Last updated: 2 weeks ago
An exposed rocky headland beneath Start Point Lighthouse on the South Devon coast. Deep water is close in with strong tidal run along the headland, making it a classic lure and bottom-fishing mark. Best in calmer seas with a light to moderate swell and a flooding tide, especially at dawn...
A prominent red-sandstone headland between Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton with kelp-covered rock ledges and fast tide runs. Deep water is close in, offering productive summer lure and float fishing for wrasse, pollack, mackerel and garfish, with conger, pouting and huss after dark. Access is limited and potentially hazardous: it lies...
Strete Gate is the northern end of Slapton Sands: a long, steeply shelving shingle beach with quick access to depth and clear water in calm weather. It fishes year-round, with summer action for mackerel, garfish and scad at dusk, bass in surf after a blow, and rays and smoothhounds on...
A small, secluded cove beneath Dartmouth Castle at the mouth of the River Dart. Access is via steep steps to a tiny shingle/sand pocket with kelpy rock ledges either side. The ground is rough and snaggy with quick access to depth from the rocks; sheltered from prevailing southwesterlies but exposed...
A long, shingle-over-sand open beach running north from the River Teign. Mostly clean ground with groynes and occasional gutters, suited to bait fishing and summer spinning. Best results on a flooding tide, especially the last few hours into high water; dawn and dusk are prime. Summer brings mackerel, scad and...
Thatcher Point is a rugged rock headland near Meadfoot, facing Thatcher Rock, with deep water close in and strong tidal flow along the ledges. It’s a classic lure and rough-ground bait venue: summer brings mackerel, scad and garfish, while pollack and wrasse are reliable around kelp and rough ground; conger...
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 |