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Somerset

East Quantoxhead

6.4 · Rocks · Somerset

Expansive intertidal rock platforms and kelp-filled gullies between St Audries and Kilve on the fast-tidal Bristol Channel. Best fished on the flooding tide as water pushes over the reef edges. Rough ground demands strong tackle and rotten-bottom rigs. Peeler crab and fish baits score for bass, huss and smoothhound; worm/crab under a float finds wrasse in summer. Night sessions produce pouting, dogfish, conger and occasional better fish. Watch for rapid tide rise, swell on onshore winds and slippery weeded ledges.

Should you fish East Quantoxhead?

41 Low

Today · Best available

Best available: 21:00-00:00

Most likely species: Lesser Spotted Dogfish and Starry Smoothhound

Poor conditions. Best available around 21:00-00:00, but no window reaches the strong threshold today. Good chance of Lesser Spotted Dogfish and Starry Smoothhound.

W 7 mph Rain 0% High tide 12:14

Consider a backup mark if conditions do not improve.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for East Quantoxhead — 7-day forecast

Scores and best windows are weighted for .

Met Office Met Office · Open-Meteo

Where the data comes from. Weather and sea-state readings come from the Met Office and Open-Meteo forecast models, refreshed several times a day. High and low water are taken from tide-station predictions for this stretch of coast.

How the score works. Each window is scored 0–100 from the signals that most reliably move fish inshore: tide movement (a running tide carries food, so the last of the flood and first of the ebb are usually the prime spells), wind speed and direction (onshore wind stirs food into the surf — up to the point it makes fishing hard), sea state (a little wave and swell movement helps, heavy swell hurts), and weather — rain, temperature and light. Behind the headline number we score bite opportunity and comfort separately, and run a separate safety check on wind and swell. The size of the tide counts too: spring tides move more water than neaps, so the tidal range for this stretch of coast is weighed alongside the tide's direction, your target species and this mark — and unusually big springs strengthen the safety check, because the water rises faster and covers more ground.

Your target species counts. Pick a species below and the score also weights what we know about it — its season, preferred sea temperature, tide stage and sea state, and whether it feeds by day or night.

The rating is guidance, not a guarantee — conditions change fast on the coast, so always judge the sea in front of you before you fish.

Wednesday looks better than today. Unlock the week to see its score and exact window.

· windows & tide

Spring vs neap tides. Spring tides have a larger difference between high and low water, so more water moves on each tide — usually stronger flow that stirs up food and gets fish feeding. Neap tides have a smaller range and generally gentler movement. The range here is compared with what is normal for this stretch of coast, and the cycle swings between springs and neaps roughly every week, following the moon.

Big spring tides: the water rises faster and covers more ground than usual — double-check access routes and cut-off points before you fish.

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East Quantoxhead is a rough-ground Bristol Channel rock mark where timing matters more than distance. The productive water is usually around the reef edges, kelp gullies and rough-sand seams as the flood pushes in, with night sessions adding huss, conger, dogfish and rays. It can reward strong tackle and mobile fishing, but the fast flood, slick limestone and swell exposure make it a mark to avoid when conditions are marginal.

  • Know when to fish the reef edge instead of casting blind.
  • Pick the right window before the flood cuts off the platform.
  • Target hounds, bass, rays and conger with mark-specific bait plans.
  • Use rough-ground rigs that reduce tackle losses here.
  • Know when East Quantoxhead is not worth the risk.

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Blue Anchor 7.0 mi Bathpool 13.4 mi Taunton 14.0 mi Bleadon 14.6 mi Chelston 14.6 mi

Explore nearby towns: Blue Anchor · Bathpool · Taunton · Bleadon · Chelston

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Forecast tuning currently supports Bass and Mackerel — more species are on the way.

Overall rating

6.4 /10

Blend of catch potential, access, safety, and overall experience.

Category scores

Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 7/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 4/10

