Welcombe Mouth Fishing

Last updated: 1 week ago

Welcombe Mouth Fishing Map

Remote, boulder-and-reef cove on the North Devon/Cornwall border. Steep walk to jagged rock platforms with kelp-filled gullies and small sand patches; very exposed to Atlantic swell. Best around dusk or after dark on a flooding tide in moderate seas; excellent rough-ground and summer lure venue but slippery and committing at high water.

Ratings

⭐ 6.6/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 3/10
Accessibility 3/10

Fish You Can Catch at Welcombe Mouth

🐟 Bass 8/10
🎯 Tip: Surf over shingle on a flooding tide; dawn/dusk or after a blow. Shallow-diving plugs, soft plastics, or peeler/crab/sandeel in the white water; keep mobile.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 8/10
🎯 Tip: Kelp-lined boulders by the headlands on the flood. Float or light ledger with crab, prawn or hardback; 20–30 lb leader and rotten-bottom to beat snags.
🐟 Pollack 7/10
🎯 Tip: Evening into dusk along kelp edges; cast metals or soft plastics, count down then steady retrieve. Flood to high best; keep lures above weed.
🐟 Pouting 6/10
🎯 Tip: Rough ground gullies at night; 2-hook flappers with rag or fish strips, short casts to sand tongues. Small luminous beads help.
🐟 Mackerel 6/10
🎯 Tip: Calm, clear summer evenings; small metals or 3–4 feather rigs from the rock points, mid to high tide. Watch swell and ledge access.
🐟 Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
🎯 Tip: Weed-fringed pockets; small hooks with rag/lug or prawn under a float. Best mid tide on the flood, tight to rock walls.
🐟 Tompot Blenny 6/10
🎯 Tip: Tight to boulders at your feet; drop tiny hooks baited with rag or mussel. Productive on the flood in calmer seas.
🐟 Bull Huss 5/10
🎯 Tip: Dusk into night over mixed rough/sand; whole squid or fish baits on 4/0–6/0 pulley with rotten-bottom. Neap tides and a light swell help.
🐟 Conger Eel 5/10
🎯 Tip: After dark into kelpy gullies; big mackerel/squid baits on a heavy trace and rotten-bottom leads. Aim for high-water slack.
🐟 Garfish 5/10
🎯 Tip: Late spring–autumn on clear-water floods; float a sliver of mackerel or small soft plastic shallow off the points. Dawn/dusk best.

Welcombe Mouth Fishing

Summary

Welcombe Mouth sits on the wild North Devon/Cornwall border, a dramatic valley beach framed by jagged rock ridges and a waterfall. It’s a remote, rough-ground mark that rewards prepared anglers with bass in the surf, lure-caught pollack, and night-time huss and conger from the boulders. Expect effort, heavy ground, and big Atlantic conditions—this one’s for confident rock and surf fishers.

Location and Access

This is a remote spot reached down a very narrow lane from the village of Welcombe; allow extra time and be courteous to oncoming traffic. The final approach is steep and rough in places, leading to a small clifftop parking area and a short but steep path to the beach.

Seasons

This coast fishes best from late spring through autumn, with winter bringing the usual channel scavengers when it’s safe enough to access.

Methods

Rough-ground tactics rule, with lure fishing on the flanks and surf approaches on a flooding tide. Rig for loss and fish strong.

Tides and Conditions

The beach changes character with the tide: rock ledges and gullies at lower states, shingle banks and a punchy shorebreak at mid-to-high. Plan around safe water height and swell.

Safety

This is an exposed Atlantic rock mark with steep access and very rough ground. Treat it with utmost respect and avoid in heavy swell or poor visibility.

Facilities

There are no facilities at beach level; come self-sufficient. Nearest services are in Hartland to the north and Kilkhampton/Bude to the south.

Tips

Welcombe rewards patient, tidy fishing with strong tackle and smart timing. Think like a bass—use the gullies and surf lines—and accept you’ll lose gear.

Regulations

Shore angling is generally permitted at Welcombe Mouth. There are no known local byelaws prohibiting fishing from the beach or rocks, but normal national and regional rules apply—always check the latest before you go.