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Dorset

Bincleaves Point

7.0 · Rocks · Dorset

A rough, rocky headland on the Weymouth side of the Portland Harbour entrance with deep water close in, kelp-filled gullies and broken ground. The tidal run along the point funnels bait and predators, making it a reliable summer wrasse and pollack venue with LRF potential, and a decent winter spot for pout and whiting. Expect heavy snags—use strong gear and rotten‑bottom links. Best results typically come on the flood up to high water, especially at dawn or dusk in clear seas. Access is by foot along coastal paths with short scrambles onto uneven ledges. Beware swell, slippery weeded rock and sudden surges; avoid in rough south-westerlies.

Should you fish Bincleaves Point?

52 Fair

Today · Best available

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

Most likely species: Ballan Wrasse and Pollack

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

W 4 mph Rain 0% High tide 12:10

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Bincleaves Point — 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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Bincleaves Point is a rough, kelpy Dorset rock mark where tide movement is the main trigger. Deep water close in, gullies, broken ground and the run at the Portland Harbour entrance make it strongest for summer wrasse and pollack, with bass possible in coloured water or surfier conditions and pout, conger and whiting after dark. Fish it mobile and tidy: the same rough ground that holds fish will also take leads, traces and lures.

  • Know when to fish the kelp gullies and when to switch to the seams.
  • Pick the flood window that gives Bincleaves its edge.
  • Avoid wasting gear by matching rigs to the rough ground.
  • Target pollack, wrasse, bass or conger with the right close-range approach.
  • Have a nearby backup before swell or tide ruins the session.

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Weymouth 1.8 mi Chickerell 2.6 mi Fortuneswell 2.7 mi Grove (Dorset) 3.8 mi Osmington 4.0 mi

Explore nearby towns: Weymouth · Chickerell · Fortuneswell · Grove (Dorset) · Osmington

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

Overall rating

7.0 /10

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

Category scores

Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 6/10

Pollack 8/10
Tip: Dawn/dusk; cast metal jigs or soft plastics tight along the rock face, let them sink then retrieve. Flooding tide with some movement. Summer-autumn.
Pouting 8/10
Tip: Over mixed/rough ground; small strips of mackerel or squid on 1-2 hook flappers. Very good after dark, mid-flood to high in 10-30 m. Expect bites quickly.
Ballan Wrasse 8/10
Tip: Rough kelp and reef; float or light ledger crab, prawn or rag into gullies on the flood. Best May-Oct; avoid heavy swell. Use strong gear to steer fish from snags.
Bass 7/10
Tip: On a rising tide with some surf; work surface or shallow divers along the wash, or float a live sandeel. Dusk and first light best, spring-autumn.
Conger Eel 7/10
Tip: Night session; big mackerel or squid baits dropped close to the rock walls. Heavy mono or wire traces. Neap tides and 2 hrs either side of HW fish well.
Mackerel 6/10
Tip: Summer shoals; feathering or small metals long-cast on the flood in clear water, evenings best. Keep mobile to find fish.
Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
Tip: Small rag or prawn under a float tight to kelp fringes on the flood. Summer months; gentle seas.
Garfish 6/10
Tip: Float-fish a sliver of mackerel midwater at dawn/dusk in summer on a flood with clear water. Use long thin traces and small hooks.
Whiting 5/10
Tip: Autumn-winter nights; worm or fish-strip baits cast to nearby sand patches from the rocks. Best mid-flood to high water.
Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
Tip: Late summer-autumn evenings; small sabikis or slow jigs worked midwater at dusk/night over mixed ground. Flood to HW.

Local knowledge

Bincleaves Point fishing guide

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

Bincleaves Point sits on the western side of Weymouth Bay, between Newton’s Cove and Sandsfoot, overlooking the Portland Harbour entrance. It’s a classic Dorset rock mark with fast tidal seams, clean-to-rough transitions and quick access from town. Expect wrasse and pollack in clear water, summer pelagics on the flood, and night-time conger and pout when the light fades.

This is a convenient urban rock mark reached via Old Castle Road/Bincleaves Road on the Weymouth side of Portland Harbour. Access is straightforward to the promenade, then becomes rocky and uneven around the point.

  • Approach from Weymouth town towards Old Castle Road; on-street parking is limited near Bincleaves Road and along Old Castle Road (arrive early in summer).
  • Nearby car parks if on-street is full: Nothe Gardens (DT4 8UD) or Sandsfoot Castle Gardens (DT4 8QE), then walk 10–20 minutes via the coast path/promenade.
  • From Newton’s Cove promenade, continue south along the seafront path and pick your way onto the rock platforms towards the point. Access to ledges involves short scrambles; wear good boots.
  • Ground is a mix of flat limestone shelves, boulders and kelp gullies; pack light if you plan to roam.
  • Parts of the headland are fenced or signed (adjacent to private/industrial sites). Stay on public paths and foreshore only; do not cross fences.

Bincleaves offers year‑round variety, biased towards rough‑ground species and summer visitors following bait into the tidal eddies.

