Runswick Bay

Runswick Bay is a classic North Yorkshire east-coast mark: a broad, sheltered-looking bay beneath the old village, with rocky scars, kelp, gullies and mixed ground that can produce fish throughout much of the year. It is most valued for winter codling and autumn/winter mixed fishing, while the rougher ground and headlands offer summer sport for pollack, wrasse and mackerel.

• The main shore options are the beach and scar in front of the village, with more demanding rock-mark fishing towards the bay’s edges.
• It is a scenic but tide-sensitive venue; the sea can change quickly and the apparent shelter of the bay should not be underestimated.
• The mark suits anglers willing to walk, read the ground and time their session around a rising tide and workable sea conditions.

Runswick Bay lies on the North Yorkshire coast between Whitby and Saltburn, with the fishing centred on the village frontage, beach and rocky foreshore. Access is generally via the village and its steep routes down towards the shore, rather than by driving directly to the water.

• Use the designated village parking and follow public access routes to the beach; spaces can be limited, particularly in summer and at weekends.
• The walk down is straightforward for many anglers, but the return ascent is steep and significantly harder with a loaded fishing bag, bait and wet clothing.
• The beach gives the easiest approach, while reaching productive scars, gullies and outer rock requires walking over uneven and often slippery foreshore.
• Avoid obstructing narrow roads, residents’ access, slipways or working areas around the village.

Runswick can produce a good North Sea mixed bag, with the best target species changing markedly with season, sea state and the ground being fished. Codling are the headline fish in colder months, but the bay has worthwhile summer fishing when conditions are settled.

• Cod and codling are the principal autumn and winter targets, especially after a moderate sea has coloured the water and moved fish onto the inshore rough ground.
• Pollack and ballan wrasse are realistic summer targets around kelp beds, broken rock and deeper gullies; smaller fish are common, but better fish are possible from less-disturbed ground.
• Mackerel can appear in warmer months when shoals are close in, particularly where there is clear water and some depth.
• Bass may turn up over mixed sand-and-rock ground in the warmer part of the year; treat them as an occasional but credible target rather than a certainty.
• Dab, flounder, whiting, pouting, coalfish and occasional dogfish can supplement catches, depending on season and exactly where the bait is presented.

Fishing methods should match the ground: clean-ish patches and channels reward a conventional bait approach, while the kelp and rock demand tackle that can cope with snags. A session is usually more productive when baits are placed deliberately in a gully, sandy pocket or edge of rough ground rather than cast blindly as far as possible.

• For codling, use a robust beach or rock setup with sufficient weight to hold bottom, abrasion-resistant line or leader material, and simple strong hook patterns suited to bulky baits.
• Fresh or well-presented crab, lugworm, mussel, squid and fish baits are all useful options; crab and worm combinations are traditional rough-ground choices when codling are feeding.
• Keep casts controlled over kelp and broken ground. A shorter cast into a known clear channel can be far more effective, and cheaper, than repeatedly launching into dense snaggy reef.
• For pollack, work a soft plastic, jelly eel, small metal lure or spinner slowly through deeper water beside kelp, using tackle heavy enough to turn a fish before it reaches cover.
• Wrasse fishing is often best with crab, worm or shellfish-style baits lowered or cast carefully into holes and kelpy margins; expect tackle losses and use a landing net only where it can be deployed safely.
• Mackerel feathers, small lures and spinners can work when fish are present, but avoid excessive multi-hook rigs from crowded or awkward rocks.

The bay is best treated as a tide-led rock and beach venue rather than a place to fish indiscriminately at any state of water. Productive ground can become reachable as the tide rises, yet the same tide can remove the route back across the foreshore.

