Summary
Windbury Head sits on the wild Hartland Peninsula of North Devon, east of Hartland Point and above the rocky cove of Mouth Mill. It’s classic high-energy, rough-ground coastline with deep water close in, kelp beds, and powerful tides that draw in bass, pollack and rugged bottom dwellers. Serious rock anglers rate it for quality fish in the right sea, but it demands sound judgement and respect.
Location and Access
Getting to Windbury Head is part of the adventure: remote lanes, a National Trust car park, and a hilly section of the South West Coast Path. The final approach to fishable ledges involves steep, uneven ground and occasional scrambling. Plan your exit in daylight before you commit to any descent.
- Drive via the A39 (Atlantic Highway) and follow minor lanes signed for Brownsham/Bucks Mills/Hartland; use the National Trust Brownsham car park (nearest postcode approx. EX39 6AN).
- From Brownsham, follow the South West Coast Path west towards Mouth Mill/Blackchurch Rock, then on to the headland; allow 30–45 minutes with steep ups and downs.
- Limited alternative pull-ins near Windbury/Windbury Gate exist, but space is scant and access is less clear; do not block gates or farm access.
- Terrain: cliff-top pasture, narrow coast-path sections, then rough, rocky ground with boulders and kelp if you descend. Good boots and a headtorch for the return are essential.
Seasons
This is a rough-ground, predator-friendly mark. Summer and autumn shine for lure and float fishing; winter can throw up surprise codling in the right blow.
- Spring: schoolie bass, pollack, early ballan wrasse, dogfish; increasing chances of huss as the water warms.
- Summer: bass, pollack, ballan and corkwing wrasse, mackerel, scad (at dusk), garfish; conger and bull huss after dark; occasional triggerfish in settled late-summer spells; thick‑lipped mullet nosing around the cove.
- Autumn: peak bass and pollack, bigger huss and conger; mackerel/scad linger into October; the odd codling after sustained northerlies.
- Winter: pouting, whiting, rockling; conger and huss on big baits; rare but possible codling following heavy, cold north-westerly blows.
Methods
Rough ground dictates strong tackle, rotten-bottom links, and selective presentations. Lure and float tactics score around the edges; big natural baits rule after dark.
- Lure fishing: 9–10 ft rods rated 20–40 g, 20–30 lb braid with 30–40 lb fluorocarbon leaders. Use 4–6 inch paddle tails and sandeel imitations (12–28 g heads) for bass/pollack; metals (20–40 g) and darting jigs at dawn/dusk for pollack/mackerel/scad. Weedless soft plastics (Texas/weightless) for wrasse tight to kelp.
- Float fishing: set 2–5 m deep over kelp fringes with ragworm, prawn, or crab for wrasse; sandeel or mackerel strip for pollack/garfish.
- Bottom fishing: 12–13 ft rod, 20–30 lb mono or 40–50 lb braid, 60–80 lb leader. Pulley or pulley-dropper with a 15–20 lb weak-link (rotten-bottom). 4/0–6/0 pennel rigs for huss/conger; 4–6 oz wired leads in the tide. Baits: whole or half mackerel, squid or squid/mackerel wraps; peeler crab and lug/squid cocktails in spring/autumn.
- Night sessions: focus on big static baits for huss/conger; keep rigs simple and strong, and fish fewer rods to manage snags safely.
- Handling: consider a small drop-net where feasible; avoid gaffing and release big wrasse promptly.
Tides and Conditions
The Bristol Channel’s range and run are huge here. Time your fishing around slacks, and pick sea states you can manage from low, wave-washed ledges.
- Tide: neaps are more forgiving; springs run hard. Productive windows are typically the last two hours of the flood, high-water slack, and the first hour of the ebb. Some gullies fish on the flood from mid-tide up.
- Conditions: a gentle to moderate swell with a green tinge is excellent for bass; clear, bright water suits wrasse/pollack on lures and float. Big westerly/north‑westerly groundswell wraps in and is dangerous—stand well back or don’t fish.
- Time of day: dawn and dusk are prime for bass and pollack; after dark for huss/conger.
- Seasonality: May–October for most lure/float sport; late autumn and post‑blow winter windows for codling odds and larger predators.
Safety
This is an exposed, committing rock mark beneath high cliffs. It is not suitable for beginners or for anyone with limited mobility. If in doubt, don’t descend.
- Steep, uneven paths; loose ground, wet grass and mud are common—use grippy boots (studs help).
- Ledges are wave-washed; expect surges and rogue waves. Keep well back, never turn your back on the sea, and wear a modern flotation aid.
- Strong tidal flow and snaggy kelp/rock—fish fewer rods and keep line angles high to reduce hang-ups.
- Some descents are scrambly; do not rely on any fixed ropes you might find. If you can’t identify a safe escape route at low water, do not commit.
- Mobile reception is patchy to non-existent; tell someone your plan, carry spare lights, and consider a PLB or VHF.
- Beware cut-off risks if you access via the beach at Mouth Mill/Blackchurch—allow ample time to retreat before the flood reaches the cliff base.
Facilities
Expect a wilderness feel with minimal amenities on-site. Come self‑sufficient for bait, water, and waste.
- Parking: National Trust Brownsham car park (free for members; donation requested for non-members). No lighting.
- Toilets/food: none at the mark; seasonal facilities at Hartland Quay (for patrons) and options in Hartland village/Clovelly.
- Tackle/bait: nearest options are typically in Westward Ho!/Bideford and Bude; buy bait in advance—there’s little to collect locally on this rocky stretch.
- Phone signal: unreliable across networks; assume blackspots.
Tips
Treat Windbury as a quality-over-quantity venue: fewer bites, but better fish when it clicks. Watercraft and tidy presentation make the difference.
- Use tough baits and plenty of elastic—crabs and small fish strip soft offerings quickly.
- A single strong hook on a pulley with a short snood often snags less than a pennel in very rough ground.
- Watch for pot lines off the headland; set drifts and casts to avoid markers and ropes.
- Polarised glasses help pick out gullies and the ‘white water edges’ where bass patrol.
- Big wrasse are slow-growing—unhook in the water where possible and release promptly.
- If seals or porpoises are working the line, move marks; bites usually dry up.
- Keep moving when lure fishing: cover ground and vary retrieve speeds to find active fish.
Regulations
Sea angling from the shore is permitted here. The coastline forms part of protected designations (AONB/SSSI) and lies within the Devon and Severn IFCA district; rod-and-line fishing is generally allowed, but respect conservation aims. Always check current rules before you go.
- Bass (Area 7d–h): minimum size 42 cm. In recent years, the recreational limit has typically been 2 fish per angler per day from 1 March–30 November, with catch-and-release only in December–February—confirm the current DEFRA notice before retaining bass.
- No sea angling licence is required in England, but local byelaws apply (Devon & Severn IFCA). Do not retain undersized fish; use a measure.
- Protected/regulated species: do not retain egg-bearing lobsters or crawfish; adhere to any local crustacean size limits and seasonal protections if foraging (not recommended at this site).
- Marine Conservation Zone/SSSI: rod fishing allowed; avoid damaging cliffs, vegetation, or disturbing nesting birds; no camping or fires on the cliff tops.
- Bait collection: limited and sensitive on this rocky shore—collect elsewhere where permitted, or buy bait.
- Waste: carry all litter and line out; discarded tackle is an offence against access and wildlife.
