Summary
West Bay West Beach sits immediately west of Bridport Harbour in Dorset and runs towards Eype, offering a mix of clean sand-shingle and rougher patches. It is a versatile surf and ledger venue with realistic chances of bass, rays, summer smoothhounds, and winter whiting, plus seasonal mackerel in calm weather. Easy access, solid amenities, and fish-holding structure around the harbour plume make it a reliable, all-round mark.
Location and Access
The mark is the shingle-sand beach on the west side of the harbour, fronted by a promenade and sea wall, with level access from the village. You can be fishing within minutes of parking, and longer walks west find slightly rougher ground and less footfall.
- Approach via West Bay village; follow signs for the harbour and seafront. Several pay-and-display car parks are a short walk from West Beach (Station Yard and West Bay Road are commonly used).
- Access to the beach is via ramps and steps off the promenade beside the harbour and along the front; the initial area is generally clean ground before giving way to mixed patches as you head towards Eype.
- The walk is easy on the promenade; the shingle itself is steep and loose underfoot. A headlamp is recommended for night sessions due to trip hazards.
Seasons
This is a mixed-ground, year-round beach with a strong summer-autumn bass and ray draw, plus winter comfort fishing for whiting and pout. Expect short-range surf fish early and late, and occasional surprises when baitfish are present.
- Spring: school and early keeper bass, small-eyed and thornback rays, dogfish, occasional plaice/flounder, first smoothhounds late spring if crab is about.
- Summer: bass (lure and bait), smoothhound, thornback and small-eyed rays, mackerel, garfish, scad at dusk, bream oddities on rougher patches, gurnards; conger possible at night near structure.
- Autumn: peak bass, consistent rays, mackerel/gartail lingering, scad after dark, increasing whiting and pout; occasional sole on settled nights.
- Winter: whiting, pout, dogfish, dabs in calmer spells, a chance of codling after a proper blow (sporadic nowadays), conger from rougher ground or alongside the pier structure at night.
- Year-round locals: mullet in the harbour outflow (bread or small baits), and wrasse around rockier pockets westward (mostly on crab/worm).
Methods
Standard beach tactics work well, with short-to-middle range often best. Adjust to water colour and baitfish presence.
- Bottom fishing: 2-hook flappers (size 2–1) for whiting/flatfish; pulley pennel or pulley dropper (3/0–4/0) for bass/rays with fish baits. Use rotten-bottom links if pushing into rougher patches towards Eype.
- Baits: peeler crab and fresh lug/rag for bass and smoothhound; sandeel, squid, or bluey/squid wraps for rays; mackerel strips for mackerel/gar/scad; small lug/rag/black lug/squid slivers for winter whiting and scratching.
- Lures: soft plastic sandeels, paddletails, and metal spoons work for bass and mackerel; fish the surf line and harbour plume edges at dawn/dusk and when there’s helpful colour.
- Float fishing: effective in calm, clear spells for mackerel, gar, and pollack around dusk close to the harbour arm or colour line.
- Leads and line: 4–6 oz grip leads depending on wind and surf; mainline 15–20 lb with 50–60 lb shock leader for bait rods; lure rods in the 9–10 ft, 10–35 g class cover most scenarios.
- Range and timing: many fish (especially bass) are in the first 10–40 yards in a surf; rays often sit just beyond the first bar. Dusk into dark reliably out-fishes bright, busy periods.
Tides and Conditions
Tide and sea state are key. The beach fishes on all states, but certain windows consistently produce.
- Best tide: the last 2 hours of the flood and the first hour of the ebb for bass and rays; neaps can be very steady for rays and hounds, springs add extra surf energy for bass.
- Conditions: a moderate SW onshore that lifts a manageable surf and adds colour is prime for bass; settled or light offshore/variable winds favour scratching, mackerel, and float work.
- Time of day: dawn and dusk are standout, with darkness improving ray, hound, and conger odds and reducing tourist pressure.
