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Devon

Torcross

7.2 · Beach · Devon

Torcross is the southern end of Slapton Sands in Start Bay: a steep shingle beach with deep water close in. It fishes well year-round, with summer shoals of mackerel and scad, surf bass after onshore blows, and rays, dogfish and smoothhounds at night in settled weather. Winter brings whiting with the odd flatfish. The beach is road-side with parking, cafes and facilities in the village, and the Slapton Ley outflow can draw in mullet. Expect a strong undertow on the steep shingle, shore dump in easterlies, and sudden surges—waders and tripods need care. Mixed clean-to-slightly-shelly ground favors sandeel, squid and crab baits; lures also score in clear water. Medium to long casts help, but fish often patrol the first gulley in surf.

Should you fish Torcross?

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 11:40

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

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7-day fishing forecast for Torcross — 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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Torcross is a steep shingle beach with deep water close in, so the key decision is not simply casting further, but matching range, bait and position to surf, water clarity and tide. The flood into high water is usually the most consistent window, with bass in coloured surf, rays and smoothhounds after dark in settled spells, and mackerel, scad, garfish and occasional bream or plaice in clearer summer conditions.

  • Know when close-range bass baits beat long casting.
  • Pick the Ley outflow edges for hounds, mullet and scad.
  • Time rays around the flood, high and first ebb.
  • Avoid wasting sessions in weed, dumpy surf or unsafe easterlies.
  • Use the right range: 40–80 yd often beats blasting out.

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Stokenham 1.2 mi Slapton (South Hams) 1.9 mi Chillington 2.0 mi Strete 3.2 mi West Charleton 4.3 mi

Explore nearby towns: Stokenham · Slapton (South Hams) · Chillington · Strete · West Charleton

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

Overall rating

7.2 /10

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

Category scores

Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 7/10
Safety 5/10
Accessibility 8/10

Lesser Spotted Dogfish 9/10
Tip: Very common after dark from the steep shingle. Cast 40–80 yd with sandeel or mackerel on a 2-hook flapper. Best on the flood to high water in light surf.
Bass 8/10
Tip: Target surf tables and gutters on a rising tide, especially after a SW blow. Crab, lug or whole sandeel; dawn/dusk. Keep mobile along the shingle.
Small-eyed Ray 7/10
Tip: Night into first of the ebb; sandeel or sandeel/bluey wraps to clean sand at 70–120 yd. Spring–autumn, neap tides help.
Starry Smoothhound 7/10
Tip: June–Sept evenings on peeler crab. Fish the Ley outflow edges and gutters on the flood, 40–80 yd. Use light but strong rigs.
Whiting 6/10
Tip: Autumn–winter nights; small fish baits tipped with worm at 60–100 yd. Best last 2 hours of flood into high.
Mackerel 6/10
Tip: June–Sept; feathering or small metals from the steep shingle. Dusk on the flood is most reliable.
Scad (Horse Mackerel) 6/10
Tip: Late summer nights; small sabikis or 2–3 cm soft plastics under a float near the Ley outflow. Best on the flood.
Plaice 5/10
Tip: March–May; lug tipped with rag/squid. Long casts to sand seams, daylight with a gentle swell. Beads/spoons can help.
Thornback Ray 5/10
Tip: Evening flood with bluey or squid. Aim for slightly rougher patches; spring and autumn.
Garfish 5/10
Tip: Summer, calm seas; float-fish small strip baits or spin tiny metals at dawn/dusk on a flooding tide.
Mullet (Thick-lipped) 5/10
Tip: Work the Ley outflow and quiet surf edges on calm mornings. Bread flake, mashed-bread groundbait, or small baited spinners.
Black Bream 5/10
Tip: Late summer in calm, clear water. Small strips of squid/mackerel on size 2 hooks; long cast to mixed ground pockets.

Local knowledge

Torcross fishing guide

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

Torcross (Start Bay, Devon) is a steep, deep-shingle beach at the southern end of Slapton Sands, backed by the village and the Slapton Ley nature reserve. It fishes well year-round with quick access to depth, making it a reliable mark for bass in a blow and varied summer sport. Clean ground with occasional patches of rough and weed offers rays, smoothhound, mackerel, and winter whiting under the right conditions.

Torcross sits on the A379 between Dartmouth and Kingsbridge, with the beach immediately beside the road and sea wall. Access is simple and close to parking, but expect a steep shingle bank to negotiate.

  • Approach via the A379; the seafront pay-and-display car park and on-road bays are by the sea wall (postcode area TQ7 2TQ).
  • Steps/ramps from the promenade lead directly onto shingle; the last few metres are loose and steep.
  • The mark fishes all along the village frontage; you can also spread out north along Slapton Sands if it’s busy.
  • Terrain is clean, mobile shingle with fast drop-off; no long hike required from the main car parks.

This beach produces a broad mix, with summer variety and dependable winter scratching. Expect quick changes with water clarity and wind direction.

  • Spring (Mar–May): Bass, plaice (in clearer spells), thornback ray, smoothhound (building late spring), garfish, early mackerel on warm days, dogfish, pouting.
  • Summer (Jun–Aug): Bass, smoothhound, mackerel, garfish, scad, gurnard, black bream (some seasons), thornback and small-eyed rays, pollack from rocky fringes, eels and conger after dark.
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov): Bass (especially in a blow), mackerel/scad tailing off, bream (early autumn), rays, smoothhound (early autumn), pout, dogfish, increasing whiting.
  • Winter (Dec–Feb): Whiting, pouting, dogfish, conger at night, the odd codling in onshore blows (uncommon nowadays), bass in coloured surf during milder spells.
  • Year-round possibilities: Flatties in calmer, clear periods; mullet in the surf margins and near outflows (note: Slapton Ley itself has nature reserve restrictions—see regulations).

