Westcombe Beach Fishing

Last updated: 5 days ago

Westcombe Beach Fishing Map

A secluded, south-facing cove of sand with rocky ledges at both ends, Westcombe Beach offers classic mixed-ground fishing. The surf line and sand gullies hold bass, while the boulder fringes and kelp beds produce wrasse and pollack. Best results are typically 2–3 hours either side of high water, with summer and autumn evenings and nights particularly productive. Expect mackerel, garfish and scad in warm months, and whiting and pouting after dark in cooler months. Access is via a steep footpath, so travel light and wear good footwear. Swell can surge onto the rocks and the final descent is exposed—avoid big seas and fish with a headtorch and a partner after dark.

Ratings

⭐ 6.1/10 Overall
Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 4/10

Fish You Can Catch at Westcombe Beach

🐟 Bass 8/10
🎯 Tip: Dawn/dusk or after a blow; plugs/soft plastics in white water around rocks and gutters on the flood.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 8/10
🎯 Tip: Rocky points/kelp; float or simple paternoster with hard crab or rag tight to structure, best on the flood with a light swell.
🐟 Pollack 7/10
🎯 Tip: Evening into dark from the headlands; cast metals/soft plastics parallel to kelp lines on the flood.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Night over the sand in the cove; small squid or mackerel on a 2-hook flapper, low to mid tide.
🐟 Mackerel 6/10
🎯 Tip: Summer; small metals/feathers from the points, mid-water on the flood in clear water.
🐟 Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
🎯 Tip: Small ragworm or prawn under a float tight to kelp; neap tides and settled seas in daylight.
🐟 Garfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Late spring–autumn, clear water; float a sliver of mackerel or small sandeel off the points on the flood.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
🎯 Tip: Late summer nights; sabikis or tiny metals worked under a headlamp from rock edges on the flood.
🐟 Conger Eel 5/10
🎯 Tip: Night from rough ledges; big mackerel/squid baits and heavy gear. Best around high water.
🐟 Black Bream 5/10
🎯 Tip: Late spring–autumn over broken ground; small squid/worm strips on a light ledger in clear water on the flood.
🐟 Plaice 4/10
🎯 Tip: Clean sand patches at range; beads/spoons with worm or shellfish, daylight and gentle surf, mid to ebb.
🐟 Small-eyed Ray 4/10
🎯 Tip: Occasional; sandeel or launce on long traces over clean sand at dusk into dark, mid–late flood.

Westcombe Beach Fishing

Summary

Westcombe Beach (Westcombe Sands) is a secluded, south-facing cove on the South Devon coast between Ringmore and Kingston, tucked between Ayrmer Cove and the Erme estuary beaches. Remote and unspoilt, it offers mixed ground—clean sand in the middle with rocky fringes—making it a rewarding, quiet mark for mobile lure fishing and light surf tactics.

Expect classic small-bay dynamics: surfy bass in the sandy gut, wrasse and pollack from the ledges, and summer visitors when the water clears.

Location and Access

This is a proper walk-in mark via the South West Coast Path, with steep descents and a stream valley behind the beach. Access is straightforward to follow in daylight but can feel committing on the way out.

Seasons

Westcombe fishes like two marks in one: a cleanish surf line down the middle and rougher wrasse ground on the sides. Species vary with season and sea state.

Methods

Two approaches shine here: mobile lure work along the rocks and thoughtful surfcasting into the sandy gut. Keep tackle lean; the walk back punishes excess weight.

Tides and Conditions

This cove is very tide- and swell-sensitive. Read the beach shape and the stream run-off to locate the feeding lanes.

Safety

It’s a committing, steep-access venue with mobile signal that can be patchy. Treat the ledges with respect and plan your escape routes before the water rises.

Facilities

There are no facilities on the beach—pack self-sufficiently and take all litter home. Nearest services are in nearby villages and resorts.

Tips

This mark rewards observation: the stream carves channels that shift with storms, and those seams often hold fish.

Regulations

Shore angling is generally permitted at Westcombe Beach. However, regulations change—especially for bass and within protected designations—so check official sources before you go.