Watcombe Beach Fishing

Last updated: 1 month ago

Watcombe Beach Fishing Map

A secluded red-sand cove between Babbacombe and Maidencombe on the Torbay coast. The small beach fronts mixed ground with patches of clean sand, while the rocky points on either side give better depth and tide run. Expect kelp, boulders and snags—use rotten-bottom rigs. Best in settled weather and clear water; evenings into dusk on a flooding tide are productive. Access is via a long, steep woodland path that is sometimes closed after landslips—check status and travel light. Limited shelter and swell can rebound off the cliffs.

Ratings

⭐ 6.3/10 Overall
Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 3/10

Fish You Can Catch at Watcombe Beach

🐟 Ballan Wrasse 8/10
🎯 Tip: Rough ground and boulders at both ends; fish the flood to high. Float fish ragworm or hardback crabs, or weedless soft plastics tight to kelp. Best in daylight, spring–autumn.
🐟 Rock Goby 8/10
🎯 Tip: Abundant around rock edges; use tiny hooks (12–16) with small worm or prawn pieces on light gear. Drop straight down beside boulders on a flooding tide in calm seas.
🐟 Bass 7/10
🎯 Tip: Work surface lures or white soft plastics in onshore chop or after a blow; also peeler crab/sandeel baits into gullies on the flood at dusk or first light. Autumn strongest.
🐟 Pollack 7/10
🎯 Tip: Lures or float-fished sandeel along reef edges at dawn/dusk, especially on a flooding tide. Retrieve midwater to avoid snags.
🐟 Mackerel 7/10
🎯 Tip: Summer shoals in settled weather; cast metals/feathers at first and last light on the flood from the rock ends. Keep mobile to find fish.
🐟 Corkwing Wrasse 7/10
🎯 Tip: Kelp gullies on the flood; small hooks, ragworm or crab under a float. Clear summer water best; keep baits close to structure.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Night sessions from the beach into mixed ground; small mackerel or squid baits on a simple paternoster. Often show on the first of the ebb and around high water.
🐟 Tompot Blenny 6/10
🎯 Tip: Common in rock holes; drop small hooks with worm or shrimp tight to structure on the flood. Daylight in clear water works well.
🐟 Garfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Slim metals or float-fished fish strips near the surface on clear summer days; prime at dawn/dusk over the flood.
🐟 Mullet (Thick-lipped) 6/10
🎯 Tip: Cruise the calm cove; present bread flake under a float or freelined. Stealth, light lines. Neap tides and sunny summer afternoons are best.
🐟 Whiting 5/10
🎯 Tip: Winter evenings; small strips of mackerel/squid on size 2–4 hooks, cast to cleaner patches. Best on the flood into high.
🐟 Conger Eel 5/10
🎯 Tip: After dark from the rock ends; strong gear, large mackerel baits into rough ground on the flood. Mind swells and snags.

Watcombe Beach Fishing

Summary

Watcombe Beach is a small, secluded cove on the north side of Torquay, tucked between Babbacombe and Maidencombe. It’s a classic South Devon mixed-ground mark with kelp-fringed rock ledges and small sand patches that attract bass, wrasse, pollack, and summer pelagics. Sheltered from prevailing south-westerlies, it rewards mobile, lure-first anglers and careful bait fishing in settled seas.

Location and Access

Watcombe sits below wooded red-clay cliffs at the end of Watcombe Beach Road, just off the A379 (Teignmouth Road). Access is via a steep woodland path and steps from the council car park area near TQ1 4SH.

  • Drive: From Torquay, follow the A379 towards Teignmouth, then turn for Watcombe Beach Road. Limited parking near the end; respect residents and any closures/barriers.
  • Public transport: Buses run along Teignmouth Road; alight near Watcombe and walk down the lane to the coast path.
  • Walk-in: 10–15 minutes down through woodland, longer on the way back. The final section can be rough, muddy, and slippery after rain.
  • Important: Access to the beach and steps has been periodically closed due to landslips and damaged infrastructure. Check current Torbay Council notices and obey any closure signage or fencing.
  • Terrain: Small shingle/sand cove with large boulders at the back; rough, kelpy rock ground on both headlands. Some ledges are only reachable around lower water and involve scrambling.

Seasons

This is mixed, rough-to-clean ground that fishes differently through the year. Expect wrasse and pollack on the rocks, with bass and summer pelagics in settled conditions.

  • Spring (Apr–Jun):
    • Bass on small soft plastics and crab baits
    • Ballan and corkwing wrasse on worm/crab
    • Pollack on lures in clearer water
  • Summer (Jul–Sep):
    • Mackerel and garfish in calm, clear spells
    • Scad (horse mackerel) after dark
    • Bass along the edges of kelp and sand tongues
    • Wrasse, pout, and the odd conger from the rough
  • Autumn (Oct–Nov):
    • Better chance of a larger bass in onshore colour
    • Pollack at dawn/dusk; scad in darkness
    • Dogfish and pout on baits, with wrasse tapering off late
  • Winter (Dec–Mar):
    • Whiting and pout on small baits in settled spells
    • Rockling and conger from rough patches
    • The odd codling is very occasional in Torbay and shouldn’t be relied upon

Methods

Mobile lure fishing and targeted rock fishing shine here; ledgering from the beach works in calmer seas. Kelp and boulders demand abrasion-resistant gear and weak links.

