Thorncombe Beacon Fishing

Summary

Thorncombe Beacon sits between West Bay and Seatown on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, with steep clay cliffs sheltering boulder-strewn coves and rough ground. It’s a wild, productive mark for bass, wrasse, pollack and summer visitors, with occasional winter codling in a blow. The fishing is excellent, but access, tides and cliff stability demand real care and good planning.

Location and Access

This mark refers to the rough ground and small coves beneath Thorncombe Beacon, plus the adjacent beaches at Eype and Seatown. Most anglers approach from either Eype Beach or Seatown and work around the base at low water—always with a tide plan and escape route.

• Parking: Eype Beach car park (approx. postcode DT6 6AL), Seatown car park (approx. DT6 6JU), or West Bay car parks (approx. DT6 4HB). All are pay-and-display in season.
• Walk-in: From Eype or Seatown follow the South West Coast Path; expect steep gradients, steps, and muddy sections after rain. Allow 20–40 minutes depending on route and fitness.
• Ground: Shingle-to-boulder beaches with kelp-fringed rock ledges and gullies; very rough in places. Spikes/cleats help on weeded rock.
• Access style: Many anglers drop in from Eype and fish to the west towards the Beacon at lower states; others base at Seatown and head east. Avoid cliff-top fishing—unstable edges and no safe platform.
• Public transport: Buses serve West Bay and Bridport; from there it’s a coastal path walk.

Seasons

Thorncombe’s mixed ground holds year-round residents and classic Channel summer migrants. Expect quick changes with water clarity and swell.

• Spring (Mar–May):
  • Bass nosing close in after blows
  • Ballan wrasse (increasingly active from late spring)
  • Smoothhounds show from late May in settled seas
  • Pollack from kelp edges on lures
• Summer (Jun–Aug):
  • Mackerel and garfish in clear water
  • Bass dawn/dusk, especially on a bit of surf
  • Ballan wrasse (plus the odd corkwing) around rock and kelp
  • Smoothhound on crab baits; occasional small-eyed or thornback ray on adjacent clean patches
  • Conger after dark from rougher holes
• Autumn (Sep–Nov):
  • Bass at their best in onshore winds and coloured water
  • Mackerel/gar tailing off; pollack still workable on lures
  • Rays and hounds linger into early autumn in settled spells
  • Whiting and pouting increase after dark
• Winter (Dec–Feb):
  • Whiting, pouting, dogfish common after dark
  • Occasional codling after strong W/SW blows with colour
  • Rockling around the kelp and boulders

Methods

Rough-ground tactics shine here. Think strong gear, abrasion resistance, and presentations that find the gullies and edges rather than the snaggiest cores.

• Bottom fishing:
  • Rigs: Pulley or pulley‑dropper with rotten‑bottom/weak link; 60–80 lb leader for abrasion; pennel 3/0–5/0 for bass/rays.
  • Baits: Peeler/soft crab (top for bass/hounds/wrasse), ragworm or lug (all-rounders, good in winter), sandeel or mackerel strip for rays/bass, squid/cuttle for rays/conger.
  • Casting: Often 30–60 yards is enough to find fish along gully edges; longer (70–100 yards) to reach cleaner sand seams for rays.
• Lure fishing:
  • Soft plastics on 7–20 g heads or weedless rigs for bass and pollack along kelp lines at first/last light.
  • Metals/spoons 20–40 g for mackerel and hunting bass in tide runs; shallow divers in gentle swell.
• Float fishing:
  • Ragworm, prawn or strips over rough ground for wrasse, mackerel and gar on calm, clear days.
• Timing:
  • Dawn/dusk are prime for bass and pollack. After dark, bait scores for conger, whiting, pouting.
  • In heavy weed runs, switch to lures higher in the water or fish shorter with streamlined baits.

Tides and Conditions

Tide state and sea shape dictate both safety and success. Plan your session around access, with extra margin on springs.