  • Spring (Apr–May):
    • Ballan and corkwing wrasse (as water clears and warms)
    • School bass on the flood and in coloured water after blows
    • Early pollack at dusk; occasional garfish from May
  • Summer (Jun–Aug):
    • Mackerel, garfish and scad (evenings and flooding tide lines)
    • Pollack (dawn/dusk), wrasse (daytime over kelp)
    • Bass in onshore stir and around bait shoals
    • Conger after dark; pout and the odd strap eel on bottom baits
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov):
    • Bass peak period, especially in a building sea
    • Scad and late mackerel into the gloaming
    • Pollack continue well at dusk; wrasse linger while water stays warm
  • Winter (Dec–Feb):
    • Whiting and pout at night
    • Rockling and dogfish on the deck
    • Conger in the deeper holes; very occasional codling in cold snaps (now rare)

The ground dictates tactics: lure and float fishing excel around the kelp edges; bottom tactics need abrasion‑resistant setups and sacrificial components.

  • Lures (HRF/Light lure):
    • Weedless soft plastics (2–5 in) on 7–14 g Texas/Chebs for wrasse and bass through the gullies
    • Slim minnows and small metals for mackerel/garfish; 10–20 g spoons into the flood seams
    • Low‑light hard lures and paddletails for pollack/bass along the point at dawn/dusk
  • Float fishing:
    • Ragworm, prawn or mackerel strip set 6–12 ft for garfish and pollack; adjust depth to work the kelp line
  • Bottom fishing (rough ground):
    • Pulley or pulley‑dropper with 40–60 lb leaders; use a weak link/rotten‑bottom to save gear
    • Baits: peeler or hardback crab for wrasse/bass; squid or mackerel heads for conger; rag/sandeel cocktails for general pickings
    • Leads 3–5 oz typically; consider a lead‑lift for retrieval
  • Night sessions:
    • Big fish baits on heavy gear for conger (keep fish low and away from ledges)
    • Two‑hook flappers with small baits for whiting/pout
  • Tools and line:
    • 20–30 lb mainline or robust braid with 40–60 lb leader over the ledges; long‑handled net or drop net is helpful from higher shelves

Tide movement makes this mark; fish the seams and eddies that form off the point. Clarity drives species choice: clear for wrasse/pollack, some colour for bass.

  • Best tide windows: 2 hours up to high and the first of the ebb, especially on neaps (springs can rip hard)
  • Wind/sea state: often fishable when Chesil is blown out by SW winds; a light to moderate onshore push helps bass
  • Water clarity: bright/clear for daytime wrasse and float‑fished pollack/garfish; a bit of colour brings bass closer
  • Time of day: dawn and dusk for pollack, scad and bass; night for conger and winter whiting
  • Seasonal notes: summer pelagics track the flood; autumn blows can switch on bass along the ledges

This is an exposed rock platform with changeable footing and strong tidal influence. Treat it as a serious shore mark even though it’s close to town.

  • Slippery weeded rock, undercut ledges and sudden surges: wear grippy boots/cleats and keep back from edges
  • Fast tidal run at times; keep lines and landing nets tidy to avoid snags and trips
  • Swell rebound around the point can knock you off balance—avoid big seas and long‑period swells
  • Some sections are adjacent to fenced private/industrial property: obey all signage and do not climb or descend prohibited areas
  • Night fishing: bring headtorch plus backup, and fish with a buddy where possible
  • Lifejacket strongly recommended on the ledges; avoid solo fishing in rough conditions
  • Not suitable for wheelchairs; the promenade is accessible but the fishing ledges require scrambling

Being within Weymouth’s fringe, facilities are close at hand, though none sit directly on the rocks.

  • Toilets: seasonal facilities at Nothe Gardens and Sandsfoot Castle Gardens; public toilets on Weymouth harbourside
  • Parking: limited free on‑street near Old Castle Road/Bincleaves Road; pay parking at Nothe Gardens (DT4 8UD) and Sandsfoot Castle (DT4 8QE)
  • Tackle and bait: Weymouth Angling Centre and other town shops supply fresh/frozen bait and lures
  • Food/drink: cafés and kiosks around the Esplanade/harbour; occasional seasonal kiosk near Newton’s Cove
  • Mobile signal: generally good 4G/5G coverage on the headland

Local patterns reward mobility and tidiness—travel light, read the water and work the edges.

  • If Chesil is unfishable in a SW blow, Bincleaves and Newton’s Cove often remain manageable and can produce bass and wrasse
  • Burley a little mashed fish for garfish under a float on neaps; keep baits small and moving
  • For wrasse, crab out‑fishes worm when the water is clear and bright; keep hooks strong (1/0–2/0) and go weedless for plastics
  • Pollack sit tight to the drop‑offs: count lures down, then retrieve slowly up and away from the kelp
  • Carry spare leads, rotten‑bottom links and a lead‑lift—the ground eats gear
  • A long‑handled net or drop net saves fish (and your trace) from high shelves
  • Treat big wrasse and conger with care—unhook over a wet mat/towel and release quickly; wrasse are a precious local sport species

Regulations change—always check official sources before you go. Bincleaves lies within the Southern IFCA district and normal national recreational sea fishing rules apply.

  • Bass: minimum size 42 cm; seasonal bag limits and catch‑and‑release periods apply. Check current MMO/DEFRA guidance for the exact open months and daily allowance before retaining any bass
  • Minimum sizes and byelaws: observe Southern IFCA minimum conservation reference sizes and any relevant local byelaws (netting, potting, berried lobster/crab protections). See Southern IFCA and UK Government resources
  • Wrasse: no statutory MLS locally, but many Dorset clubs/anglers practice catch‑and‑release for larger wrasse on reefs—strongly encouraged at this mark
  • Portland Harbour/port area: do not trespass on fenced port/industrial land or fish from prohibited structures; keep clear of navigation channels and shipping movements
  • General: take litter and line home; respect closed areas and any onsite signage