Summary
Portland Bill is the dramatic southern tip of the Isle of Portland in Dorset, famed for deep water, fierce tides and powerful tidal rips. It’s a classic rough-ground rock mark that rewards prepared anglers with pollack, bass, wrasse and conger, especially at dawn, dusk and after weather changes.
Location and Access
Reaching the Bill is straightforward by road through Portland to the lighthouse at the very end. Access to actual fishing spots ranges from easy paths near the tourist viewpoints to serious rock-hopping on sharp limestone ledges, so plan your route in daylight first.
- Drive A354 to Portland, continue through Easton/Southwell and follow signs to Portland Bill and the lighthouse.
- Large pay-and-display car parks by the lighthouse and Pulpit Rock; arrive early on fine weekends.
- Short walks (2–15 minutes) to marks on both west and east sides; paths are uneven and can be exposed.
- Terrain: jagged limestone ledges, boulders and gullies; expect snags and sharp, abrasive rock.
- Most productive ledges require scrambling and are not suitable for buggies or those with limited mobility.
Seasons
The Bill fishes year-round with distinct seasonal patterns, dominated by pelagic predators in summer and rough-ground species after dark and through winter. Expect fewer but better fish than you’d get on cleaner beaches.
- Spring (Mar–May):
- Pollack (builds from March/April at dawn/dusk)
- Ballan wrasse (from April, daytime)
- Early bass (May onward, after a blow)
- First mackerel and garfish in late spring
- Summer (Jun–Aug):
- Mackerel and garfish (best at first/last light)
- Pollack (lures at dusk/dawn)
- Bass (lures or live sandeel on the edges of the Race)
- Ballan/Corkwing wrasse (rag/crab under floats)
- Scad at night, pouting, occasional bull huss and conger
- Occasional black bream in calmer spells
- Autumn (Sep–Nov):
- Peak bass (after onshore winds and coloured water)
- Pollack continue; mackerel/scad often plentiful at dusk
- Conger and bull huss at night
- Winter (Dec–Feb):
- Whiting, pouting, rockling
- Conger on settled nights
- Rare chance of cod after prolonged heavy onshore seas
Methods
Rock fishing here is technical: think strong gear, abrasion resistance, and tactics that work around savage tide lines and snags. Mobility and timing beat camping one spot all day.
- Lure fishing:
- 9–10 ft rods rated ~20–40 g, 20–30 lb braid, 25–40 lb fluoro leader for abrasion.
- Metals/slow jigs (20–40 g) for mackerel, scad and pollack; work across tide lines and drop-offs.
- Soft plastics (4–7 in paddletails/eels) on 15–30 g heads or weedless Texas rigs for pollack/bass.
- Surface/sub-surface lures for bass when there’s a gentle swell and bait showing.
- Float fishing (wrasse/garfish/pollack):
- Sliding floats with 20–25 lb mono/fluoro hooklengths; set 8–20 ft depth over kelp edges.
- Baits: ragworm, hardback crab, prawn; size 1–1/0 strong hooks.
- Bottom fishing (rough ground):
- Stout 12–15 ft rock rods; 0.35–0.40 mm mono or 30–50 lb braid; 5–8 oz leads.
- Pulley/pulley-pennel with 4/0–5/0 hooks; always use a weak/rotten-bottom link.
- Big fish baits (mackerel/squid cocktails) for conger/huss after dark; 80 lb mono or coated wire bite leaders.
- Feathering/Sabikis:
- Small Hokkai/Sabiki rigs for mackerel/scad; keep sets short (2–3 hooks) to control fish near ledges.
- Timing:
- Dawn/dusk for pollack/bass; midday for wrasse tight to structure; nights for conger/huss.
- Keep moving until you find bait and tide seams; casting along the edges of the flow often out-fishes blasting into the Race.
Tides and Conditions
Portland Bill is ruled by tide. The Race forms fierce rips off the tip on both ebb and flood, with slack windows short and offset from high/low water. Choose conditions wisely rather than forcing a session.