Lesser Spotted Dogfish 8/10
Tip: After dark on most tides; fish/squid baits on pulley or 2-hook flappers. Cast onto sand runs between kelp; use rotten-bottom to beat snags.
Starry Smoothhound 8/10
Tip: May–Sep on peeler crab. Fish the flood into dusk over rough–sand seams; 30–80 m casts. Light grip leads on neaps help hold.
Bass 7/10
Tip: Dawn/dusk on a flooding tide; fish crab/worm in gullies or try shallow lures if clarity allows. Target broken ground and surfy edges.
Small-eyed Ray 7/10
Tip: Night, last of flood/first ebb to distant sand patches beyond ledges. Pulley pennel with sandeel/bluey; use rotten-bottom to avoid losses.
Pouting 6/10
Tip: Small mackerel or worm strips on size 2 hooks tight to rock/kelp; steady bites through the flood, especially after dark.
Bull Huss 6/10
Tip: Rough ground at night; fish or squid strip baits. Short casts to kelp channels; neaps safer. 80 lb mono trace, no wire needed.
Conger Eel 6/10
Tip: After dark into kelp gullies; whole fish or squid. Heavy mono trace, short lob; neaps or slack water make control easier.
Whiting 5/10
Tip: Winter nights; lug/squid cocktails at range on clipped rigs. Fish the flood on neaps to hold bottom.
Thornback Ray 5/10
Tip: Occasional on mixed ground; sandeel/squid on pulley at range to sand tongues. Best on last of flood/first ebb; night helps.
Ballan Wrasse 5/10
Tip: Summer daylight; hardback crab or rag tight to rocks and kelp. Short casts or float; last of ebb/first flood is safest.
Three-bearded Rockling 4/10
Tip: Winter low light; small worm or fish baits in gullies and pools. Keep mobile and lob short between snags.

Local knowledge

East Quantoxhead fishing guide

Practical access, seasons, methods, tides, safety and facilities for this mark.

East Quantoxhead sits between Kilve and St Audries Bay on Somerset’s dramatic Bristol Channel coast. Expect wide rock platforms, kelp-strewn gullies and a colossal tide that exposes acres of fishable ground. It’s a classic rough-ground mark for rays, smoothhounds, bass and conger, rewarding careful timing and stout tackle.

This stretch is reached most easily via Kilve or St Audries, with a walk across cobbles and bedrock to the ledges in front of East Quantoxhead. Allow extra time for the return on a flooding tide and plan your exit route before you start fishing.

  • Driving: From the A39 between Bridgwater and Williton, use signed turn-offs for Kilve or St Audries Bay; East Quantoxhead lies seaward of the village on minor lanes.
  • Parking: Kilve Beach car park (TA5 1EG, pay-and-display) is the most straightforward for day anglers. Limited village-side parking exists on public roads only; be considerate and observe any local restrictions.
  • Approach: 10–25 minutes on uneven shingle and slabby limestone. Good boots essential; the last sections are slippery with weed.
  • Alternatives: Access from St Audries Bay is possible via steep paths/steps; these may pass through a holiday park with limited day access. Check on-site notices.
  • Terrain: Wave-cut platforms, boulder fields and shingle bars; snaggy in places with patches of soft mud in gullies.

There’s year-round sport if you match tactics to the seasons and tide. Expect mixed rough-ground species with better fish at dusk and after dark.

  • Spring (Mar–May):
    • Thornback rays on squid/sandeel cocktails
    • First smoothhounds on peeler crab (late spring)
    • Bass on crab/lug in a bit of sea
    • Wrasse in the calmer gullies; dogfish ever-present
  • Summer (Jun–Aug):
    • Smoothhounds peaking June–July
    • Bass on flooding tides, especially at dusk
    • Thornback and the odd small-eyed ray on mixed sand/rock
    • Bull huss and conger after dark
    • Occasional wrasse on bait or weedless soft plastics; mullet possible near stream mouths in calm seas
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov):
    • Bass at their best Sept–Oct
    • Rays on settled seas; huss and conger at night
    • Whiting and pout arrive as water cools
    • Chance codling in cold snaps
  • Winter (Dec–Feb):
    • Whiting, dogfish, pout; conger still after dark
    • Occasional codling on heavy seas and coloured water

Heavy shore gear and sensible rigs are key to beating tide and snags. Big, scented baits score well in the naturally turbid water.

  • Rods/reels/line:
    • 13–14 ft beach rods with backbone; strong fixed spool (30–40 lb braid) or multipliers (25–30 lb mono) with 60–80 lb shock leaders
    • 5–7 oz wire-grip leads to hold bottom in tide
  • Rigs that work:
    • Pulley pennel (3/0–5/0) with a weak-link/rotten-bottom for rough ground
    • Long pulley or up-and-over for rays and hounds; 2–4 ft snoods of 40–60 lb mono
    • Simple flowing trace for conger/huss with 80–100 lb rubbing leader
  • Baits:
    • Crab (peeler/hardback) for smoothhounds and bass
    • Lugworm or lug/squid cocktails for bass, codling, whiting
    • Whole or fillet squid/sandeel for rays; mackerel fillet or heads for huss/conger
    • Wrap with bait elastic to withstand tide and dogfish
  • Lure/float options (situational):
    • Weedless soft plastics in clear, calm spells for bass/wrasse in the gullies
    • Float-fished prawn or rag for wrasse on neap tides with minimal swell
  • Timing:
    • Dusk into dark often out-fishes daylight
    • Work the ledges from last 3 hours of ebb to first 2 of flood when access and current align

The Bristol Channel’s range and flow dominate this mark. Success comes from matching tide size and state to your swim and target species.

