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Devon

Sugary Cove

6.5 · Rocks · Devon

A small, secluded cove beneath Dartmouth Castle at the mouth of the River Dart. Access is via steep steps to a tiny shingle/sand pocket with kelpy rock ledges either side. The ground is rough and snaggy with quick access to depth from the rocks; sheltered from prevailing southwesterlies but exposed to easterlies and swell surge. Best at dusk or dawn on a flooding tide. Summer brings wrasse, pollack, mackerel, scad and garfish; after dark pouting and conger move in. Limited space and slippery weeded ledges—take care, and expect swimmers in settled weather.

Should you fish Sugary Cove?

58 Fair

Today · Best window

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

Most likely species: Ballan Wrasse and Pollack

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

NW 3 mph Rain 4% High tide 11:47

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

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7-day fishing forecast for Sugary 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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Sugary Cove is a compact rough-ground cove below Dartmouth Castle where timing and conditions matter more than distance. It suits light, mobile fishing from the kelpy rock edges for wrasse, pollack, bass and summer pelagics, with pouting and conger becoming more realistic after dark. The best plan is usually to travel light, fish the flood into dusk or dawn, and avoid pushing onto low ledges when swell, boat wash or a big high tide makes the cove cramped.

  • Know when the flood is worth the tight ledges.
  • Pick the gullies, points and kelp edges that hold fish.
  • Avoid losing gear by matching method to the rough ground.
  • Time bass, pollack, wrasse and conger sessions more precisely.
  • Have a backup plan when Sugary Cove is cramped or surging.

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Jump to towns around this mark for more marks and guides.

Kingswear 0.7 mi Dartmouth 1.1 mi Stoke Fleming 1.7 mi Dittisham 3.4 mi Strete 3.5 mi

Explore nearby towns: Kingswear · Dartmouth · Stoke Fleming · Dittisham · Strete

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

Overall rating

6.5 /10

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

Category scores

Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 5/10
Accessibility 4/10

Bass 8/10
Tip: Surface/shallow-diving lures in onshore swell at first/last light, or live/whole sandeel on the flood. Work gullies around the points. Late spring–autumn.
Pollack 8/10
Tip: Weedless soft plastics or metal jigs along kelp-lined rock edges at dawn/dusk on the flood. Cast parallel to ledges; clear water best. Summer–autumn.
Mackerel 7/10
Tip: Summer shoals; cast metals/feathers from the points on the last of the flood and first of the ebb. Dawn/evening, clear water; keep gear high to avoid kelp.
Ballan Wrasse 7/10
Tip: Crab or rag on strong gear into kelp-filled holes; float or light ledger. Best on a flooding tide in clear water. Late spring–early autumn; unhook carefully.
Pouting 6/10
Tip: Small mackerel or rag strips on size 2–4 paternoster into deeper gullies at dusk/night. Mixed rough ground fishes best on the flood.
Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
Tip: Tiny hooks and rag/soft crab under a float beside kelp-fringed rock faces on the flood. Summer; calm, clear days produce bites.
Conger Eel 6/10
Tip: Night; big mackerel/squid baits on heavy traces dropped tight to rocks and kelp. Top of tide and first of ebb. Expect snags; use rotten-bottoms.
Garfish 6/10
Tip: Float small slivers of mackerel/sandeel 4–6 ft deep over cleaner patches on a flooding tide. Late spring–autumn; dawn/evening best.
Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
Tip: After sunset in late summer; small metals or sabikis with a glow bead worked mid-water from the points on the first of the ebb.
Mullet (Thick-lipped) 5/10
Tip: Calm, clear mornings; look for fish browsing in the lee of the cove. Free-line bread flake or small rag on fine tackle. Best on neaps with minimal surf.

Local knowledge

Sugary Cove fishing guide

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

Sugary Cove is a small, secluded pocket beach tucked just below Dartmouth Castle at the mouth of the River Dart in South Devon. It’s a scenic, rough-ground mark that fishes well for a mixed bag, from summer wrasse, pollack and bass to winter pout, whiting and conger. The setting is stunning, but space is limited and conditions can change quickly with the tide and swell.

