Fishing at Lyme Regis (The Cobb)

HarbourDorset🐾 Seasonal daytime dog ban★★☆ family

The historic curving stone Cobb gives two very different marks in one walk — rough, kelpy, deeper water on the outer face and calmer, cleaner ground inside the harbour.

📍 View on the map

What you can catch → Full fish guide

Species	Season	Method
Mackerel	Jun–Sep	Feathers or small spinners fished from the outer wall on the flood
Wrasse	Apr–Oct	Float fished over the boulders and kelp on light gear, crab or ragworm
Bull Huss (Greater-Spotted Dogfish)	Aug–Nov	Ledgered squid or mackerel flapper after dark on the outer Cobb
Bass	May–Oct	Lure or livebait fished tight to the wall margins on a rising tide

Tactics

Fish the outer Cobb (the Canon Wall stretch) for depth and rougher sport but expect to lose terminal tackle over kelp and boulders — float fishing or single-hook lures cut losses. The inner harbour side is calmer and better suited to bottom fishing for dogfish, pouting and flatfish.

Best tide: Flood tide · Best time: Summer evenings

Dogs

Dorset Council PSPO bans dogs from the Cobb to town between 1 May and 30 Sept; outside that window dogs must be kept on a lead on the harbour, slipway and sea walls year-round. (the Dorset page names "Lyme Regis front beach" with matching seasonal dates but never mentions the Cobb, harbour, slipway, or sea-wall lead rules specifically claimed)

Unofficial source: View the supporting source →Not an authority; check current signage.

Access & parking

Cobb Gate car park is a short level walk from the harbour wall itself. Sat-nav: DT7 3QD.Get directions → Family rating: ★★☆ — Level walking along the Cobb but sheer drops into the harbour on one side, so keep small children close.

FAQs

Can you fish from the Cobb at Lyme Regis?

Yes, both faces of the Cobb are popular shore marks — the outer side is rougher and deeper, the inner side calmer.

Is the Cobb dog friendly?

Dogs are banned on the Cobb itself between 1 May and 30 Sept; at other times they must be kept on a lead there and on the harbour walls.

What can you catch off the Cobb?

Mackerel and wrasse are the summer mainstay, with bull huss, bass, dogfish and pouting also regular.

Nearby marks

West Bay · Sidmouth (Port Royal)

Last updated 16 July 2026 — sources & disclaimer

Compiled from angling guides, forums and the relevant council's dog byelaws, cross-checked where possible.

Rules and conditions change, so always check current signage and tides before you go. We do our best to keep this accurate but can't promise it's error-free.