• Tide states:
  • Flood into dusk is a strong pattern for bass; first of the ebb can also fish if swell lingers.
  • Ledges and coves are most safely accessed around low water; leave before you’re committed—cut-off risk is real.
  • Neaps are kinder for access; springs expose more ground but shorten your safe window.
• Sea conditions:
  • A mild onshore (SW–W) with light colour perks up bass; too much swell is dangerous and unfishable.
  • Clear, calm water suits lures, wrasse, gar and mackerel.
• Seasonality/time:
  • Summer dawns in clear water for lures; autumn evenings with a push of surf for baited bass.
  • After big blows in winter, fish the first settling window for codling/whiting.

Safety

This is a serious rough-ground venue beneath unstable cliffs. Access is steep, footing is uneven, and coves can be cut off rapidly by the tide.

• Cliff and landslip risk:
  • The Beacon’s clay/greensand cliffs are actively eroding—avoid sitting or fishing under overhangs or crumbly faces, especially after rain.
• Cut-off and swell:
  • Many ledges/coves flood out quickly; know your exits and leave early on the flood. Do not attempt if swell is pushing across access points.
• Footing and gear:
  • Wear studded boots/cleats; consider a flotation lifejacket on rocks. Use headtorch and spare light at night.
• Mobility:
  • Not suitable for limited mobility or young children; steep paths and boulder hopping required.
• Comms:
  • Mobile signal can be patchy; tell someone your plan and ETA. A whistle and small first-aid kit are sensible.

Facilities

Expect minimal facilities at the mark itself; treat this as a self-sufficient session and pack out all litter.

• Toilets and food:
  • Seasonal facilities at Eype/Seatown; more reliable year-round toilets, shops and cafés in West Bay and Bridport.
• Tackle and bait:
  • Bait/tackle available in West Bay and Bridport; check opening hours in advance, especially off-season.
• Other:
  • No lighting on the coast path or beaches. Phone signal varies. Pay-and-display parking common; bring coins/card.

Tips

Local patterns and small tweaks make a big difference on this gnarly ground.

• Use a short (60–90 cm) trace and rotten-bottom to lift fish above snags on the retrieve.
• In coloured, lumpy seas, fish big crab or squid/mackerel cocktails for bass close-in—don’t overcast beyond them.
• On clear, calm mornings, work soft plastics parallel to the kelp line; bites often come at your feet.
• Watch for gannets or tight bait balls—mackerel and bass won’t be far.
• Weed bloom (May–June) can be heavy on springs; switch to lures or move to adjacent beaches if rigs are clogging.
• Handle big wrasse with wet hands and release quickly; they’re slow growers and key to this mark’s sport.
• Travel light: one rod, compact lure roll or a small bait wallet, and a long-handled net or grippy glove for landing off boulders.

Regulations

Angling is generally permitted along this coastline, but it sits within protected designations (Jurassic Coast WHS and various SSSIs), and parts of the coast path may be temporarily closed for safety—observe any on-site signage.

• Bass (recreational, ICES 7e):
  • As of 2024: minimum size 42 cm; daily bag limit typically two fish per angler during the open season, with catch-and-release only during the winter closed period. These measures are reviewed—check the latest MMO/DEFRA notice before your trip.
• Local authority/IFCA:
  • This area falls under Southern IFCA. Check current byelaws (e.g., netting and gear restrictions nearshore); rod-and-line angling is generally unaffected but stay informed.
• Minimum sizes and conservation:
  • Observe UK minimum conservation reference sizes where applicable and follow Angling Trust recommended sizes for species without legal MLS (e.g., rays, wrasse).
• Access and closures:
  • Respect any temporary cliff-path diversions or beach closures due to landslips or nesting birds.
• Bait and foraging:
  • If gathering shore bait, follow local bylaws and SSSI conditions; avoid damaging features and take only what you need.
• Always verify up-to-date rules with the MMO and Southern IFCA before fishing.