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Fishing in Torbay

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Foreshore

Bass, pollack, mackerel, wrasse and garfish in the summer.

Dogfish, whiting, rockling and pout in the winter.

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6. Meadfoot Beach, Marks out of 10: 6, Status: Worth a go

A stony beach inbetween Hopes Nose and Torquay Harbour, Meadfoot offers a variety of species and a slipway suitable for launching kayaks at the top of the tide. The right hand side, facing the sea, is most often fished with pollack, bass and the occasional wrasse turning up on live prawns while the rocks at the very end of the beach offer mackerel and garfish.
   
Legering can turn up dogfish, whiting, eels and the occasional flatfish when you get past the rocks and onto the mud mixture beyond but tackle losses are likely to be high. Use rotten bottom tackle to minimise expense. Kayakers tend to fish around Shag Rock, where there are plenty of pollack, wrasse and the occasional bass, but going round the corner can also be productive.

7. Torquay Harbour, Marks out of 10: 7, Status: Recommended in Winter, Worth a go in Summer

The two outer piers of the harbour - Harldon Pier and Princess Pier - are where most fishing takes place although the two piers have very different characters. Harldon offers a good head of pollack, mackerel, garfish and rock species like wrasse and the occasional bass but it is not the easiest place to fish. Princess Pier is far more user friendly and, while offering the same species, has also a sandy bottom which can open up other opportunities. In the last couple of years, for example, gilthead bream have turned up in numbers, along with golden grey mullet on ragworm, while black bream, though present, have been noticeably fewer than they were in the past. Whiting, in the winter, turn up in large numbers and can be fished for in a variety of ways, including legering, float fishing and even on the fly with hokai headed lures or other fry imitations. Dogfish and pouting make their inevitable apearance, as do rockling and eels, but there are also occasions when some good flounders make a surprise appearance.

8. Torre Abbey Sands, Marks out of 10: 6, Status: Recommended in Summer, Worth a go in Winter

Fishing from the beach, near the harbour, can be very good and offers a variety of species. Golden grey mullet turn up in season and, in the last couple of years, there have been good numbers of gilthead bream with the occasional couch's bream thrown in for good measure. Flounders are present for much of the year, as are rockling, pout and dogfish, while the area can also fish well for whiting and bass. Although you would expect prawn to be a good bait here, we have found ragworms to be far more effective.
   
Kayakers can launch from the harbour or the slipway, where the sheltered waters of the bay offer some good conditions for fishing. Stick close to features, like the Harbraik, or work your way along the coast. There are some good shoals of mullet to be tried for with simple rigs like bread on small bubble floats and shoals of mackerel will appear with the rising tide.
   
Fishing from the middle of the beach can produce but, generally, it is better to stick close to features for the best chance of success. Time of day will also play a part with early to late evening likely to provide the best sport.

Bass, pollack, mackerel, golden grey mullet, gilthead and black bream, wrasse and garfish in the summer.

Dogfish, whiting, rockling and pout in the winter.

Bass, flatfish, golden grey mullet, gilthead and black bream in the summer.

Dogfish, whiting, rockling and pout in the winter.