Beachley Fishing

Summary

Beachley sits on the English tip between the Severn and the Wye, beneath the original Severn Bridge (M48). It’s a classic upper-estuary mark: huge tides, coloured water, and powerful flows that funnel fish tight to features. When timed right, it can produce bass, codling and flounder, with proper estuary tactics and a sharp eye on safety.

Location and Access

Reaching the mark is straightforward, but on-the-ground access is patchy because of MOD land and the bridges’ security zones. Aim for Beachley village (NP16 7 area) and use public footpaths to the foreshore on the Severn or Wye sides.

• Approach via the A48 to Sedbury, then follow Beachley Road into the peninsula; on-street parking is limited and strictly residential—park considerately and avoid gateways.
• There are public footpaths along sections of the seawall/embankment; expect uneven ground, rock armour, and short slopes or steps to the shore.
• Do not attempt to access any fenced or signed areas near the bridges or MOD Beachley Barracks; obey all security signage and keep to public rights of way.
• Underfoot terrain ranges from firm rock/concrete blocks to treacherous estuary mud and clay—plan your route at low light and mark a safe retreat line in daylight first.

Seasons

The upper Severn/Wye mix brings classic estuary species with a strong seasonal pattern. Expect coloured water year-round and fish that home in on scent.

• Spring (Mar–May):
  • Bass (schoolies building late spring, bigger fish with the first peeler crab)
  • Flounder (tail end of the main run, better on neaps/slacker tides)
  • Thin-/thick-lipped mullet in calmer back-eddies during settled spells
• Summer (Jun–Aug):
  • Bass (dawn/dusk in eddies and along current seams)
  • Mullet (roving shoals in quiet margins)
  • Occasional eels (European eel—critically endangered; release immediately)
• Autumn (Sep–Nov):
  • Bass (often the peak period on springs and coloured water)
  • Codling showing with the first chills and fresh after storms
  • Flounder
• Winter (Dec–Feb):
  • Codling (short feeding windows around slacks)
  • Flounder (if conditions aren’t too wild)
• Notable protected/occasional encounters:
  • Shad (twaite/allis) run the Wye in spring—fully protected; do not target, release immediately
  • Salmon/sea trout may show in the Wye—return at once; do not intentionally fish for them

Methods

Heavy, simple, and secure wins here. Big tides demand stout tackle, gripper leads, and clipped-down rigs for controlled presentation.

• Shore methods:
  • Bottom fishing is the staple: pulley/pulley-pennel (3/0–4/0) for bass/codling; 2-hook flapper or loop rig with size 1–2 hooks for flounder
  • Leads: 5–7 oz wired grippers are the norm; step up if the pull is fierce
  • Snoods: keep them shorter in hard tide; lengthen slightly in slack/back-eddies
• Baits that score:
  • Fresh lugworm (blow/black) is the banker; ragworm for flounder and mullet interest
  • Peeler crab (late spring/early summer) is standout for bass
  • Squid/lug cocktails for codling; small mackerel strip as a visual tip in murk
  • Use bait elastic liberally—crabs and flow strip soft baits fast
• Lures and finesse:
  • On neaps or pronounced slack water, small paddletails or metal spoons can pick up bass along seams; keep casts tight to structure/eddies
  • For mullet on calm days, bread flake under a float or tiny spinners with isome-style worm for thin-lips in the quietest water
• Tackle notes:
  • 12–15 ft beachcaster or estuary rod with 25–30 lb mainline and 60 lb shock leader
  • Include a weak-link rotten-bottom on snaggy patches to save gear

Tides and Conditions

Timing is everything at Beachley. Work with the tide—not against it—and target the brief windows when the flow eases and fish move.