  • Tide size:
    • Neaps to mid-range are friendliest for learning the ground; springs can be superb for rays/hounds but are riskier
  • Tide state:
    • Productive windows are typically last 3 hours of ebb and first 2 hours of flood on the platforms
    • Some pockets fish over high on neaps if you have a safe perch with a guaranteed retreat
  • Sea and wind:
    • A bit of colour and SW-driven surf suits bass; settled/cleaner water for rays and hounds
    • After summer blows, hounds often switch on as the sea eases
  • Time of day/seasonality:
    • Dusk and night improve catches of bass, conger, huss and rays
    • Autumn carries are excellent for bass; early summer for hounds
  • Water clarity/weed:
    • Naturally coloured; expect floating weed lines after storms. Step up to bulky, well-bound baits and check gear often

This is an exposed, fast-flooding rock mark with unstable cliffs behind. Treat it with respect and avoid fishing it for the first time on big springs or in heavy swell.

  • Cut-off risk: Platforms and boulder fields flood quickly; pre-plan exit routes and turnaround times
  • Slips and trips: Algae-coated limestone is extremely slick; use studded soles and avoid running water seams
  • Cliff stability: Keep well clear of the cliff base; rockfall is common along this SSSI coast
  • Wading: Not recommended; hidden soft mud and fast currents in gullies
  • Tackle safety: Use weak-link/rotten-bottoms to prevent being anchored in tide
  • Lighting/comms: Carry a headtorch plus spare; phone signal can be patchy on the beach, better on higher ground
  • Accessibility: Not suitable for wheelchairs or those with limited mobility due to cobbles and uneven slabs
  • Personal safety: Wear a lifejacket on ledges, fish with a partner, tell someone your plan and check tide times

Facilities are minimal at the shoreline; plan to be self-sufficient. Nearby villages offer basics, with fuller services a short drive away.

  • Parking/toilets: Kilve Beach car park (TA5 1EG) with toilets; opening hours may be seasonal
  • Food/drink: Seasonal café/tea garden in Kilve; more options in Williton and Watchet
  • Tackle/bait: Tackle shops in Minehead, Watchet and Bridgwater; pre-order peeler crab and fresh lug in season
  • Water/resupply: None on the beach; bring sufficient water and warm clothing
  • Mobile signal: Variable to poor at beach level; improves on higher ground

Regulars fish this mark around the tide windows, travelling light enough to move but heavy enough to anchor solidly when it matters.

  • Always use a weak-link to your lead; the ground eats tackle
  • Clip-down pulley pennels with streamlined baits cast better into the tide and reduce spin
  • For rays, aim for sand tongues between rough patches; for hounds/bass, present crab along gully seams
  • Big, well-wrapped baits carry scent in coloured water and deter the doggie pecks
  • Expect spider crab activity early summer—check baits frequently
  • Mark a physical landmark as your turn-back point before dusk; the flood can be deceptively fast
  • For conger/huss, add a 100 lb rubbing trace above the hooklength to survive rocks and kelp
  • After a blow, give it one tide after the sea starts to ease—often the best session of the week

Angling is generally permitted here from the public foreshore and public rights of way. The coastline is environmentally protected, and there are important seasonal rules for certain species.

  • Site protections:
    • The Blue Anchor to Lilstock Coast is an SSSI: do not hammer or remove bedrock, and only collect loose fossils if allowed by on-site signage. Keep clear of unstable cliffs and follow marked paths
  • Bass (recreational, England):
    • Jan–Feb: catch and release only
    • Mar–Nov: maximum two fish per angler per day, minimum size 42 cm
    • Dec: catch and release only
  • Rays, conger, huss, smoothhound: No universal national bag limits, but sensible catch-and-release for larger elasmobranchs is strongly encouraged
  • Spurdog: Retention rules change periodically; default to release unless current national guidance explicitly permits otherwise
  • Bait collection: Sensitive intertidal habitat—follow any local notices and IFCA byelaws. Do not dig in vegetated areas
  • Access notes:
    • Some paths cross private land; stick to public rights of way and respect any estate signage or seasonal restrictions
  • Always check the latest rules:
    • Review current DEFRA and IFCA regulations before your trip, including size/bag limits and any seasonal or local closures