Greenaleigh Bay

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.

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.

• From Minehead: Follow signs up to North Hill (National Trust car parks above the town). Pick up the Coast Path towards Greenaleigh Farm and descend to the bay; 20–30 minutes down, longer back up.
• Alternative: Start at Minehead seafront/harbour and follow the Coast Path west; allow 45–60 minutes with steps and uneven sections.
• Parking: Use the North Hill/Exmoor National Trust car parks or Minehead town car parks. Check on-site boards for any seasonal charges or opening times.
• Terrain at the mark: Mixed boulder, shingle and rough reef with kelp gullies; very uneven and slippery, especially after rain or swell. Not suitable for trolleys or heavy gear.
• Access at low water opens more ledges and gullies, but plan your exit—this coastline floods very quickly on the flood.

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.

• Spring (Mar–May):
  • Bass, especially on the first push of flood over the kelp
  • Smoothhound on crab during May neaps and early springs
  • Thornback ray, dogfish, occasional small-eyed ray
  • Pollack on lures in clearer spells
• Summer (Jun–Aug):
  • Ballan wrasse (best on settled, clear neaps)
  • Pollack and occasional mackerel shoals close on flooding tides
  • Bass in the surf lines and gullies, especially at dusk
  • Smoothhound, bull huss after dark
• Autumn (Sep–Nov):
  • Thornback and small-eyed ray, huss, conger after dark
  • Bass through to the first big autumn blows
  • Whiting numbers increase into late autumn
• Winter (Dec–Feb):
  • Conger, bull huss, dogfish after dark
  • Whiting, pout; codling are only occasional these days but still possible in a hard blow with coloured water

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

• Bottom fishing:
  • Rigs: 5–7 oz grip lead on pulley pennel or pulley dropper; up-and-over for rays; use rotten-bottom links to save gear.
  • Hooks: 3/0–5/0 strong patterns for huss/conger; 1/0–2/0 for rays and mixed fish.
  • Baits: Peeler/soft crab for smoothhound and bass; whole or strip sandeel for rays; squid/mackerel cocktail for huss/conger; rag/lug cocktails for general bites.
  • Times: Dusk into dark is prime for rays, huss and conger. First two hours of flood often switches the mark on.
• Lures (when clarity allows):
  • Weedless soft plastics (10–20 g) for wrasse and bass worked tight to kelp lines; 20–40 g metals for pollack on the flood.
  • Float-fished ragworm or prawn for wrasse in summer over the rougher tongues.
• Tackle:
  • 12–15 ft beach rod with a strong reel and 0.35–0.40 mm mainline plus 60–80 lb leader; or a sturdy LRF/HRF outfit only for very specific wrasse/pollack work in calm water.
  • Carry spare leads, clips and rig bodies—snags are inevitable.

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.

• Tide state:
  • Often best 2 hours before to 2 hours after high water for rays and huss; first of the flood is a key feeding window for bass.
  • Neaps favour wrasse and lure fishing in clearer water; springs punch hard—fish the slacks and eddies.
• Sea conditions:
  • A slight to moderate west/south-westerly with some colour suits rays and huss.
  • After prolonged calm, clarity improves for lures; avoid heavy swell which makes the reefs treacherous.
• Time of day/season:
  • Dusk and night markedly improve conger, huss and ray chances.
  • Late spring to early autumn is most consistent overall; winter needs a coloured sea and patience.

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.

• Slips and trips: Weed-covered boulders and clay ledges are extremely slippery; wear studded/cleated boots.
• Tide: Huge Bristol Channel range—lower ledges flood rapidly. Identify a safe retreat and don’t get pushed into the cliff.
• Swell and wash: Long-period swell wraps in; rogue waves possible. Keep well back and wear a PFD.
• Rockfall: Steep friable cliffs—avoid fishing directly under crumbly faces in wet or windy weather.
• Night navigation: The paths are steep and uneven; carry a headtorch, spare light and a whistle/first aid kit.
• Comms: Mobile signal can be patchy in the bay; tell someone your plan and timings.
• Livestock and land: Keep to the signed Coast Path and shut gates—this is National Trust/working farmland.

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

• Toilets: Public toilets on Minehead seafront/harbour area (check seasonal opening times).
• Tackle/bait: Tackle shops in Minehead for worm, squid, sandeel and hardware; ring ahead for peeler crab availability in season.
• Food/drink: Cafés, pubs and takeaways in Minehead; none on the path or at the bay.
• Parking: National Trust car parks on North Hill or town car parks in Minehead; observe posted terms.
• Signal: Generally OK on the hill; variable down in the bay and gullies.

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

• Use a short (6–10 lb) rotten-bottom link on every grip lead to beat the snags.
• Clip-down, aerodynamic rigs help punch into the tide and reduce tangles.
• Prime windows: first push of flood for bass; dusk into the first two hours of ebb for huss and conger.
• Bait order: Crab out-fishes everything for smoothhound and bass; sandeel/squid combo for rays; keep mackerel/squid for conger/huss.
• Lure cue: If you can see your boots through knee-deep water, try weedless SPs tight to the kelp for wrasse/bass.
• After heavy rain, expect chocolate-coloured water—switch to strong scent baits and big silhouettes.
• Carry a long-handled disgorger and heavy mono trace for conger; release at the water if possible to minimise handling.
• Watch for seals working the bay—great to see, but they can shut the bites down temporarily.

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.

• Bass rules: Recreational bass retention is seasonally restricted with a minimum size requirement. These measures change—check the latest MMO/IFCA guidance before keeping any bass.
• Minimum sizes/bag limits: Observe UK national minimum conservation reference sizes (MCRS) where applicable; release undersized fish promptly.
• Protected areas: Parts of the Exmoor coast are designated (e.g., SSSI/Heritage Coast). Keep to paths; bait digging and removal of natural materials may be restricted—follow on-site signage and IFCA byelaws.
• No fires or camping on the cliffs/beach; take all litter and line home.
• If using a drop net or gaff from higher rocks, use it responsibly; gaffing is not appropriate for fish intended for release.
• Check local byelaws for netting/collecting restrictions and any seasonal closures before your trip.