• Best tide phases:
  • Typically the last 2 hours of the flood and the first hour of the ebb; brief slacks around high water can switch fish on
  • Medium-to-big springs create feedy movement but can be unfishable mid-tide—use back-eddies then
  • Neaps offer easier presentation for flounder and mullet but less push for roaming bass
• Conditions:
  • Coloured water is normal; after heavy rain the flow carries debris—shorten casts and check lines often
  • Westerly winds stack extra water and increase pull; an easterly can ease surface chop but won’t tame the current
  • Dawn/dusk bites are noticeably better for bass in summer/early autumn
• Seasonality:
  • Bass build from late spring to autumn; codling show from late autumn through winter cold snaps

Safety

This is a serious-tide venue with soft mud and rapid water movement. Treat it like a big river mouth—because it is one.

• Critical hazards:
  • Extremely fast flood/ebb; do not wade and do not step onto exposed mud or clay—sinking risk is real
  • Limited retreat points at high water; identify your exit route in daylight and move early
  • Debris (timber) in spate flows and turbulence near bridge structures—keep a safe distance
  • The Severn’s tidal bore and surges: consult bore times on big springs; avoid low-lying flats
• Security/restrictions:
  • No access on the bridge, its maintenance roads, or any MOD-fenced land—obey signage without exception
  • Some embankments have steep, slippery rock armour; studded boots help
• Personal safety:
  • Wear a modern lifejacket, headlamp, and carry a charged phone; fish with a partner at night
  • Keep rigs short and use strong grippers to prevent gear from dragging you toward the edge
• Accessibility:
  • Not well suited to limited mobility due to uneven ground, steps, and rock armour

Facilities

Expect minimal facilities at the waterside; plan to be self-sufficient and tidy.

• Parking is on-street in Beachley village only—respect residents and avoid blocking farm/field access
• No public toilets on the mark; nearest options are in Chepstow town
• Tackle/bait: nearest sea-bait suppliers are typically in Chepstow, Caldicot, or the Bristol area—call ahead in winter
• Mobile coverage is generally good under the M48 corridor, but signal can fluctuate close to the water
• No lighting on the foreshore; bring robust head/area lamps if fishing after dark

Tips

Local knowledge here revolves around reading flow and using just enough hardware to hold bottom without killing presentation.

• Try a lug-and-squid cocktail on a pulley-pennel for codling at dusk on a building spring tide
• For summer bass, a single large peeler crab bait fished tight to an eddy line out-fishes scattergun casting
• If crabs are rampant, rebait every 10–15 minutes and use bait elastic; a small floating bead can lift flounder baits above the worst of them
• Clip-down rigs add crucial distance when wind is in your face across the estuary
• Mark your feet at the start—literally scratch a line in the rocks or note a landmark—so you can see how fast the flood is creeping
• Use a weak-link to your lead when fishing among broken concrete/rock armour; it saves fish and rigs when the tide turns
• Keep casts purposeful: straight into the main flow is often a waste—aim at current seams and the downstream side of any feature

Regulations

Rules here are a mix of national recreational sea fishing limits and local protections for migratory fish. Always check for updates before you go.

• Bass (recreational): Minimum size 42 cm; recent rules have allowed limited retention Mar–Nov with catch-and-release only in some closed months—check current MMO guidance for dates and daily bag limits
• Shad (twaite/allis): Fully protected—do not target; any accidental catch must be returned immediately
• Salmon and sea trout: You must not intentionally fish for these without the correct migratory salmonid licence and within open seasons; any accidental capture must be released at once
• European eel: Critically endangered—do not target; release any eel immediately in line with Environment Agency advice
• Rod licence: No EA rod licence is needed to fish for sea species in tidal waters, but a licence and close seasons apply if you intentionally target freshwater species in the adjacent rivers
• Local authority/IFCA: The English shore here falls under Devon & Severn IFCA—its size limits, netting byelaws and nursery area protections apply; check their current byelaws before your trip
• Access: Parts of the shoreline near MOD land and the bridges are out of bounds—follow posted signs; fishing from the bridges or within fenced security zones is prohibited