Steep shingle means quick depth; you rarely need extreme range. Match your approach to water colour and wind.

  • Bottom fishing: Two-hook flapper with size 2–1 hooks for whiting, pout, flatties; 4–5oz grip leads hold well in a moderate swell.
  • Rays/smoothhound: Pulley or pulley–pennel with 3/0–5/0 hooks; sandeel, squid/sandeel wraps, or mackerel for rays; peeler crab or hermit for hounds.
  • Bass: In coloured surf, fish big baits (whole squid, mackerel head, crab) close-in on a running ledger or pulley; in clear, calm spells use smaller worm baits (lug/rag) or lures at dawn/dusk.
  • Lure/float: Metals and slim sandeels for mackerel/scad; surface and shallow-diving lures for bass in first/last light; float-fish strips of mackerel or rag for garfish over 8–12 ft.
  • Plaice/bream (when about): Long-snood up-and-over or one-up/one-down with size 2–4 hooks; rag, lug, thin squid or prawn, with small attractors/beads.
  • Night tactics: Scratch a mixed bag with worm/squid cocktails; step up snoods and keep a heavier rod ready for a ray or conger pickup.

Torcross can fish on any state, with the flood into and over high generally most consistent. Wind and water colour are the big drivers.

  • Best tide states: Mid-flood to first two hours of the ebb; at high water you can fish from high on the bank or the sea wall with care.
  • Bass: After an easterly/SE blow when the water turns milky-green and there’s a surf; fish big static baits tight in at dusk or after dark.
  • Summer variety: Calm or light offshore/northwesterly gives clearer water for mackerel, garfish, bream and plaice; evenings/mornings are prime.
  • Rays/hounds: Often improve on the building tide in late spring to early autumn; sandeel/crab baits work even when the water holds some colour.
  • Drift and weed: A strong onshore or along-shore wind can push floating weed and create lateral sweep—use heavier grip leads and adjust casting angles.
  • Seasonality: Winter nights for whiting/pout/conger; late spring through early autumn for the broader mix and surface action.

This is a straightforward beach mark but the steep, mobile shingle and dumpy surf demand respect. Plan your exit before dark and keep gear high from the swash line.

  • Steep shingle bank with powerful undertow and ‘cliffing’—waves can surge high; never turn your back on the sea.
  • Overtopping is possible in strong onshore blows; avoid the sea wall during big easterlies or when spray is breaking over.
  • Use a headtorch, keep a clear route up the bank, and wear footwear with good ankle support; a buoyancy aid/lifejacket is wise in rough conditions.
  • Mobility: The promenade and parking are level, but the final shingle is challenging for wheelchairs and limited mobility; some fish from the wall at high water when conditions are calm.
  • Summer bathing areas may be zoned—avoid casting near swimmers and obey any local signage.
  • Severe weather can reshape the bank overnight—check your footing and avoid steep drop-offs at the water’s edge.

Torcross has good on-hand amenities for a beach mark, making longer sessions comfortable.

  • Parking: Pay-and-display bays and seafront car park beside the sea wall.
  • Toilets: Public conveniences by the seafront (check seasonal opening hours).
  • Food and drink: Cafés, ice cream kiosks, and the pub/restaurant on the frontage; takeaway options in season.
  • Tackle/bait: Limited in the village; dedicated tackle shops are in Kingsbridge, Dartmouth, and Totnes—buy bait en route when possible.
  • Mobile signal: Generally good, but can vary by network in the bay.
  • Point of interest: WWII Sherman tank memorial from Exercise Tiger beside the car park.

Small adjustments go a long way here—depth is close, and fish patrol the first gutter. Travel light and move if you’re not on the fish.

  • For bass in a surf, cast just beyond the backwash line or even into it—don’t blast to the horizon.
  • Look for subtle longshore gutters and slight colour lines; 20–30 m moves can transform a session.
  • Use Breakaway-style grip leads to combat lateral drift; step up to 5–6 oz if the sea is lively.
  • Keep a spare rod rigged with a ray/hound rig—pickups often come while you’re scratching.
  • After storms, the shingle profile changes; fresh scours and shelves often hold fish for a few tides.
  • Summer evenings can be hectic with mackerel; switch to a single lure or float rig if birds and shoals push in to avoid foul-hooking.
  • If weed is relentless at one end of the village, walk 100–200 m; pockets of clearer water are common.

Torcross beach is open to sea angling, but it borders the Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve—respect reserve boundaries and any onsite signs. Always check the latest rules before you go.

  • Jurisdiction: Devon & Severn IFCA district for local byelaws; national rules enforced by the MMO.
  • Bass: Subject to seasonal restrictions, bag limits, and a 42 cm minimum size—check current MMO guidance for dates and daily allowance before retaining fish.
  • Rays: Correctly identify species; many anglers release undulate rays as a best practice—if unsure of ID, release.
  • Mullet: No special local rules commonly applied on the open beach, but parts of Slapton Ley are no-fishing—do not fish or bait-gather within the reserve areas.
  • Shellfish/crustaceans: National protections apply (e.g., no berried lobster/crab retention) and local MLS/byelaws—consult Devon & Severn IFCA if collecting from shore.
  • Bathing zones: In peak season there may be swimming areas; avoid fishing within marked zones and follow any lifeguard or local authority direction.
  • General: Take only what you need, adhere to size/bag limits, and leave no litter or discarded line/hooks.