray
    • Bull huss at night, gurnards over clean patches
    • Occasional sole on still, warm nights
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov):
    • Bass (peak months Sept–Oct)
    • Scad, mackerel tailing off, garfish
    • Thornback ray, bull huss, smoothies (early autumn)
    • Whiting and pouting building into late autumn
  • Winter (Dec–Feb):
    • Whiting (often abundant), dogfish, pouting
    • Codling are possible after prolonged easterlies and coloured water
    • Bull huss on bigger baits at night
    • Ray possible in settled spells

A steep shingle beach favors conventional beachcasting tactics, but don’t overlook close-range work for bass and rays, especially in coloured water. Lure fishing and float tactics score in summer when the sea clears.

  • Bottom fishing:
    • 4–6 oz grip leads and 12–15 lb mainline with a 60 lb tapered shock leader for distance work
    • Pulley or pulley dropper with 3/0–5/0 hooks for bass, huss, and rays; clipped-down 2–3 hook flappers/paternosters for whiting and mixed species
    • Baits: fresh lug and rag, peeler/soft crab (smoothhound/bass), sandeel and squid cocktails (rays), mackerel fillet or head section (huss/bass)
    • Fish one big-bait rod and one scratching rod to find what’s feeding
  • Lure and float:
    • Metals and slim jigs (28–40 g) or small diving plugs for mackerel/garfish/bass in clear water
    • Surface or shallow diving lures at dawn/dusk for bass along the first breaker line
    • Float-fished strips of mackerel for garfish in calm seas
  • Range and positioning:
    • Don’t wade deep: water gets deep quickly and bass/rays often patrol within 10–40 yards in surf
    • In calm, clear conditions, clipped rigs and a bit more distance can find gurnards, plaice, and whiting
  • After dark:
    • Larger baits on a pulley rig for huss/rays; keep rods high on a sturdy tripod to clear the shingle lip

This east-facing bay flips character with the wind. Onshore easterlies create coloured surf that brings bass tight, while settled high pressure and clear seas favor pelagics and scratching tactics.

  • Tide: fishes on all states; the last two hours of the flood and first two of the ebb are consistent, especially for rays and bass
  • Wind: easterly/south-easterly onshore winds push colour and surf—prime for bass; westerlies flatten the sea for mackerel/garfish and long-range scratch fishing
  • Sea state: a gentle roll aids rays; heavy dumpy surf reduces safety and presentation—step back up the bank
  • Light: dawn, dusk, and night markedly improve bass, huss, and ray chances; scad often arrive after dark
  • Seasonality: summer calm spells for lures and mackerel; autumn for mixed bags with quality bass; winter for whiting and the odd codling after prolonged easterlies

This is an exposed, steep shingle beach with deep water and a strong undertow—simple but not to be underestimated. Plan your exit route up the shingle before dark.

  • Steep, shifting shingle makes footing strenuous; use a stable tripod and avoid standing at the water’s edge in a dumping surf
  • Strong undertow and shore dump in onshore winds—do not wade; keep clear of the collapsing shingle lip
  • Weed can be heavy after blows; be careful when retrieving loaded lines up the bank
  • Limited natural shelter: dress for wind and spray; secure gear on the bank to prevent it rolling
  • Night fishing: carry a headtorch and spare light; mark your access point from the car park
  • Mobile signal generally fair near the road, can dip lower on the beach
  • Lifejacket strongly recommended when fishing close to the swash on any surf day
  • Accessibility: short distance from parking, but the soft shingle is challenging for those with reduced mobility; no firm walkway onto the lower beach

Facilities are close by but can be seasonal at this end of the bay. Torcross, a short drive south, has more reliable year-round options.

  • Strete Gate car park: pay-and-display; seasonal kiosk/refreshments may operate in fair weather
  • Public toilets are sometimes available at or near Strete Gate; if closed, use Torcross facilities
  • Cafés, pub, and more parking at Torcross; additional cafés north at Blackpool Sands (short drive)
  • Nearest tackle and bait in Dartmouth and Kingsbridge; check local shops for fresh lug/rag and mackerel
  • Bins: take litter home if bins are full/absent; discarded line and hooks are a hazard on shingle

Start Bay rewards anglers who adapt to the day’s conditions. If it looks fishy here, it probably is—if not, a short drive along the bay can change your fortunes.

  • After an easterly blow, fish big worm or crab baits tight for bass as the sea settles and holds colour
  • For thornback rays, a sandeel/squid cocktail and a steady, pinned-down presentation just past the first bar does the trick
  • Smoothhounds love peeler or soft crab in late spring/summer—keep rigs simple and be ready for powerful runs
  • In summer, scale down and work metals for mackerel/garfish; avoid peak bathing times and give swimmers a wide berth
  • Keep rod tips high to clear the shingle lip and reduce line abrasion on the bank
  • A long sand spike or tall tripod helps on the steep slope; a small shingle mat keeps gear out of the wash
  • If crabs are rife, use tougher baits (squid wraps, elasticated baits) and keep recasting intervals short
  • Historical note: the bay was used for D-Day training—there’s a Sherman tank memorial at Torcross worth a look between tides

Sea angling is permitted from the beach at Strete Gate. Regulations change, so always confirm current rules before your trip.

  • Minimum sizes and local byelaws are enforced by Devon & Severn IFCA; check their website for up-to-date size limits and any seasonal/gear restrictions
  • European seabass rules apply in ICES Area 7: expect a minimum size of 42 cm and a seasonal daily bag limit; dates and limits can change annually—verify via the UK government/MMO before retaining bass
  • Marine Conservation Zones: the Skerries Bank & Surrounds MCZ lies offshore in Start Bay; rod-and-line angling from the beach is generally allowed, but avoid disturbing protected features and adhere to any posted guidance
  • Protected/voluntary release: release spurdog and tope as best practice; handle huss and rays carefully and unhook with long-nose pliers
  • No open fires and BBQ rules vary along the bay; follow beach signage, dog control orders, and any overnight parking restrictions
  • Take all litter and end tackle home; discarded hooks/line pose a risk to wildlife and other beach users