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Dorset

Grove Point

6.2 · Rocks · Dorset

Exposed limestone rock ledges on the east side of Portland with deep water close in over kelp and boulder ground. Best on a flooding tide, with dawn/dusk producing for predators; after dark the mark comes alive for conger and pout. Long, uneven approach with a scramble down—only for sure-footed anglers in calm to moderate conditions. Swell and slippery weed are constant hazards; use rotten-bottoms/weak links.

Should you fish Grove Point?

49 Low

Today · Best available

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

Most likely species: Ballan Wrasse and Pollack

Poor 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 5 mph Rain 0% High tide 12:17

Consider a backup mark if conditions do not improve.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Grove 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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Grove Point is a rough, exposed Portland rock mark where the key decision is whether conditions are calm enough to fish the ledges safely. When they are, the mark rewards close-range fishing into kelp gullies, boulder holes and deep water tight to the rock. The flood is the main feeding window, with wrasse and pollack by day, predators at dawn and dusk, and conger, pout and huss becoming more realistic after dark.

  • Know when Grove Point is worth the scramble down.
  • Fish the close kelp and boulder holes, not empty water.
  • Time the flood for wrasse, pollack, conger and pout.
  • Avoid the easterly swell and weed traps that ruin sessions.
  • Use the right rough-ground rigs before you lose a box of leads.

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Grove (Dorset) 0.4 mi Weston (Dorset) 1.1 mi Fortuneswell 1.7 mi Southwell (Dorset) 1.9 mi Weymouth 5.4 mi

Explore nearby towns: Grove (Dorset) · Weston (Dorset) · Fortuneswell · Southwell (Dorset) · Weymouth

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

Overall rating

6.2 /10

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

Category scores

Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 6/10
Safety 3/10
Accessibility 3/10

Pollack 8/10
Tip: Metals/soft plastics worked parallel to the rock face at dawn/dusk on a flooding tide. Long leaders to ride over kelp. Clear, settled seas best.
Ballan Wrasse 8/10
Tip: Peeler crab or rag dropped tight to kelp-covered ledges; fish the flood into slack. Daylight, summer-autumn. Use strong tackle to bully fish from snags.
Pouting 7/10
Tip: Small fish baits or rag on 2-hook flappers into rough ground; best after dark on the flood. Year-round, peaking autumn-winter.
Conger Eel 7/10
Tip: Whole or large fish baits lowered into boulder holes after dark; heavy abrasion-resistant gear. Best on neap tides, flood into slack.
Bass 6/10
Tip: Surface/sub-surface lures in onshore swell or crab baits in gullies. Target first push of flood and dusk. Late spring-autumn.
Mackerel 6/10
Tip: Feathers or small metals from the ledges on clear summer evenings; moving water on the flood. Keep gear high to avoid kelp.
Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
Tip: Small hooks with rag or prawn under ledges and kelp; fish the flood in settled seas. Summer.
Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
Tip: Tiny sabikis with a luminous bead after dark; work midwater over kelp edges on the flood. Late summer-autumn.
Long-spined Sea Scorpion 5/10
Tip: Very small hooks baited with rag or prawn lowered into rock holes by your feet. Short casts only; fish the flood. Year-round.
Garfish 5/10
Tip: Float-fished sandeel or fish strip set 2-4 m deep over clear patches between kelp. Bright days on the flood, late spring-autumn.

Local knowledge

Grove Point fishing guide

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

Grove Point sits on the wild East Weares of the Isle of Portland, Dorset, overlooking Weymouth Bay. It’s a classic rough-ground rock mark with limestone ledges, kelp-filled gullies and deep, green water close in. Anglers come for hard-fighting wrasse, prowling pollack, and nocturnal conger and huss, with the east side often fishing when the west is blown out.

Set below the village of The Grove and north of Church Ope Cove, Grove Point is reached via the South West Coast Path and undercliff tracks. Expect a proper Portland approach: uneven paths, quarry rubble, and boulder-hopping to reach the fishing ledges.

  • Approach 1: Park near Church Ope Cove (small car park above the cove) and walk north along the coast path to the undercliff, then continue 25–40 minutes to Grove Point.
  • Approach 2: From The Grove village, follow signed public paths heading east to the East Weares undercliff, then turn south along the shoreline for 15–30 minutes to the point. Do not trespass onto Portland Port or prison lands—keep to waymarked rights of way.
  • Terrain: Rough limestone, loose quarry debris, and large boulders; final access to ledges can involve short scrambles.
  • Footwear/kit: Stout boots with good grip, gloves for scrambling, and a rucksack rather than hand-carried boxes.
  • Parking: Limited free street/lay-by options around The Grove and above Church Ope; arrive early on busy days. No formal parking at the mark itself.

This is rough, kelpy ground that holds resident wrasse and conger, with seasonal visitors tight to the rocks and drop-offs. Night fishing adds pout, huss and the chance of a surprise bass.

  • Spring (Apr–May): Ballan and corkwing wrasse return; pollack along the weed line; garfish late spring; spider crabs move in.
  • Summer (Jun–Aug): Ballan wrasse (specimens possible), pollack at first/last light, mackerel and scad on calmer evenings, garfish, pout after dark, bull huss and conger eels at night; occasional bass in coloured water.
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov): As summer, with better average pollack at dusk, more conger/huss in darkness, chance of black bream on cleaner patches, and improved bass on onshore easterlies.
  • Winter (Dec–Feb): Pout, whiting on some tides, conger eels, dogfish; very occasional codling historically on strong easterlies.