• A flooding tide and the period around high water are often the most useful times for beach and lower-shore fishing, with fish moving closer over the rough ground.
• Low water can reveal gullies, scars and possible casting lanes, so it is valuable for reconnaissance; do not remain on a ledge or scar that will be cut off by the flood.
• For codling, a moderate coloured sea is generally preferable to bright, calm, gin-clear water. Very heavy seas can make the mark unsafe and unfishable.
• Clear, settled summer conditions are often better for pollack, wrasse and mackerel, especially around deeper kelp-lined water.
• Wind direction and swell matter more than a simple weather forecast: an easterly or north-easterly swell can make the shoreline dangerous even if local winds seem manageable.
• Check tide tables, swell forecasts and conditions on arrival, then identify a safe retreat route before setting up.

Runswick Bay is not a fully accessible fishing venue once an angler leaves the village-level access: the foreshore is uneven, slippery and can be cut off rapidly. It is unsuitable for anyone unable to manage steep walking, loose stones, seaweed-covered rock and a potentially wet exit.

• Wear a proper flotation device when fishing close to the water or from rock, plus studded boots or other footwear with reliable grip; ordinary trainers are a poor choice on wet scars.
• Never turn your back on the sea. Sets of larger waves can arrive after apparently quiet periods, particularly when there is easterly swell.
• Fish with a companion where possible, carry a charged phone in a waterproof case, and tell someone your intended return time.
• Do not cross exposed scars late in the tide, in darkness without prior knowledge, or when waves are washing their route; leave early rather than attempting a last-minute escape.
• Cliff edges, loose ground and rock falls are additional hazards around the bay margins. Keep well back from unstable cliff bases and do not fish beneath overhangs.
• The beach frontage is the least technical option, but it still involves shingle, tidal movement and a steep return to the upper village.

The village is well used by visitors and has amenities, but anglers should regard them as village facilities rather than facilities provided for a fishing mark. Plan to be self-sufficient once on the shore.

• Designated parking is available in or near the village, but availability and any charges should be checked locally before travel.
• Seasonal food, drink and toilet provision may be available in the village, though opening arrangements can vary; do not rely on late-night access.
• There are no guaranteed tackle, bait-preparation or fish-cleaning facilities on the foreshore.
• Take all litter, discarded line, bait packaging and lost-rig waste home. The beach and village are heavily valued by residents and visitors.
• A compact trolley may help on the more level sections, but it will not eliminate the difficulty of the steep approach and rough foreshore.

The most consistent Runswick anglers spend time learning the ground at low water and then return at a safer, more productive stage of tide. The difference between a clean sandy pocket, a fish-holding kelp edge and an unrecoverable snag can be only a few metres.

• Arrive early in busy periods so that parking, the walk down and choosing a sensible fishing position are not rushed.
• Travel light enough to retreat quickly, but carry spare end tackle: rough ground can be expensive on rigs and weights.
• Watch where experienced local anglers fish, but give them room and do not assume their route across the rocks is safe for an unfamiliar visitor.
• If the sea is too large for the bay, do not try to force a session from exposed rocks; choose a safer alternative mark or abandon the trip.
• For catch quality and fish welfare, use only what you need, return unwanted fish promptly, and take particular care with wrasse caught from deep water or heavy kelp.

Sea angling is not generally prohibited at Runswick Bay, but access and fishing can be affected by local signs, land-management requirements, seasonal arrangements and conservation measures. This is a shared village, beach and coastal environment, so anglers should check current information rather than relying on old reports.

• Observe all posted notices, parking conditions, access restrictions and any instructions from landowners, harbour or local authorities.
• Check current national rules for species subject to recreational restrictions, especially bass, before retaining any fish; rules can change and size, bag and seasonal provisions must be verified from official sources.
• Follow current minimum-size and conservation guidance for all retained species, and release undersized, prohibited or unwanted fish carefully.
• Do not interfere with boats, beach users, wildlife, nets or other lawful coastal activity, and avoid casting where members of the public could be put at risk.
• If intending to collect bait or shellfish, check the applicable local rules and protected-area restrictions first; do not assume that collecting from the shore is automatically permitted.
• Where signage is unclear or access appears disputed, choose another area or seek clarification locally rather than crossing private land or ignoring a restriction.