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A broad, gently shelving sand and silt beach that fronts Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club on the eastern side of Minehead. It fishes best on the flood and over high water when tides push fish into the gutters and channels that form across the flats. Clean-to-mixed ground suits rays,...
A classic Bristol Channel harbour with extreme tidal range. The inner basin largely dries, but the outer wall and harbour mouth offer productive fishing two to three hours either side of high water. Mixed ground (stone blocks, kelp, and adjacent sand/mud) holds year‑round minis, wrasse, pouting and conger, with bass,...
Wide, exposed shingle and sand beach between Bossington and Porlock Weir on the edge of Exmoor. Clean to mixed ground with gutters and sandbars that shift after storms. Immense Bristol Channel tides mean long flooding and ebbing currents; most fishing is done over the last of the flood into and...
Porlock Weir is a small harbour on the edge of Exmoor with mixed rough ground, boulders and kelp fringes alongside shingle. The Bristol Channel’s huge tidal range means water races past the harbour mouth, with the last third of the flood and first of the ebb often most productive. It’s...
A rough, rocky shoreline on the Portishead coast of the Bristol Channel with fast tidal flow and heavy ground. Best fished around the last two hours of the flood and first hour of the ebb on medium to large springs. Expect strong currents, snaggy bottoms, and rapidly rising water; a...
Wide, shallow Bristol Channel surf beach just north of Weston-super-Mare, backed by dunes with parking close by. Clean sand with shifting gutters and bars; best results 2–3 hours up to high and the first of the ebb, especially after dark. Summer brings rays and dogfish; autumn–winter sees whiting and the...
Somerset’s short but varied coastline fronts the Bristol Channel/Severn Estuary and ranges from Exmoor’s rocky coves around Porlock and Minehead to vast mudflats and sea walls in Bridgwater Bay, then on to long, shallow sands at Burnham, Berrow, Brean and Weston-super-Mare. It experiences one of the world’s largest tidal ranges, creating powerful currents, extensive intertidal ground and highly tidal fishing windows. The area is famed for spring thornback rays, summer smoothhounds and bass, with reliable winter whiting and conger from rougher marks.
Exmoor Coast (Porlock Weir to Minehead)
Blue Anchor Bay & Dunster
Watchet to Kilve, Lilstock and Hinkley Point
Bridgwater Bay & Steart Peninsula
Burnham-on-Sea, Berrow & Brean Down
Weston-super-Mare & Sand Bay (North Somerset)
Clevedon to Portishead (Upper Bristol Channel)
| Season | Most likely species | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Late Winter (Feb) | Flounder, whiting, conger | Estuary flounder tails off by March; conger from rough ground at night. |
| Spring (Mar–May) | Thornback ray, bass (building), dogfish, smoothhound (from May) | Rays arrive with crab moult; bass on smaller tides; hounds start mid/late May with crab. |
| Early Summer (Jun) | Smoothhound (peak), thornback ray, bass, huss | Warmth + crab = hound time; dusk floods excellent. |
| High Summer (Jul–Aug) | Smoothhound, bass, thornback ray, mullet, garfish (west), occasional mackerel (west) | Clear neaps on the Exmoor side may see surface fish; estuary areas stay coloured—bait rules. |
| Early Autumn (Sep–Oct) | Bass (peak), rays, huss, whiting (arrive), conger | Surf bassing after blows; rays steady; nights lengthen for conger. |
| Late Autumn–Winter (Nov–Jan) | Whiting, rays (mild spells), conger, codling (variable) | Codling appear in cold snaps; whiting reliable on most clean-ish venues. |
Beach/estuary ledgering:
Lure fishing (west of Minehead/rocky ground):
Float fishing: Effective for garfish and wrasse on Porlock/rockier marks in summer when water clears.
General considerations: Keep rods high on sea walls to clear weed. A long tripod or rail rest helps. Don’t overcast on shallow bays—fish often run close along the first bank and gutter.
Do I need a licence to sea fish in Somerset?
Where’s good for beginners?
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Are there size or bag limits?
| Area/Mark | Access | Ground | Best species | Prime season | Go-to methods | Safety/notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porlock Weir–Minehead | Harbours, promenades, short walks | Mixed rock, boulder, shingle | Bass, conger, huss, rays; occasional mackerel/gar | May–Oct (bass/rays), year-round conger | Pulley pennel with squid/crab; lures on clear neaps | Cut-off risk on ledges; slippery weeded rock |
| Blue Anchor & Dunster | Promenade/sea wall | Sand/shingle with reef patches | Thornback ray, bass, dogs, smoothhound | Mar–Jun and Sep–Oct (rays), Jun–Aug (hounds/bass) | Grip leads, pulley/up-and-over with squid/crab/lug | Strong tide; fish flood top/first of ebb |
| Watchet–Kilve–Lilstock | Field paths, rough access | Reef/kelp rough ground | Conger, huss, rays, bass, codling (variable) | Apr–Oct (mixed), winter for codling in cold snaps | Rotten-bottom pulley pennel; big fish baits | Slippy ledges; heavy tackle; plan exits |
| Bridgwater Bay & Steart | Sea banks/defences | Estuary channels, mudflats | Smoothhound, rays, bass, flounder | May–Aug (hounds), spring/autumn (rays) | Running ledger/pulley with crab; lug for bass/flounder | No mud walking; fast-flood danger; SSSI rules |
| Burnham–Berrow–Brean | Promenades, beach steps | Shallow sand, banks; rocky headland at Brean | Smoothhound, rays, bass, winter whiting | May–Oct (hounds/bass/rays), Nov–Jan (whiting) | 5–7 oz grips; crab/lug; squid wraps | Soft sand/mud; fierce rips off Brean Down |
| Weston & Sand Bay | Promenades/sea wall | Broad sandy bays | Rays, smoothhound, bass, whiting | May–Oct (rays/hounds/bass), winter whiting | Pulley/flapper; lug, crab, squid | Weed after blows; big intertidal distance |
| Clevedon–Portishead | Promenades/ledges | Rock/clay shelves, strong flow | Rays, conger, whiting, bass | Sep–Nov (mixed), winter whiting | Strong ledgering, short snoods, squid/fish/crab | Some venues permit-only; powerful tide |