Last updated: 2 weeks ago
A small, sheltered sandy cove at the mouth of the Salcombe–Kingsbridge estuary with easy access and parking beside the beach. Rocky ledges and kelp fringe the sides (toward Fort Charles), while clean sand and tidal run dominate the center. Best on a flooding tide into dusk, with summer bringing baitfish...
Sheltered, east-facing sandy beach at the mouth of the Salcombe estuary with rocky ledges at both ends (towards North Sands and Overbeck’s). Easy access and very scenic, but busy in summer with swimming zones and boat traffic from the ferry and tenders. Best fished at dawn/dusk or after dark, especially...
A small, scenic SSSI cove of rough, rocky ground and kelp gullies between Goodrington and Broadsands. There are a few firm ledges with moderate depth at high water and pockets of sand between reefs. It fishes best on a flooding tide into dusk in calm to slight seas. Expect prolific...
A secluded, north-facing rocky cove on the coast path east of Ilfracombe, with kelp-filled gullies, ledges and mixed rough ground giving moderate-to-deep water close in. Best on a flooding tide in calm to slight swell: summer brings wrasse, pollack and mackerel; after dark the mark produces pouting, conger and huss....
Sheltered sandy cove east of Exmouth between Orcombe Point and Straight Point, with clean sand in the bay and rocky fringes at either end. Suits surf fishing for bass and summer shoals, with wrasse and pollack from the rockier ends. Best on a flooding tide, especially dawn/dusk or after a...
A long, exposed Atlantic-facing sandy beach backed by dunes, with shifting sandbars and gutters that fish well on a flooding tide at dawn or dusk. Prime surf venue for bass and small‑eyed ray; winter brings whiting and dogfish, with flatfish over cleaner stretches. Large pay-and-display car park and boardwalks at...
Devon’s coast runs from the high-energy Bristol Channel cliffs and surf beaches of the north to the more sheltered, rocky bays and shingle strands of Lyme Bay and the South Hams. It offers a mix of headlands, reefs, piers, long beaches, and productive estuaries (Taw-Torridge, Exe, Teign, Dart, Salcombe). The variety of ground and conditions makes it one of England’s most versatile sea-angling counties, with year-round opportunities for bass, rays, smoothhound, wrasse, and seasonal mackerel.
| Season | Likely species (shore) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | Bass, rays (thornback/small-eyed, early blondes), smoothhound (late), plaice (East Devon), wrasse, pollack, mullet | Bass pick up from April. Plaice show on shingle/sand when crabs start peeling. Crab baits excel late spring. |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | Mackerel, garfish, scad, bass, black bream (Torbay/Lyme Bay), gilthead bream (estuaries), wrasse, pollack, smoothhound, rays, sole | Peak variety. Lures shine in clear water; nights for rays/sole/conger. |
| Autumn (Sep–Nov) | Larger bass, rays, smoothhound (early), bream (to Oct), mackerel (to early Oct), whiting, conger, mullet | Great for big bass after blows; mixed bags from shingle beaches. |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | Whiting, conger, rockling, dogfish, dab, flounder (estuaries), occasional codling (north/east coasts) | Estuaries produce flounder; rough ground for conger and huss. Catch-and-release often for bass under seasonal rules. |
| Area | Coast character & access | Best species | Prime season | Go-to methods | Key safety notes | Facilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Devon (Bristol Channel) | Cliffs, gullies, surf beaches; mixed access via coast path and beaches | Bass, small-eyed/thornback ray, smoothhound, huss, conger; estuary flounder/mullet | May–Oct (summer variety); Oct–Jan (winter mixed) | Pulley pennel with crab/fish baits; surf bassing; estuary running ledgers | Huge tides, fast floods, swell on ledges; cut-off risk | Town car parks (Ilfracombe, Woolacombe), tackle shops Barnstaple/Ilfracombe |
| South Hams & Plymouth | Shingle beaches, rocky headlands, deep water close in; good parking | Bass, blonde/thornback ray, smoothhound, wrasse, pollack, conger, mullet | Apr–Nov (peak Jun–Oct) | Ledgering on shingle; lure/float from rocks; estuary crab tactics | Swell/undertow on Slapton; tide races at Start/Bolt | Multiple shops in Plymouth/Dartmouth; ample car parks |
| Torbay | Sheltered bays, breakwaters, reefs; very accessible | Mackerel, gar, scad, black bream, bass, wrasse, pollack | May–Oct | Feathers/metals; light rigs for bream; lures/float fishing | Busy promenades; watch swell at Berry Head | Piers, breakwater, cafés, toilets, parking |
| East Devon (Lyme Bay) | Steep shingle/pebble beaches, cliffs; Exe/Teign estuaries | Bass, rays, sole/plaice, mackerel/gar, wrasse/pollack, whiting (winter) | Apr–Nov; winter for whiting/flounder | Clipped rigs for distance; crab/sandeel for bass/rays; lures in clear water | Steep shingle backwash; landslip/undercliff hazards | Car parks at Seaton/Budleigh/Exmouth; local tackle shops |