Summary
Cogden Beach is a quieter stretch of the Chesil Bank between Burton Bradstock and West Bexington on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. It’s classic steep shingle offering spring plaice, summer mackerel and bass, and autumn rays with a wild, open feel that rewards good timing and tidy technique.
Location and Access
Cogden is reached via the B3157 Coast Road and a National Trust car park signposted "Cogden" between Burton Bradstock and West Bexington. The approach is straightforward, but the final shingle is heavy going and not ideal for trolleys.
- Parking: National Trust Cogden car park (pay-and-display; NT members free). A commonly used postcode for the area is DT6 4RN; follow local signs rather than satnav for the final turn.
- Walk-in: 5–15 minutes along field paths to the back of the beach, then down the steep shingle; expect a workout on the return climb.
- Terrain: Very steep, loose shingle with a pronounced bank; no piers or structures. Choose a safe entry/exit line in daylight if fishing into darkness.
- Alternative access: West Bexington and Hive Beach (Burton Bradstock) car parks bookend Cogden and offer facilities, with longer walks if you target the central, quieter sections.
Seasons
Cogden fishes much like the rest of west Chesil but has its own seasonal rhythms. Spring plaice are the headline, with a mixed summer and busy winter nights.
- Spring (Mar–May): Plaice (prime), dab, the odd turbot or gurnard; early bass in surf after blows; dogfish.
- Summer (Jun–Aug): Mackerel (shoals move through), garfish, scad at dusk, bass in surf, sole after dark, smoothhound occasional in late spring/early summer, rays (thornback, small-eyed; undulate possible), conger at night, pout.
- Autumn (Sep–Nov): Rays peak on settled, coloured seas; bass during onshore winds; sole and whiting at night; mackerel/garfish tailing off; bream occasionally in settled spells.
- Winter (Dec–Feb): Whiting and pout on dark tides, dogfish, dabs; occasional codling after prolonged easterlies (now rare); conger after dark on big baits.
Methods
Think long-range clean-ground tactics by day and bigger baits into dusk and darkness. Carry enough lead and use clipped rigs for distance in the undertow.
- General scratching: 2–3 hook clipped flappers (size 2–1) with ragworm, lug, or small squid/mackerel strips for whiting, dabs, pout, small flatfish.
- Plaice: 2- or 3-hook long snood rigs or up-and-over with bling (beads/spoons) and rag/lug cocktails; cast long to find the sand lanes beyond the first bank.
- Rays: Pulley or pulley dropper with 3/0–5/0 pennel, sandeel, bluey, mackerel or squid; fish the flood into dusk and first darkness.
- Bass: In surf, big lug or peeler crab on a simple pulley or long flapper; or work metal lures and soft plastics at dawn/dusk on neap tides with slight colour.
- Sole: After dark in summer/autumn on size 4–2 hooks, long snoods, small worm baits; keep baits neat and static.
- Conger: Stout pulley pennel with whole squid/mackerel flapper at night; keep fish moving to avoid burying in the shingle edge.
- Tackle: 5–7 oz grip leads; 15–20 lb mono mainline with 60–80 lb shockleader for casting; abrasion-resistant leaders; a spare rod for feathering mackerel when they show (take only what you need).
Tides and Conditions
As with all of Chesil, tide and water colour make or break sessions. Aim for building tides and a workable surf.
- Tide state: Flood tide often best for rays and bass; plaice fishing is consistent from mid-flood to early ebb when the drift eases.
- Water clarity: Clear to lightly tinted water for plaice; slight colour for bass and rays. Chocolate-brown heavy seas usually unfishable and unsafe.
- Wind: Light northerlies flatten the surf and aid distance casting; gentle south-westerlies add bass-friendly colour; strong onshore winds create dangerous surges.
- Time of day: Dawn/dusk for bass, mackerel, garfish and scad; full darkness for sole, whiting, pout and conger.
