Summary
Woolacombe Beach is a long, exposed surf beach in North Devon, running between Morte Point and Putsborough in Morte Bay. It’s a classic roaming venue for surf-bass, small‑eyed rays and winter whiting, with miles of clean sand, shifting gutters and plenty of space after dark. Anglers value it for its consistency in the right conditions and the ability to adapt by moving to the most productive bars and troughs.
Location and Access
Set on the North Devon coast, Woolacombe is reached via the A361 from Barnstaple or Ilfracombe. Access is straightforward, with multiple car parks giving different entry points along the beach and dunes.
- Main village parking: large seafront and central car parks around postcode EX34 7DL; easy access via ramps/steps to the sand.
- Marine Drive parking: pay-and-display bays along the dunes behind mid‑beach; short sandy paths over the dunes to the shore. Charges and seasonal gate times may apply—check signage.
- Southern access: Putsborough Sands car park (near EX33 1LB) gives quick access to the Putsborough end, often slightly deeper and more sheltered from some winds.
- Walk difficulty: generally easy but across soft sand; expect a decent yomp if you plan to roam to find gutters. Terrain is clean sand with occasional shallow shingle/shell patches.
Seasons
Woolacombe fishes best from late spring to autumn for surf species, with a reliable winter whiting run. Expect clean-ground specialists and the odd surprise near the rocky ends.
- Spring (Apr–May): bass, small‑eyed ray (building), dogfish, occasional turbot and gurnard.
- Summer (Jun–Aug): bass, small‑eyed ray (prime time), sole at night, dogfish, occasional spotted or blonde ray, turbot, garfish; beware lesser weever in the shallows.
- Autumn (Sep–Nov): bass (often at their best), rays tapering off, sole through early autumn nights, increasing whiting and dabs.
- Winter (Dec–Feb): whiting, dabs, dogfish; occasional codling in a northerly blow, plus flounder after storms in coloured water.
- Ends of the bay: near Morte Point or towards Baggy/Putsborough mixed ground can add bull huss and the odd wrasse, but treat rocky fringes with great caution.
Methods
This is classic surf beach fishing: finding the right gutter or bar is more important than sheer casting distance. Travel light, move with the tide and present streamlined baits that cope with surf and tow.
- General approach: walk the beach at mid-water to locate gutters, rips and sandbars; mark them for the flood or ebb.
- Bass: shallow water within or just beyond the first breaker on a flooding tide. Baits: peeler crab, fresh lug/rag cocktails, sandeel; or lures (metal spoons, shallow divers, soft plastics) at dawn/dusk in manageable surf.
- Rays (small‑eyed, occasional spotted/blonde): medium-long lob over the inner bar into flat troughs. Rigs: pulley or pulley pennel with size 2/0–4/0 hooks; baits sandeel (whole or half), squid strips or sandeel/squid cocktail.
- Sole and flats (summer nights): 2‑ or 3‑hook flapper with long snoods, size 2–4 fine wire hooks, small lug/rag/mackerel belly baits fished tight to the beach in calm, clear conditions.
- Winter whiting/dabs: 2‑ or 3‑hook flapper, size 2–1 hooks, mackerel/squid/lug cocktails; add luminous beads or small attractors in coloured water.
- Tackle notes: 5–6 oz grip leads to hold in surf; tapered shockleader for distance; keep rod tips high to lift line over waves; a sturdy tripod is essential in the wind.
- Bait quality: fresh lug, rag and peeler are premium; frozen sandeel is a staple for rays and bass when fresh crab isn’t available.
Tides and Conditions
Tide state and surf shape the session. Aim to fish when the sea has life but isn’t a white-out, and time your session to cover prime windows.
- Best tide windows: flooding tide into dusk and first hours of darkness for bass and rays; last two hours of the ebb can also switch on for rays in settled seas.
- Surf and colour: mild onshore SW breeze with a milky tinge is excellent for bass; settled, smaller swell and clearer water favour rays and sole.
- Springs vs neaps: springs reveal and refill deeper gutters but can be weedy and lively; neaps are often better for rays holding in the troughs.
- Time of day: dawn and dusk are key; summer night tides produce the most consistent fishing for rays, sole and bass.