- Water colour: target the harbour plume edge after rain for bass patrolling the colour line; in gin-clear water, scale down end tackle or switch to lures.
- Seasonal notes: late spring through early autumn for rays and smoothhounds; autumn for consistent mixed bags and bigger bass; winter for whiting and a rare codling after proper blows.
Safety
This is a managed beachfront with lifeguards in season, but the shingle bank and surf can be hazardous. Respect signage and changing sea states.
- Steep shingle and shelving: footing is unstable; rogue waves can surge high—stay well back in heavy seas and avoid wading.
- Surf and rips: powerful rips form near the harbour mouth and along bars in swell; keep clear and never cast across bathers or flagged swim zones (common in summer days).
- Piers and harbour: surfaces can be slick with weed and spray; lifejacket recommended on any structure or when fishing near the water’s edge.
- Cliffs westward: if you roam towards Eype, beware unstable cliffs and occasional rockfall; avoid sitting under faces and check tide times to prevent being edged into narrow strands.
- Night fishing: bring a headlamp, spare light, and mind trip hazards on the shingle and groynes; keep your kit compact and tidy.
- Accessibility: promenade and ramps provide close access for those with limited mobility, but the loose, steep shingle makes beach fishing itself challenging for wheelchairs or anyone with balance issues.
Facilities
West Bay is well set up for visiting anglers. Most amenities are within a few minutes’ walk of the beach.
- Parking: multiple pay-and-display car parks signposted in the village, all close to West Beach and the harbour.
- Toilets: public toilets near the harbour/seafront (typically open daily; reduced hours off-season).
- Food and drink: numerous cafés, kiosks, pubs, and fish & chip huts around the harbour.
- Tackle and bait: small seasonal bait outlets in West Bay and full tackle shops in nearby Bridport; it’s wise to pre-order fresh worm or crab in peak season.
- RNLI: active lifeboat station in West Bay; heed lifeguard zones on the bathing beach during summer.
- Phone signal: generally good around the village and promenade; can dip slightly under cliffs if you walk west.
Tips
Local knowledge pays, especially with the harbour plume and surf line. Small adjustments can make big differences here.
- Work the colour line where the harbour outflow meets clearer water for bass, particularly after rain or on a flooding tide.
- In a rolling surf, fish biggish crab or lug baits tight-in; 10–30 yards often beats blasting to the horizon.
- For rays, combine a sandeel section with a squid top and sit just beyond the first bar; neap tides and after-dark sessions are dependable.
- When mackerel show, a single small metal or a 2–3 feather string outfishes long 6-hook rigs and tangles less in shore break.
- Expect weed after SW blows; step up to strong grip leads and keep rigs streamlined to cut drag.
- Mullet cruise the harbour—freeline bread flake with light gear and keep movement slow and stealthy.
- If the westward rough patches are snaggy, use a weak-link clip on your sinker and slightly shorter snoods to reduce losses.
Regulations
Rules are straightforward but actively enforced around the harbour and by inshore fisheries officers. Always check current notices on-site and national measures before your trip.
- Harbour and pier rules: seasonal and space-restricted fishing areas may apply on the harbour walls and within the harbour. Do not fish where prohibited, and never cast into marked bathing zones. Obey all local signage and staff instructions.
- Bass measures: recreational bass regulations change periodically (bag limits, open/closed months, 42 cm minimum size). Check the latest MMO and government guidance before retaining any bass.
- Size and bag limits: UK minimum conservation reference sizes apply (e.g., mackerel, bass, rays, flatfish). Return undersized fish carefully.
- Shellfish and crustaceans: Southern IFCA byelaws apply in Dorset waters, including rules on recreational pots, berried lobsters/crabs (must be returned), and minimum landing sizes.
- Protected sites: the wider Lyme Bay area has designated conservation interests; shore angling is generally permitted, but additional restrictions may exist for certain activities—verify if unsure.
- Litter and bait: remove all line, hooks, and waste; do not discard bait or fish remains in the harbour area.
