Hive Beach Fishing

Last updated: 1 week ago

Hive Beach Fishing Map

Steeply shelving shingle on the Jurassic Coast at Burton Bradstock, offering quick access to deeper water. Productive in summer for mackerel, scad and garfish, with bass in the surf; winter nights bring whiting, pouting and dogfish, with the chance of rays. Strong lateral tides and a heavy shore break at times—choose settled conditions and mind the undertow and cliffs.

Ratings

⭐ 7/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 6/10
Accessibility 7/10

Fish You Can Catch at Hive Beach

🐟 Bass 8/10
🎯 Tip: Surf over shingle after a blow; dawn/dusk on a flooding tide. Peeler crab, whole squid or shallow divers along the gutters.
🐟 Mackerel 8/10
🎯 Tip: Summer shoals; feathers or small metals at dawn/dusk on a flood. Mind the steep shingle drop-off.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 7/10
🎯 Tip: Abundant after dark year-round; small mackerel/squid strips on the bottom at short to medium range.
🐟 Starry Smoothhound 7/10
🎯 Tip: Late spring–autumn; peeler or hard crab on pulley rigs. Best at dusk into dark on a flooding tide over clean sand.
🐟 Whiting 6/10
🎯 Tip: Autumn–winter after dark; lug/squid cocktails at distance. Best on the flood, especially after a blow.
🐟 Plaice 6/10
🎯 Tip: March–May in calm, clear seas; long casts with blinged rigs and rag tipped with squid. Daylight on the flood.
🐟 Small-eyed Ray 6/10
🎯 Tip: Evening into night; sandeel or launce on pulley rigs. Cast 60–120 m to sand lanes on the flood.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 6/10
🎯 Tip: Late summer evenings into dark; small sabiki or jigs worked midwater on the flood.
🐟 Dover Sole 5/10
🎯 Tip: Summer–autumn nights; small rag/lug or soft crab close in. Fish the first gutter in calm seas.
🐟 Thornback Ray 5/10
🎯 Tip: Spring and autumn; squid or bluey on pulley rigs. Dusk into night on the flood at medium range.
🐟 Conger Eel 5/10
🎯 Tip: After dark with large mackerel/squid baits; target rougher patches or weed lines around high water.
🐟 Garfish 5/10
🎯 Tip: Summer flood tides; float mackerel strip or tiny metals near the surface at dawn/dusk.

Hive Beach Fishing

Summary

Hive Beach (Burton Bradstock), Dorset sits on the Jurassic Coast where steep shingle meets clean sand in Lyme Bay. It’s a classic open-coast venue that rewards thoughtful tactics with bass, rays, turbot in spring, and dependable summer mackerel. Easy access, serious depth off the shingle, and fast-changing conditions make it a favourite for mobile, well-prepared anglers.

Location and Access

Set beside the village of Burton Bradstock, Hive Beach is managed by the National Trust and is straightforward to reach by road. The beach itself is immediately below the car park, with longer, quieter stretches reachable by walking the shingle either way.

Seasons

A mixed, clean-ground mark with classic Lyme Bay species. Expect a strong spring/turbot period, summer surface species, and consistent autumn nights.

Methods

Standard shingle-beach tactics apply, with a premium on clean presentation and the ability to adapt range as the tide and surf change.

Tides and Conditions

Hive fishes across the range, but certain states and weathers consistently shine. The beach is exposed—conditions change quickly with wind direction.

Safety

This is a steep, energetic shingle beach beneath notoriously unstable cliffs—treat both sea and land with respect. There are no piers or barriers, and backwash can be severe.

Facilities

Facilities are good by Dorset beach standards, especially close to the car park; they thin out quickly as you walk the shingle.

Tips

This stretch rewards mobility and attention to detail—small tweaks add real fish to your tally. Work the conditions rather than fighting them.

Regulations

Sea angling is permitted from Hive Beach, but you must follow national and local rules and any National Trust site guidance posted on boards.