- Reading the beach: target defined gutters parallel to shore and the edges of gentle rips; avoid featureless flat water unless you’re mobile and prospecting.
Safety
Woolacombe is lifeguarded seasonally, but it remains an exposed Atlantic surf beach with strong rips and shifting bars. Treat the sea with respect and give space to water users.
- Rips and swell: never wade deep in swell; avoid wading at night; if the surf is thumping, step back and fish higher up the beach.
- Crowds: do not fish within RNLI-flagged bathing or surf zones when lifeguards are on duty; keep a wide berth from swimmers and surfers at all times.
- Rocky ends: the Morte Point side and the far Baggy/Putsborough end can be treacherous in swell—avoid the rocks unless conditions are very benign and you know the ground.
- Weed and debris: after storms the tow can be fierce and weed heavy—use stronger grips and be ready to move.
- Footing and kit: soft sand makes heavy barrow loads hard; travel light; secure rods firmly in a tripod; use a headtorch with spare batteries at night.
- Accessibility: main Woolacombe ramps and some boardwalks ease access; soft sand remains challenging for wheelchairs—seasonal beach wheelchair hire may be available locally; check with Woolacombe Tourist Information.
- Parking notes: some car parks may have seasonal hours or gates—check closing times to avoid being locked in. A lifejacket is sensible if anywhere near the water’s edge in surf.
Facilities
Facilities are excellent by North Devon standards, particularly around the village and at the Putsborough end. Away from the access points, it’s just you and the sand.
- Toilets: by main Woolacombe car parks and at Putsborough Sands (seasonal opening).
- Lifeguards: RNLI patrols operate seasonally—observe flags and zones.
- Food and drink: cafés, pubs and takeaways in Woolacombe village; seasonal café at Putsborough.
- Tackle and bait: nearest full tackle options in Ilfracombe and Braunton; phone ahead for fresh bait in summer and at weekends.
- Phone signal: generally good near the village; can dip behind dunes.
- Bins: provided near main access points; pack out all litter if you’re fishing mid‑beach.
Tips
Treat Woolacombe as a mobile venue—those who walk find the fish. Learn how the bars set up after each big blow and keep notes by tide height.
- Use the height of the tide to scout: on the ebb, map gutters and hard edges; on the flood, fish them as water returns.
- Bass love the first breaker and the edges of gentle rips—cast along the seam, not straight through the fastest water.
- Rays prefer flatter, even troughs; if you’re pulling too much weed or crabs, slide 30–50 m along the beach to find cleaner flow.
- The Putsborough end often holds a touch more depth on similar tides; Marine Drive gives quick mid‑beach access but stick to marked dune paths—dunes are protected.
- Keep hook baits slim and streamlined in surf; fresh sandeel or crab outfishes bulky squid on busy nights.
- Summer days are crowded—fish dawn, dusk and after dark for both safety and success. Shuffle your feet in summer shallows to avoid weevers when wading.
- If dogfish are relentless, switch to tougher baits (peeler or sandeel) and up hook size slightly to screen out the worst of them.
Regulations
Sea angling is generally permitted at Woolacombe, but you must avoid fishing within RNLI-flagged bathing/surf zones during lifeguard hours and comply with any local signage from the landowner (Parkin Estates) or North Devon Council. Environmental designations protect the dunes, so use marked paths and do not dig or disturb dune vegetation.
- RNLI beach management: no fishing in flagged bathing/surf zones when lifeguards are on duty; give wide clearance to water users at all times.
- Landowner/bylaws: seasonal beach rules may be posted on boards at access points (e.g., activity zones, dog restrictions); always check and follow local notices.
- Conservation areas: dunes behind the beach form protected habitats—stick to waymarked access routes; bait digging should only take place on open intertidal sand, never in vegetated dunes.
- Species sizes and limits: observe national and IFCA size and bag limits. As of 2024, recreational bass rules in England allow up to 2 bass per angler per day at 42 cm minimum, with retention typically permitted 1 March–30 November and catch-and-release only in Dec–Feb. Always verify current rules with the MMO or Devon and Severn IFCA before your trip.
- Protected species: handle undersize or protected fish with care and release promptly; consider using barbless or circle hooks for bass to aid safe release.
- Night fishing: allowed, but respect noise, lighting and parking restrictions, and leave no trace.