Access is via Dartmouth Castle, a short drive from Dartmouth town, with a steep footpath and steps down to the cove. It’s a compact shingle/pebble beach hemmed in by rocky ledges, so arrive early if you want a platform to yourself.

  • Drive: Follow signs to Dartmouth Castle; the castle car park (postcode TQ6 0JN) is the usual starting point.
  • Walk-in: From the car park, follow the signed path to Sugary Cove; expect a steep descent with uneven, sometimes slippery steps.
  • Alternative approach: It’s also reachable on foot from Dartmouth/Warfleet via the South West Coast Path (allow extra time; paths can be narrow and exposed in places).
  • Terrain: Small shingle beach with rough, kelpy ground and low, barnacle-covered ledges; little level space at high water.
  • Carry: Travel light; a shoulder bag and one rod are sensible given the steps and tight platforms.

This mark produces typical South Devon rough-ground species, boosted by tidal movement at the estuary mouth. Expect summer sport on lures and floats, and bait fishing into darkness in the colder months.

  • Spring (Mar–May):
    • School bass, early pollack, ballan wrasse building into May
    • Thick‑lipped mullet in calm, clear water
    • Garfish from late spring in settled spells
  • Summer (Jun–Aug):
    • Ballan wrasse, corkwing wrasse, pollack
    • Mackerel and scad on dusk tides; garfish
    • Bass along the tide lines; mullet in the eddies
    • Occasional black bream and gilthead bream in warm, settled periods
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov):
    • Bass (often best in a bit of colour), pollack, scad
    • Wrasse tailing off by late autumn
    • Conger eel and bull huss after dark; mackerel linger into October in good years
  • Winter (Dec–Feb):
    • Pouting, whiting, rockling, dogfish
    • Conger eel at night
    • Rare codling in cold snaps

Rough ground and tide runs call for thoughtful tactics and abrasion‑resistant gear. Keep rigs simple, use rotten-bottom links, and adjust to water clarity.

  • Lure fishing:
    • Soft plastics (3–5 inch paddletails or worms) on 7–14 g heads for wrasse and pollack worked down the side of the ledges
    • Slim metals (14–30 g) and minnow/topwater plugs for bass on the flood along the castle point and tide seams
    • Fish dawn/dusk, especially on neaps with clearer water
  • Float fishing:
    • Ragworm, crab or prawn for wrasse; mackerel strip or sandeel for pollack/garfish
    • Set depth to just clear the kelp; a sliding float helps follow contours
  • Bottom fishing (ledgering):
    • Pulley or pulley‑dropper rigs with 40–60 lb rub leaders; 3/0–5/0 hooks for bass/conger; always include a weak link/rotten‑bottom
    • 4–5 oz leads typically; step up if the tide is ripping on springs
    • Night sessions with mackerel/squid cocktails for conger, huss and pout; two‑hook flappers with size 1–2 hooks for whiting/pout in winter
  • Mullet tactics:
    • Bread flake or crust freelined/under a small controller near slack water; size 8–12 fine‑wire hooks, light fluorocarbon and utmost stealth
  • Handy kit:
    • Long‑handled landing net or drop net, chest waders for controlled footing, and spare trace material for cut‑offs

Sugary Cove is very tide dependent: the beach can all but disappear on big highs, and the estuary mouth generates strong runs on springs. Plan around safe water levels and pick conditions for the target species.