- Tide size: neaps to mid-tides are most manageable; big springs can be unfishable from the lower ledges.
- Best states:
- 2 hours either side of high or low when flow eases and eddies form off the points.
- First push of the flood and first of the ebb can switch on pollack and bass.
- Wind and swell:
- Light onshore ripple and slight colour favour bass; clear, calm water favours pollack/garfish.
- With strong westerlies, try the east side; with easterlies, try the west side for shelter.
- Water clarity:
- After a blow, let it settle 12–36 hours for bass; if it’s gin-clear, scale down lures/fluoro for pollack/garfish.
- Expect to step up to 6–8 oz leads on springs if bottom fishing; lures/jigs 20–40 g cover most scenarios.
Safety
This is a serious rock mark with real risk from rogue waves, surging tides and slippery ledges. If in doubt, don’t go down; watch a full tide cycle first.
- Wear a properly fitted PFD/lifejacket and cleated or studded boots; carry a headtorch and spares for night sessions.
- Keep well back from low wave-washed ledges, especially anywhere facing the Race or rebound swell.
- Fish with a partner; tell someone your plan; carry a charged phone (signal can dip in coves) or a handheld VHF.
- Pre-plan escape routes; avoid being cut off by rising water or surges.
- The limestone is sharp with holes/undercuts; knee/elbow protection helps if scrambling.
- Obey any local warning signs or temporary closures due to rockfalls or sea conditions.
- Not recommended for young children or those with limited mobility beyond the fenced viewpoints.
Facilities
The lighthouse area is a tourist spot with seasonal amenities, but once you leave the viewpoints you’re on your own. Stock up before walking to the ledges.
- Parking: pay-and-display near the lighthouse and Pulpit Rock.
- Toilets: public toilets near the car park (seasonal opening hours).
- Food/drink: Lobster Pot Café and the Pulpit Inn close by; hours vary with season and weather.
- Tackle/bait: shops in Weymouth and Wyke Regis (e.g., Weymouth Angling Centre; Chesil Bait & Tackle); limited bait on Portland itself.
- Bins near the car park; pack out line and lead scraps from the rocks.
- Phone signal generally good on the headland but can drop in the coves and under cliffs.
- No lighting on ledges; bring robust headtorches for night fishing.
Tips
Portland rewards preparation and finesse around savage ground. Fish smart, travel light, and put safety first.
- Use rotten-bottom links on any ground rig; expect to lose gear without them.
- Work lures across tide seams rather than straight into the fastest water; bass and pollack sit on the edges.
- Live sandeel (caught on tiny Sabikis) can be devastating for bass/pollack when the tide eases.
- For wrasse, fish big, fresh rag or crab tight to kelp and rock; strike positively and bully fish clear immediately.
- Step up abrasion resistance: 30–40 lb leaders even for lure work; limestone is unforgiving.
- Keep feather rigs short (2–3 hooks) to avoid tangles and dangerous multiple-hook landings on the rocks.
- Practice catch-and-release on larger ballan wrasse (breeding females) and photograph fish low over the water.
- Summer weekends get busy; fish dawn to beat crowds and boat wash.
- Watch pot marker lines and charter boat traffic around the Race when casting.
Regulations
Shore angling is generally permitted at Portland Bill; there is no blanket ban, but it sits within protected designations where you should follow good environmental practice and any on-site signage. Always check the latest rules before you go.
- Authority: Southern IFCA district and the UK Marine Management Organisation (MMO) oversee local and national sea fisheries rules.
- European seabass: minimum size 42 cm; seasonal recreational measures (bag limits and retention windows) change year to year—check current MMO/DEFRA notices before retaining any bass.
- Lobster/crab: berried or V-notched lobsters must be released; adhere to national minimum sizes. Do not set pots or nets without the appropriate permissions/permits where required.
- No specific byelaw bans on shore angling at the Bill are known, but temporary safety closures or SSSI management measures may occur—obey all posted instructions.
- General: use barbless or de-barbed hooks when practical, don’t gaff fish you intend to release, and remove all lost line/lead where safe to do so.
