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Devon

Weston Mouth

6.0 · Beach · Devon

A remote shingle/pebble beach beneath high cliffs on the Jurassic Coast between Sidmouth and Branscombe. The central stretch offers cleaner shingle with sand patches, while both ends run into rougher, snaggy ground and boulders. Best results typically come on a flooding tide into dusk and after dark. Summer sees mackerel, garfish and scad shoals close in; bass patrol the surf after a blow. Night sessions produce dogfish, pouting, and flatfish on the cleaner ground, with winter bringing whiting. Long casts help on neap tides, but short to medium lobbing can be effective at night for sole and bass. Access is by steep footpaths with no facilities or shelter; avoid during heavy swell or when cliff falls are possible.

Should you fish Weston Mouth?

54 Fair

Today · Best available

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

Most likely species: Mackerel and Ballan Wrasse

Fair conditions. Best available around 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide, but no window reaches the strong threshold today. Good chance of Mackerel and Ballan Wrasse.

NW 4 mph Rain 0% High tide 12:14

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Weston Mouth — 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.

Saturday looks better than today. Unlock the week to see its score and exact window.

· 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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Weston Mouth is a remote, steep shingle beach that rewards timing, mobility and travelling light. The clean central shingle is the safer, more versatile option for bass, dogfish, whiting, dabs and sole, while the rocky ends offer rough-ground chances for wrasse, pollack, pouting and conger but bring more snags. The strongest general pattern is a flooding tide into dusk and after dark, with calm clear water favouring summer shoals and a small coloured surf favouring bass.

  • Know when to stay central and when the rocky ends are worth the risk
  • Time the flood-to-dark window for Weston’s best bite pattern
  • Pick bass, sole, whiting or scad tactics by tide and light level
  • Avoid the swell and spring-high traps that spoil this steep shingle mark
  • Use nearby beaches as backups without wasting the session

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Sidmouth 2.4 mi Sidbury 2.8 mi Beer 4.0 mi Tipton St. John 5.0 mi Newton Poppleford 5.0 mi

Explore nearby towns: Sidmouth · Sidbury · Beer · Tipton St. John · Newton Poppleford

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

Overall rating

6.0 /10

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

Category scores

Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 7/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 4/10

Bass 8/10
Tip: Steep shingle; fish the surf on flooding tide at dawn/dusk or after a blow. Peeler crab, sandeel or shallow diving plugs.
Lesser Spotted Dogfish 7/10
Tip: Regular at night over clean/mixed patches; fish 30-80 m with mackerel or squid on simple pulley/2-hook flapper. Flood and slack.
Mackerel 7/10
Tip: Summer into early autumn; calm clear evenings. Feather strings or small metals cast from the shingle. Best on the flood and at dusk.
Pollack 6/10
Tip: From rocky flanks at dusk into dark; cast soft plastics or metals parallel to the rocks on the flood.
Pouting 6/10
Tip: After dark over rough/mixed ground; small fish/squid strips on 2-hook rigs. Flood and first of ebb.
Whiting 6/10
Tip: Winter nights from the central clean ground; small fish baits on 2-hook flappers. Best mid-flood to first of ebb.
Scad (Horse Mackerel) 6/10
Tip: Warm nights Aug–Oct; fish small sabikis or size 6 hooks with strips under a float or slowly retrieved. Dusk into darkness on flood.
Ballan Wrasse 6/10
Tip: Ends of the beach around rocks/ledges; daytime on flooding tide. Fish crab or ragworm tight to rough ground with strong gear.
Dab 5/10
Tip: Winter on cleaner patches in the central shingle; long casts with small lug/rag baits on light flappers. First half of the flood.
Garfish 5/10
Tip: Late summer/autumn; float-fished sandeel or small strips, set shallow. Dusk on the flood, especially in calm seas.
Dover Sole 4/10
Tip: Warm nights on clean/mixed ground; small ragworms or crab strips fished static close in. Best last of ebb into early flood.
Conger Eel 4/10
Tip: Night from rocky ends; fish big mackerel/squid baits on 100 lb trace, drop short into gullies. Slack water to early flood.

