Greenaleigh Bay Fishing

Last updated: 1 week ago

Greenaleigh Bay Fishing Map

A remote, rocky bay just west of Minehead with boulder fields, kelp gullies and ledges dropping into fast tidal water. It’s a long, steep walk via the coast path and best fished around mid-to-high water on a flooding tide. Expect turbulent Bristol Channel currents, huge tidal range and snaggy ground—use rotten-bottom rigs. Fishable in moderate easterlies; avoid big westerly swells and springs if unfamiliar. Excellent rough-ground sport in summer for wrasse and pollack; after dark can produce dogfish, rocklings and occasional conger. Take care with slippery weed, rising tide and cut-off risk.

Ratings

⭐ 6.8/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 4/10

Fish You Can Catch at Greenaleigh Bay

🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 8/10
🎯 Tip: Evening into the flood on mixed ground; fish baits (mackerel/squid) on 2-hook flappers at 30–60m. Strong tide—fish neaps or slack on springs.
🐟 Bass 7/10
🎯 Tip: Flooding tide along surf and boulder edges; peeler crab or sandeel, or surface/paddle lures in calmer water. Best at dawn/dusk or after a blow—stay mobile.
🐟 Bull Huss 7/10
🎯 Tip: After dark around kelp/rough ground; big fish baits or crab on strong traces. Short lob into gullies on the flood. Use rotten-bottoms to beat snags.
🐟 Pouting 6/10
🎯 Tip: Low to mid-flood over rough ground; small strips of mackerel/squid on size 2s close in. Build a scent trail; expect rockling by-catch.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 6/10
🎯 Tip: Summer daylight in kelp gullies; float fish hardback crab or rag tight to rocks on a mid-to-flood tide. Snaggy—use strong gear and short casts.
🐟 Conger Eel 6/10
🎯 Tip: Night in rough gullies around HW on springs; big mackerel/squid baits on 100lb trace, short casts. Hold the rod to steer fish clear of snags.
🐟 Pollack 5/10
🎯 Tip: Dusk on the flood; work small metals/soft plastics tight to kelp or float-fish sandeel. Clearer neap tides fish best.
🐟 Three-bearded Rockling 5/10
🎯 Tip: Winter and dusk; tiny worm/mackerel bits under the rod tip among boulders. Best on neaps or slack water to avoid heavy tide/weed.
🐟 Whiting 4/10
🎯 Tip: Late autumn–winter after dark on neaps; 2–3 hook flappers with worm/squid cocktails to any cleaner patches between boulders.
🐟 Mullet (Thick-lipped) 4/10
🎯 Tip: Calm summer evenings near stream outflows/eddies; stealthy approach, bread flake under a float on size 8–10. Chum lightly.

Greenaleigh Bay Fishing

Summary

Greenaleigh Bay sits just west of Minehead on the North Somerset coast, a rugged pocket of rock, shingle and kelp under Exmoor’s cliffs. It’s a classic upper–Bristol Channel mark: big tides, snaggy ground, and the chance of quality rays, huss, conger and bass. Anglers who don’t mind a walk and rough terrain are rewarded with varied fishing through the seasons.

Location and Access

This is a walk-in mark reached via the South West Coast Path around North Hill. The approaches are scenic but steep and rough underfoot, so allow time and travel light.

Seasons

Greenaleigh produces a good mix typical of the upper Channel. Expect rough-ground residents year-round, summer wrasse and pollack on the edges, and winter predators in the dark.

Methods

Rough ground tactics rule here. Fish strong, simple rigs with rotten-bottom links, and switch to lures only when the water is reasonably clear.

Tides and Conditions

This is a big-tide, fast-water venue. The mark changes character across the tide, opening gullies at low and drowning them fast on the flood.

Safety

Treat Greenaleigh as an exposed, rough-ground cliff bay with rapid tides. It is not an easy-access venue and is unsuitable for those with limited mobility.

Facilities

There are no facilities at the mark—plan as a self-contained session. Minehead provides everything you’ll need before and after.

Tips

This venue rewards timing and tidy presentation. Travel light, think about your exit, and fish the small windows hard.

Regulations

Rod-and-line sea angling from the shore is generally permitted here, but you are within the Devon & Severn IFCA district and near protected coastal habitats—check current notices before you go.