- Seasonality: March–May good for plaice; June–September mixed bag with pelagics; September–November for rays and soles; winter nights for whiting and the outside chance of codling after prolonged easterlies.
Safety
Cogden is exposed, steep shingle in front of a high bank—beautiful but unforgiving. Treat swell and backwash with real respect.
- Steep shingle and undertow: Keep well back from the swash line; rogue waves and powerful backwash are common.
- Wading: Do not wade—Chesil shelves abruptly and drops away fast.
- Swell/surges: Avoid big onshore blows; set your kit high on the bank and never turn your back on the sea.
- Footing and loads: Loose shingle is tiring; travel light, wear boots with ankle support, and consider a shoulder sling rather than a barrow.
- Darkness: Recce exit points in daylight; use a headtorch, spare light, and reflective tape on rods/stand.
- Weather exposure: No shelter—bring warm layers, windproofs, sun protection and plenty of water.
- Accessibility: Not suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility due to the steep, loose shingle and field paths.
- Lifejacket: A modern inflatable lifejacket is strongly recommended when fishing near the waterline.
- Local notices: Obey National Trust/SSSI signage—areas may be roped for nesting birds, and temporary restrictions can apply.
Facilities
There are no facilities on the beach itself, which helps keep Cogden quiet. Nearby car parks at Hive Beach and West Bexington offer more amenities.
- On-site: No toilets, no tap water, no lighting, no bins on the beach—pack in/pack out.
- Nearby: Toilets and café at Hive Beach (Burton Bradstock) and facilities at West Bexington village car park (seasonal opening may vary).
- Tackle/bait: Several tackle shops operate in Bridport and West Bay; buy bait before arrival, especially out of season or evenings.
- Mobile signal: Patchy on the beach; usually better on the road/field level—tell someone your plans.
- Parking hours: Pay-and-display; no camping or overnight stays in vehicles where signed.
Tips
Plaice and rays here reward precision—small tweaks make a big difference. Move to find life rather than waiting it out.
- Read the beach: Look for colour changes and softer wave sets that hint at sand lanes or gullies; a 20–30 m move can transform a session.
- Rotate distances: Plaice often sit long; sole/whiting are inside at night; try one rod long, one mid, one short.
- Beads for plaice: Small orange/yellow beads or a single spinner blade can outfish plain rigs on bright days.
- Fresh bait wins: Blow lug/rag for flats and sole; sandeel/bluey for rays; peeler/razor/lug for bass after a blow. Elastic thread keeps baits streamlined for distance.
- Weed watch: Summer can bring drifting weed—use stronger grips, lift into the line and wind steadily to plane fish/weed up the bank.
- Feathers with care: When mackerel show, feathering is effective but avoid crowded lines and only keep what you’ll eat.
- Storm rule: If waves are booming onto the bank or running up to your rod rest, call it—Chesil can and does take people by surprise.
Regulations
Cogden lies within the Chesil and Fleet SSSI/SAC and is managed in part by the National Trust. Standard English recreational sea fishing rules apply; always check current notices before you go.
- Access and site rules: No camping or fires/BBQs, keep off vegetated shingle, follow any dog-on-lead requirements during ground-nesting bird season; obey any temporary closures/signage.
- Southern IFCA: This area is within Southern IFCA; bylaws may affect bait collection and protected species—check Southern IFCA’s website for the latest.
- Bass: Seasonal recreational regulations (bag limits and minimum size) change from time to time—check MMO/DEFRA updates before fishing.
- Rays and sharks: Some species have protections or advisories (e.g., undulate rays, tope). Best practice is quick photography and release; consult current DEFRA lists for any prohibited-landings rules.
- Minimum sizes: Adhere to current minimum conservation reference sizes where published; when in doubt, release.
- Litter and fish waste: Pack out all rubbish and do not discard fish waste on the beach or in the car park.
- Parking/permits: National Trust car park is pay-and-display; no permit is required to fish the beach itself, but local restrictions can be signposted—check on arrival.