Local knowledge

Weston Mouth fishing guide

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

Weston Mouth is a secluded shingle beach tucked between Sidmouth and Branscombe on Devon’s Jurassic Coast. The beach shelves quickly into deep water, making it a rewarding but no-frills mark for mobile anglers who don’t mind a steep walk.

  • Expect classic open-coast fishing: surf-seeking bass, summer mackerel and scad, and night-time opportunities for rays, huss and smoothhounds.

Access is on foot via steep valley paths, so pack light and expect a climb. There is no road access to the beach itself, and the approach can be slippery in wet weather.

  • From Weston: Use the National Trust cliff-top car park signed from Weston village and follow the public footpath down Weston Combe (15–25 minutes down; longer back up). The descent includes steps and steep, uneven sections.
  • From Branscombe: Park at Branscombe Beach car park (EX12 3DP) and walk the South West Coast Path westwards to Weston Mouth (around 30–45 minutes, undulating).
  • Terrain: Steep shingle/pebble beach backed by high, crumbly cliffs; no structures. Trolleys are impractical—carry gear in a rucksack.
  • Lighting: No lighting anywhere—bring a good headlamp for dawn/dusk or night sessions.
  • Note: Weston Mouth has a long-standing naturist presence; be respectful and choose your pitch accordingly.

This stretch of Lyme Bay offers a mixed-species calendar, with the steep shingle giving quick access to deeper water. Nights often outfish days here.

  • Spring: Bass on a building surf; early smoothhounds (late spring), dogfish, pout after dark; odd plaice/dab from any cleaner pockets; wrasse from rocky ends.
  • Summer: Mackerel and garfish on calm days; scad at dusk into dark; bass in a light surf; smoothhounds, small-eyed rays on warm evenings; ballan wrasse and pollack near the headlands; occasional black bream in clear, settled spells.
  • Autumn: Peak for bass (especially after a blow as the sea eases); mackerel/scad persist into October; small-eyed ray, huss; increasing whiting and pout after dark.
  • Winter: Whiting, pout, dogfish; the odd codling in onshore blows (infrequent); conger possible after dark; dabs on cleaner ground.

Tackle for Weston Mouth should be simple and robust—steep shingle, undertow, and mixed ground near the ends reward sensible rigs and fresh baits.

  • Bottom fishing: 4–5 oz leads (more if the sea lifts). Pulley, pulley-dropper or up-and-over rigs for rays/huss with 40–60 lb hooklengths; 2–3 hook flappers for scratching whiting/dabs.
  • Baits: For bass—peeler crab (spring), razor, lug/squid cocktails, or whole sandeel in a surf. For rays/huss—sandeel, squid, bluey and mackerel combinations. For scratching—rag/lug/mackerel strip; small fish baits at night draw scad/pout/whiting.
  • Lures: Metals or slim spinners for mackerel/scad; shallow-diving minnows, topwaters, or soft plastics for bass at first/last light. Keep moving along the foamy seams.
  • Floats/LRF: Float a sliver of mackerel for garfish; small weedless soft plastics or ragworm under a float around rougher ends for wrasse/pollack (only where ground allows safe footing).
  • Casting: You don’t always need range—there’s quick depth. Start short for bass on a surf, then step out to medium range for rays/whiting as light fades.
  • Terminal tweaks: Use a weak-link/rotten-bottom if you’re near rough patches; clip-down rigs help aerodynamics on the hike and in a headwind.

Like many steep shingle marks, Weston fishes well around the highs, with surf for bass and settled nights for rays and hounds. Water clarity strongly influences summer species.

  • Tide: Best 2–3 hours up to high and the first hour of the ebb; neaps can be steady, but spring highs often kick-start bass/ray bites.
  • Sea state: A small, building surf with colour is prime for bass; avoid big SW swells that create heavy backwash. Clear, calm water favours mackerel, garfish and the odd bream.
  • Wind: Sheltered from northerlies; exposed to southerly quadrants. A gentle onshore ripple is ideal—strong onshores can make it unsafe.
  • Time: Dusk into dark is consistently productive year-round, especially for scad, whiting, rays and huss.
  • Seasonality: Late spring through autumn gives the widest species range; winter becomes a night-time scratching game unless a mild spell encourages bass.