  • Tide states:
    • Best around the flood and first of the ebb; two hours either side of high water can be prime for bass and mullet in the eddies
    • Springs create powerful tide lines; fish the slacks/creases rather than the full rip
    • On big highs the beach is cramped—use ledges but watch for cut‑off
  • Sea and wind:
    • Sheltered from westerlies; exposed to southerly swell—avoid large onshore swell/heavy surf
    • Bass like a bit of colour and a SE–S breeze; wrasse/pollack prefer calmer, clearer water
  • Time of day/season:
    • Dawn and dusk excel, especially in summer when daytime bathers thin out light
    • Night fishing from late summer through winter for conger, huss, whiting and pout
    • After prolonged clear, bright spells, scale down, go stealthy and fish finesse lures/float rigs

It’s a beautiful but committing little venue with steep steps, slippery ledges and lively tidal movement. Treat it as a rock mark, not a casual beach.

  • Access and footing:
    • Steep, uneven steps; not suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs or limited mobility
    • Weed‑slick ledges; wear grippy boots/cleats and consider a buoyancy aid
  • Tide and swell:
    • Risk of cut‑off on the ledges at high water; pre‑plan an escape route and keep an eye on the flood
    • Avoid strong southerly swell; surges can knock you off balance on low platforms
  • General hazards:
    • Sharp barnacles/razor rocks—gloves recommended when scrambling/handling fish
    • Boat wake from passing craft and ferries can surge onto low rocks—pause retrieves and keep gear well back
  • People and space:
    • Very limited room; in summer expect swimmers and paddleboarders—don’t cast if anyone is within range
  • Comms and lighting:
    • Phone signal is usually better on the path than down at water level; carry a charged light for any dusk/night exit

Facilities are modest at the mark itself, but Dartmouth town is close by. Plan bait and water ahead in peak season when parking is tight.

  • Parking: Pay‑and‑display at Dartmouth Castle; spaces are limited and fill quickly in summer
  • Toilets/café: Available at Dartmouth Castle during opening hours (seasonal/paid site hours may apply)
  • Shops/food: Dartmouth town has pubs, cafés and general stores within a short drive or a longer coastal walk
  • Tackle and bait: Limited options immediately by the castle—source bait in advance or from larger shops around Torbay/Kingsbridge areas
  • Public transport: Seasonal local buses run toward the castle area; check current timetables
  • Mobile signal: Generally fair on higher ground; can be patchy right down in the cove

This is a classic “travel light and time it right” South Hams nook. Small adjustments—depth on the float, lure weight, and presentation angle—often make the session.

  • Use a rotten‑bottom on any bottom rig; the ground eats leads
  • A 7–28 g lure rod covers most options; bring a short net for awkward landings
  • Work angled, up‑tide retrieves across tide seams for bass rather than straight out
  • For wrasse, keep baits moving slowly over kelp pockets; pause and hold on the drop-offs
  • Chum sparingly with mashed bread for mullet and step down to fine fluorocarbon when they’re spooky
  • If seals show, switch to faster lures or relocate—soaked baits will get harassed
  • Weekend afternoons get busy with bathers; hit dawn/dusk tides for cooler heads and better fishing
  • Boat wash is predictable—pause, lift your line high, and resume once the surge passes

Recreational angling from the public beach/rocks is generally permitted here. There may be no fishing from inside any fenced/paid areas of the castle—respect any on‑site signage and directions from staff or wardens.

  • Bass (recreational, ICES 7d–h):
    • Minimum size 42 cm
    • Bag/season (check current year before you go): typically catch‑and‑release only in Jan–Feb and Dec; up to two fish per angler per day Mar–Nov
  • General sizes/bags: Observe national minimum conservation reference sizes (MMO) for species such as wrasse, bream, whiting etc.; return undersized fish promptly
  • Sharks/rays: Return spurdog and tope alive; use strong tackle and unhooking tools to minimize handling time
  • Local protections: The wider Start Bay/Dart area includes designated conservation sites; hook‑and‑line angling is allowed, but avoid damaging intertidal habitats (seagrass/maerl) and never remove undersized shellfish or bait unlawfully
  • Conduct:
    • No fishing where prohibited by local signage; keep clear of swimmers/launch areas
    • Take all litter and line home; do not light fires on the beach
    • Use a headlamp with red mode at night to reduce disturbance and preserve night vision