Think rough-ground tactics: strong gear, abrasion-resistant leaders, and sacrificial (rotten-bottom) lead links. Ledges fish well close-in; long casting is rarely required.

  • Bottom fishing: Pulley/pulley-dropper rigs with weak-link (rotten-bottom) lead clips; 4–5 oz leads are typical. 30 lb+ mainline and 60–80 lb leaders to cope with rock and kelp.
  • Big-fish sets: For conger/huss use 80 lb mono trace, 5/0–6/0 strong patterns, whole squid, mackerel flapper or large cocktail baits; best at dusk into full dark.
  • Wrasse: Float fishing with ragworm, crab or prawn tight to the rock line; or weedless soft plastics (Texas-rigged paddle/shad/creature baits) worked through gullies.
  • Pollack: Lure fishing at first and last light with 20–40 g metals or soft plastics on 20–25 lb braid and a long 20–25 lb fluoro leader; count down and sweep over kelp tops.
  • Bass: In coloured water after an easterly blow, try big crab, squid/razor on a pulley pennel; or shallow-diving plugs/weightless soft plastics along surfy gullies.
  • Scratching: Two-hook flappers with size 2–1 hooks and small worm/squid strips will find pout, whiting (winter) and scad (late summer evenings).

The east side of Portland is often fishable in prevailing south-westerlies, with cleaner, flatter water than the west. Tidal flow is noticeable but manageable, and fish push tight to structure on the flood.

  • Tide: Best from mid-flood to high water and into the first of the ebb; many marks fish two hours either side of high.
  • Light/time: Dusk into darkness is prime for conger, huss, pout and better pollack; first light for garfish and mackerel in summer.
  • Sea state: Slight colour after a blow can switch on bass and huss; calm/clear suits wrasse and lure fishing for pollack.
  • Wind: Sheltered from many SW winds; exposed and often unfishable in strong easterlies due to swell and weed.
  • Springs vs neaps: Neaps make presentation in kelp easier; springs bring more flow and sometimes more weed—adjust lead weight and angles accordingly.

This is an undercliff rock mark with serious hazards. Treat the approach and ledges with the same respect you’d give any exposed, rough-ground platform.

  • Slips/falls: Loose limestone, quarry rubble and big boulders—watch your footing, especially when descending or returning in the dark.
  • Swell: Some ledges are low; rogue sets and rebound can swamp positions. Keep back from the edge and reassess if swell builds.
  • Rockfall: The East Weares undercliff is active—avoid standing directly under unstable faces and heed any local warning signage.
  • Cut-off risk: Certain gullies and lower shelves can become isolated on big floods; plan your perch and exit route around the tide.
  • Night fishing: Take two headtorches, spare batteries, and mark your path in; the return climb is more demanding in the dark.
  • PPE: Strongly consider a belt-worn flotation aid/lifejacket; finger protection and eye protection for lure work.
  • Accessibility: Not suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs or anyone with limited mobility; hands-free rucksack only.

There are no facilities at the mark—plan to be fully self-sufficient. The nearest services are on Portland and in Weymouth.

  • Toilets: Public conveniences in Easton (Portland) and at Osprey Leisure Centre; seasonal facilities in Weymouth.
  • Tackle/bait: Chesil Bait & Tackle (Ferrybridge) and shops in Weymouth for fresh/frozen bait and lures.
  • Food/shops: Cafés, takeaways and supermarkets around Easton and Fortuneswell.
  • Communications: Mobile signal is patchy to poor in the undercliff; better on the clifftop—tell someone your plan and ETA.
  • Lighting/water: No lighting or freshwater—bring enough water and a fully charged phone/power bank.

Grove Point rewards tidy, mobile fishing—read the ground, fish tight, and don’t be afraid to move 20–30 m to find life.

  • Use rotten-bottoms on every bottom rig; a simple 10–12 lb mono weak link saves a fortune in leads.
  • Bring extra end-tackle: spare leads, clips, beads and strong hooks—the ground is extremely tackle-hungry.
  • For wrasse, bind crab or prawn baits tightly with bait elastic and keep floats set shallow over kelp tongues.
  • Lure anglers: go weedless with buoyant plastics and slow, high retrieves to skim kelp tops without snagging.
  • A small chum bag (mashed mackerel in a mesh) clipped off the side can pull in conger and huss after dark.
  • Watch for spider crab peaks in late spring—they’ll strip soft baits fast; tougher squid/fish baits last longer.
  • Seals occasionally patrol; if one moves in, switch to lures or relocate rather than feeding it your fish.
  • Pack light but include a short length of cord/rope to lower or retrieve a bucket or to assist with steep steps.

Portland sits in the Southern IFCA district; general national and local sea angling rules apply. Regulations change—check Southern IFCA, the MMO and government notices before your trip.

  • Access: Public angling is allowed on the coast path/undercliff here, but do not cross fences into Portland Port or prison land; obey any temporary closure signs.
  • Bass (2024): Recreational daily bag limit 2 fish per angler, minimum size 42 cm, open season generally 1 March–30 November; catch-and-release only outside that window. Always verify the current year’s measures.
  • Conservation: East Weares is an SSSI—stick to established paths, no fires or rock removal, and take all litter and waste line home.
  • Size/bag limits: National minimum/conservation sizes apply (e.g., black bream and others). Check the latest Southern IFCA size charts and any seasonal species protections.
  • Nets/pots: You may encounter set nets and pot lines—do not tamper with commercial gear and give marker buoys a wide berth when casting.
  • Night fishing: No local byelaw prohibits it here, but carry lights and be considerate of residents when parking and returning.