This is a serious walk-in beach with a steep shingle face and no lifeguards. Plan conservatively and fish within your limits.

  • Steep access: The descent/ascent is strenuous and muddy after rain—unsuitable for those with limited mobility.
  • Backwash: The beach shelves sharply; heavy undertow on swells can knock you off balance. Fish well back from the swash and avoid wading.
  • Cliffs: Keep clear of the cliff base due to frequent rockfalls and landslips, especially after wet weather or hard frosts.
  • Tide awareness: On big spring highs the shingle can become narrow—do not let the sea push you toward the cliffs. Identify escape routes in daylight.
  • Footing: Wear grippy boots; shingle shifts underfoot. Headlamp, spare batteries, warm layers and a drybag are sensible.
  • Safety gear: A modern waist or manual-inflation lifejacket is strongly recommended on steep shingle marks.
  • Communications: Mobile signal can be patchy; tell someone your plan and expected return time.

There are no facilities on the beach itself—treat Weston as a remote mark and go self-sufficient.

  • Parking: National Trust car park above Weston (pay-and-display) or Branscombe Beach car park (EX12 3DP). Limited roadside space elsewhere—be considerate and avoid blocking lanes.
  • Toilets/food: Toilets and cafés at Branscombe Beach; full services in Sidmouth and Beer. Nothing at Weston Mouth.
  • Tackle/bait: Tackle and bait available in nearby towns such as Sidmouth, Seaton, Beer, Honiton and Exmouth—ring ahead for fresh bait.
  • Bins: Very limited—pack out all litter and spent line.
  • Phone signal: Variable; better on higher ground than at the beach.

Weston rewards anglers who travel light, read the water and keep moving until they find fish. Treat it like a back-to-basics, no-fuss shingle session.

  • Pack lean: One rod, minimal leads/rigs, headlamp and a small cool bag. The climb back up feels twice as long when overloaded.
  • Read the line: Bass often patrol the first breaker and any longshore rip. Put fresh crab/sandeel just beyond the dump line on a building tide.
  • Night game: Clip a small fish bait onto a single hook rig and fish medium range for scad/whiting early, then switch to bigger squid/sandeel for rays/huss after full dark.
  • Ground check: There are rougher patches near the rocky flanks—use a rotten-bottom clip if you stray that way; look for cleaner shingle lanes for rays/flatfish.
  • Stream trickle: In calm, clear conditions, mullet sometimes nose around the small stream outflow—freeline crust or fish a tiny float with bread flake.
  • Naturist beach: Parts of Weston Mouth are popular with naturists; pick your pitch with courtesy and avoid pointing bright lamps at others.
  • Summer nuisances: Crabs and small fish can strip baits quickly—elastic and tougher cocktails (squid/bluey) help keep something fishing between checks.

Shore angling is generally permitted at Weston Mouth. It lies within the wider Lyme Bay and Torbay marine protected area network, which limits certain commercial gears offshore but does not prohibit lawful shore fishing.

  • Bass (2024): Recreational limit was 2 fish per angler per day, 42 cm minimum size, retention permitted March 1–Nov 30; catch-and-release only outside those dates. Always check for updates before your trip.
  • Sharks/rays: Spurdog are protected for recreational anglers—release alive. Tope are protected from sale and are best photographed and returned promptly.
  • Shellfish: Berried lobsters and all undersize crabs/lobsters must be returned. Local minimum sizes and potting permits are enforced by Devon & Severn IFCA.
  • General: Observe any National Trust notices (fire risk, cliff safety); keep to marked paths; no camping or fires on the beach. Night fishing is customary but carry ID and cooperate with wardens if approached.
  • Check current rules: Review the latest Devon & Severn IFCA byelaws and MMO recreational fishing guidance before targeting size/bag-limited species.