Bantham • Salcombe • South Devon
Sea Fishing Marks & GPS Waypoints
13 boat marks from Challaborough to Start Point • Species, lures & seasonal guide
13
Marks
7
Reef
2
Sheltered
15+
Species
Reef
Tidal race
Sheltered
Pelagics
Launch
🎣 Reef Marks
Bolt Head Reef TOP MARK
50.2180°N, 3.7870°W
Bass • Pollack • Wrasse
Heavy reef and kelp forest. Drift with soft plastics on the tide. Best fishing 2 hours either side of high water. Watch the tidal race around the headland — it can be fierce on springs.
Lures: Fiiish Black Minnow 120mm, Savage Gear Sandeel, OSP DoLive Stick
Blackstone Rocks
50.2120°N, 3.7890°W
Bass • Pollack • Mackerel
Submerged reef system 200m south of Bolt Head. Brilliant pollack on the drop-offs where reef meets sand. The structure runs east-west so drift parallel to it.
Lures: Sidewinder Sandeel (blue/silver), white shads on 15g jigheads
Starehole Bay
50.2210°N, 3.7810°W
Bass • Wrasse • Pollack
Sheltered bay between Bolt Head and Sharp Tor. Rocky bottom with thick kelp. Excellent wrasse fishing tight to the rocks and bass patrolling the edges. More protected than open coast marks.
Lures: Texas-rigged creature baits for wrasse, small surface poppers for bass at dusk
Mew Stone
50.2150°N, 3.7780°W
Pollack • Wrasse • Mackerel
Offshore rock pinnacle south of the harbour entrance. Anchor up and fish vertically with jigs and shads. Moderate current — fish the slack periods for easier drifts. Good pollack on the deeper side.
Lures: Vertical jigs 40-80g, Berkley Gulp sandeels
Prawle Point ADVANCED
50.2170°N, 3.7080°W
Bass • Pollack • Mackerel • Garfish
Premier South Devon mark. 20-minute run east from Salcombe. Heavy reef structure with strong tidal flows producing excellent bass. Only attempt in flat calm conditions with a small boat. The tidal race here is serious.
Lures: Large Fiiish Black Minnow (140mm), Megabass X-Layer, live sandeel if available
Burgh Island Reef
50.2790°N, 3.8970°W
Bass • Wrasse • Pollack
East side of Burgh Island. Rocky reef extending into the channel between the island and the mainland. Good bass on a flooding tide. Launch from Challaborough beach (5 mins) or run from Salcombe (15 mins).
Lures: Fiiish Black Minnow 120mm, Xlayer, small Dexter Wedge for mackerel
Start Point ADVANCED — FLAT CALM ONLY
50.2220°N, 3.6390°W
Bass • Pollack • Rays • Tope
One of the premier bass marks in the entire UK. 20-minute run east from Salcombe. Massive reef system with ferocious tidal race. Only for experienced boat anglers in settled weather. Rewards are exceptional — double-figure bass are caught here regularly.
Lures: Large soft plastics, live baits. Bottom fishing with whole mackerel for rays and tope.
🟡 Tidal Race
Salcombe Bar CAUTION
50.2250°N, 3.7750°W
Bass • Smoothhound
The tidal race at the harbour mouth creates feeding lanes where bass ambush baitfish swept through the current. Fish the edges of the race, not the main flow. Dangerous in any swell — the bar breaks heavily on ebb tide with an onshore wind. Check conditions before crossing.
Lures: Heavy shads (25g+), Fiiish Black Minnow 140mm Shore, weighted sandeels
🟢 Sheltered Marks (Bad Weather Options)
The Bag (Inner Estuary)
50.2380°N, 3.7690°W
Bass • Flounder • Mullet
The inner Salcombe estuary. Fish here when conditions are too rough for open water. Bass patrol the channel edges, especially on a flooding tide. Flounder on the sand/mud patches. Surprisingly productive for a sheltered mark.
Lures: Small soft plastics (7-10cm), drop-shot rigs for flounder, bread flake for mullet
Snapes Point
50.2310°N, 3.7730°W
Bass • Wrasse
Rocky point inside the estuary. Best at dusk and dawn — bass come in close to feed on crabs and prawns around the rocks. Surface lures with a walk-the-dog retrieve are deadly here on calm summer evenings.
Lures: IMA Hound 125F, Xorus Patchinko, small surface poppers
🟣 Open Water
Mackerel Ground
50.2050°N, 3.7650°W
Mackerel • Garfish
Open water half a mile south of the harbour mouth. June to September, mackerel shoals pass through here reliably. Feathers or a Dexter Wedge will fill a bucket in minutes when the shoals are in. Garfish on the surface — use a thin sliver of mackerel skin on a small hook with a float.
Lures: Sabiki feathers, Dexter Wedge (any colour), small metal jigs
⚓ Wreck
The Demetrios
50.2050°N, 3.7900°W
Pollack • Conger • Wrasse
Small wreck in 15-20m south of Bolt Head. The closest fishable wreck to Salcombe. Pollack school above the wreckage — drift over it with shads. Conger in the structure if bottom fishing with mackerel bait at night. Accessible in a small boat on calm days.
Lures: Sidewinder sandeels, large shads on 20g jigheads. Bottom: whole mackerel fillet for conger.
📅 Seasonal Guide
🌸 Spring (Mar-May)
Bass returning inshore. Pollack on the reefs. Wrasse active. Mackerel arriving late May. Water 10-13°C.
☀️ Summer (Jun-Aug)
Peak season. Mackerel everywhere. Bass on reefs and bars. Smoothhound. Garfish. Best variety. Water 15-18°C.
🍂 Autumn (Sep-Nov)
Bass feeding hard before winter. Big fish. Mackerel thinning. Rays moving inshore. Best trophy bass month: October.
❄️ Winter (Dec-Feb)
Quiet but not dead. Whiting, dogfish, flounder in the estuary. Shore fishing better than boat. Cold and rough — pick your days.
⚠️ Safety — Small Boat Fishing
The South Devon coast is exposed to Atlantic swell. Always check the forecast (Windy, Met Office Marine) before launching. Wear a kill cord. Carry flares and a VHF or waterproof phone. Tell someone your plan and expected return time. The bar at Salcombe is particularly dangerous on an ebb tide with onshore wind — if in doubt, don't cross it. Respect the sea and it'll reward you.