WHERE TO FISH "SOUTH DEVON"

Budleigh Salterton

Budleigh is a beach made up of mainly pebbles (shingle) and the odd patch of sand. It shelves steeply and quickly. At low water you can see just how steeply it shelves. The beach is 2 miles long and stretches from Otter Head to Straight Point. The best fishing comes from the Otter Head end as this is where the River Otter meets the sea. During a flooding tide bass can be caught from the river mouth where the incoming water meeting the water from the river causes a little bit of white water. Underneath the cliffs at Otter Head a pool of water forms and Mullet fill this at high water and can be seen feeding on the surface. If you free line bread or put it under a float it gives you a good chance of catching one. Stretching out from the cliff is a rock shelf which can hold Wrasse and Pollock although a good cast is required to reach them. Ragworm or Crab baits seem to work the best for them. As you move along the beach towards the middle you stand a good chance of catching Dogfish, Small Huss, Pouting, various Flatfish and other bottom feeding fish.

As you get under the cliffs towards Straight Point a cast of 150+ yards at low water will put you on the edge of a reef. If you can cast this far then you stand a chance of getting Conger Eels, Huss, Big Pollock and Wrasse as well as the occasional Black Bream and monster Bass. Once under the cliffs at Straight Point the ground starts to get heavy with tackle losses occurring more. Big Huss and Bass have been caught from this area as well as Congers, Wrasse and Pollock.

If you’re just heading over to Budleigh to fish for Mackerel then they can be caught at any point along the beach at any time of day. The best times being when high tide coincides with summer evenings. The beach can sometimes be packed with anglers but there will always be a spot (It just might require a walk). During the summer months the beach will be packed with tourists all day, so it’s probably best to avoid it then. There is a car park towards Otter Head end of the beach, there will nearly always be room in here but parking charges apply 24/7. There is free parking in front of the main beach for upto 2 hours, these spots go quick though. After 6pm you can park here as long as you want for free.

The best baits to use at Budleigh are Mackerel or Bluey strips, Squid, Crab, Shellfish after a storm and Worm either Rag or Lug