Sandsfoot Castle Fishing

Last updated: 1 week ago

Sandsfoot Castle Fishing Map

Sandsfoot Castle sits on the north side of Portland Harbour near Weymouth, offering sheltered rock and shingle ledges with sand and weed patches in front. It fishes best on a flooding tide into dusk and after dark. Summer brings surface activity and bait fish; winter sees small whiting and pouting. Access is via Sandsfoot Gardens with steps down to uneven, sometimes slippery rocks. Short casts find clean patches for flatfish; close-in rough ground and kelp hold wrasse and mini species. Float tactics, light LRF gear, and small metals or soft plastics all produce here. It is generally comfortable and scenic, but take care of slippery weed and swell on spring tides.

Ratings

⭐ 6.9/10 Overall
Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 6/10
Accessibility 7/10

Fish You Can Catch at Sandsfoot Castle

🐟 Bass 8/10
🎯 Tip: Work soft plastics or surface lures at dawn/dusk on a flooding tide along weed fringes and gullies; peeler crab or rag baits also score after blowy seas.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 7/10
🎯 Tip: Fish close to rocks and kelp from mid to high tide with peeler crab or large rag on a short paternoster; strong tackle for snaggy ground.
🐟 Mullet (Thick-lipped) 7/10
🎯 Tip: Freeline bread flake or fish a small bread-mash feeder in calm, clear water by the wall and beach, summer–autumn; use fine line and keep quiet.
🐟 Flounder 6/10
🎯 Tip: Cast rag or lug on a light running ledger to sandy patches inside the harbour; best on the ebb and in winter; slow lift-and-drag retrieve.
🐟 Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
🎯 Tip: Tiny hooks baited with rag or prawn dropped tight to kelp-covered stones at high water; delicate bites.
🐟 Pollack 5/10
🎯 Tip: Work small dark shads or metals along weed beds and drop-offs at dusk into darkness on the flood; keep lures just above kelp.
🐟 Plaice 5/10
🎯 Tip: Long snood with beads/spoons and rag tipped squid to clean sand at range, spring to early summer; fish the flood and first of the ebb.
🐟 Mackerel 5/10
🎯 Tip: Late spring–summer evenings; cast small metals or a slim 2–3 hook feather rig and retrieve midwater when baitfish show; clearer water after tides fishes best.
🐟 Garfish 5/10
🎯 Tip: Float-fish small mackerel strip or sandeel or work tiny metals high in the water, late spring to autumn on the flood in clear seas.
🐟 Gilthead Bream 4/10
🎯 Tip: Target clean sand fringes with peeler or hardback crab on size 2–1 hooks, summer evenings on the flood; keep drag light for powerful runs.

Sandsfoot Castle Fishing

Summary

Sandsfoot Castle, Weymouth (Dorset) is a picturesque, sheltered mark inside Portland Harbour, beneath the Tudor fort and gardens on Old Castle Road. Rough, kelpy ground meets small sand patches, offering reliable summer sport and a handy fallback when Chesil is unfishable. Expect wrasse, garfish, school bass and pollack close-in, with flatties and scad showing at times.

It’s a compact venue with easy top-side access and a short walk to several rock ledges and the nearby Castle Cove beach. Fish light, fish close, and prepare for snaggy terrain.

Location and Access

Getting there is straightforward, with parking around Sandsfoot Gardens on Old Castle Road and a short walk to the shoreline ledges. Access to the rocks is via informal paths; Castle Cove beach lies a few minutes west along the same frontage.

Seasons

This is a mixed ground, summer-focused mark with dependable close-range action. Flatties and winter bits are possible but not the main draw.

Methods

Close-quarters fishing excels here; keep gear robust to beat the kelp and snags. Lures and float tactics shine in clear water, while simple bottom rigs work for wrasse and flatties.

Tides and Conditions

Portland Harbour gives shelter and clarity, so the mark fishes well when open coast marks are wild. Movement helps, but you rarely need heavy leads.

Safety

This is a rock-ledge venue with kelp and slippery weed—treat it with respect. The gardens above are easy-going, but the fishing platforms are not wheelchair accessible.

Facilities

You’re close to town amenities while enjoying a green, garden-topped shoreline. Most essentials are a short drive away.

Tips

Fish are tight to the structure—accuracy beats distance. Keep mobile, hop ledges, and present baits naturally in the kelp edges.

Regulations

Angling is generally permitted along this shoreline, but observe local signage and courtesy to bathers and boats. Regulations can change—check before you go.