  • Lures:
    • Soft plastics (7–14 cm paddletails, weedless Texas rigs) for bass/pollack around kelp edges
    • Metals (10–30 g) and slim jigs for mackerel/scad; work dawn/dusk and into darkness
    • Surface/sub-surface plugs on warm, calm evenings for bass inside the cove
  • Floats:
    • Float rigs with size 6–8 long-shanks and slivers of mackerel or sandeel for garfish
    • Deeper-set float with rag/prawn for wrasse along the rock faces
  • Bottom fishing:
    • 2-hook flapper with size 2–1 for whiting/pout; pulley/pulley-dropper with 1/0–3/0 for bass/conger
    • Use rotten-bottom (weak link) leads over the rough; 20–40 lb leaders for abrasion
    • Baits: ragworm, peeler/crab and prawn for wrasse/bass; squid/mackerel for eels/dogs; sandeel or fish strip for pelagics
  • Tackle notes:
    • 9–10 ft lure rod (10–35 g) covers most lure work; 11–12 ft beach outfit with 4–5 oz leads for ledgering in calmer seas
    • Fluorocarbon trace 15–20 lb for lures; heavier mono for bait rigs in kelp

Tides and Conditions

Watcombe faces broadly east into Lyme Bay, which makes it a good bet in prevailing south-westerlies but vulnerable to onshore easterlies. Water clarity dictates approach.

  • Tide state:
    • Flood tide into high water often best from the beach; first half of the ebb can fish around the ledges
    • Neaps are kinder over rough ground; springs increase weed and drag
  • Wind/sea:
    • Sheltered in W–SW; avoid strong E/NE winds and long-period easterly swell which can make the cove dangerous and weedy
    • A touch of colour after a blow can switch on bass; wrasse/pollack prefer at least moderate clarity
  • Time of day/season:
    • Dawn/dusk for bass and pollack; summer evenings into dark for scad and mackerel
    • Warm months favour float/lure approaches; winter is a bait game in calmer windows

Safety

This is a steep, natural cove beneath unstable cliffs. Treat it as a remote rock mark and plan accordingly.

  • Cliffs/landslip:
    • Red sandstone cliffs are prone to landslips; do not sit under faces and heed any closure signs or fencing
    • Access to steps/beach has been periodically closed—do not bypass barriers
  • Tidal cut-off:
    • Some rock shelves can be cut off around mid-to-high; time your exit and keep an eye on swell sets
  • Footing:
    • Slippery weeded rocks and boulders; sturdy boots and minimal loads recommended
  • Sea state:
    • Easterly swell refracts into the cove; rogue waves possible—keep back from the water on rough days
  • Personal safety:
    • Wear a foam or inflatable lifejacket on the rocks; carry headtorch, spare light, and a charged phone
    • Patchy phone signal in places; tell someone your plan and call 999 Coastguard in an emergency
  • Accessibility:
    • Not suitable for wheelchairs or those with limited mobility due to steep, uneven access

Facilities

Watcombe is a natural, undeveloped cove with no on-site amenities. Plan to be self-sufficient.

  • On-site: No toilets, water, or lighting; bins may be absent—pack out all waste
  • Nearby: Seasonal facilities and cafes in Maidencombe and on Babbacombe Downs; broader services in St Marychurch/Torquay
  • Tackle/bait: Several tackle shops operate in Torquay, Paignton, and Brixham—check opening hours before you travel
  • Phone/data: Variable signal; better higher up on the path than on the beach

Tips

Locals fish this mark lightly and time sessions to conditions rather than the calendar. Travel light and think like a rock angler.

  • Keep moving: Work lures along the kelp edges and gullies rather than static casting from one spot
  • Presentation: Weedless soft plastics and fluorocarbon leaders dramatically reduce snagging
  • Wrasse savvy: Hard-back crab, peeler, or big rag on strong size 1/0 hooks; avoid tiny hooks which bend out
  • Gar/scad: Prime on warm, still evenings—use small slivers of fish under a shallow-set float and consider a slow chum trickle
  • Rotten-bottoms: Always use a weak link for leads over the rough to save tackle and time
  • Pack light: The hike back up is steep—one lure rod and a small shoulder bag is ideal for summer sessions
  • Alternatives: If Watcombe is closed or unfishable in easterlies, try Maidencombe, Oddicombe, or Babbacombe Pier (observe any local pier rules)

Regulations

This shoreline sits within the Devon & Severn IFCA district and the Torbay Marine Conservation Zone, where recreational rod-and-line angling is permitted. Rules do change—always check official sources before you go.

  • Access/closures:
    • Torbay Council has closed access to Watcombe Beach at times due to landslips. If signage or barriers indicate closure, do not enter—choose an alternative mark
  • Conservation/MCZ:
    • The Torbay MCZ does not prohibit rod angling, but be mindful of sensitive habitats and avoid damaging kelp and intertidal life
  • Size/bag limits:
    • National minimum sizes and any seasonal bag limits (e.g., European bass) apply; check current MMO and UK government guidance for the exact, up-to-date rules
  • Shellfish/crustacea:
    • Local byelaws cover sizes and the protection of berried/V-notched lobsters and crawfish—consult Devon & Severn IFCA before retaining any
  • Protected species:
    • If you encounter protected species (e.g., shads, dolphins), do not target or disturb them; release any accidentally hooked fish promptly
  • General:
    • Use barbless or crushed-barb hooks where practicable, return undersized fish, and follow Leave No Trace principles