Fishing at Slapton Sands

BeachDevon🐾 Seasonal daytime dog ban★★☆ family

A vast, steep shingle beach in Start Bay between Strete Gate and Torcross that drops quickly into deep, clean ground — a reliable all-round mark with year-round prospects for rays, bass and smoothhound.

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What you can catch

Species	Season	Method
Smoothhound	May–Aug, peak late spring–midsummer	Peeler or shore crab on strong, abrasion-resistant snoods, flooding tide into darkness.
Bass	Apr–Nov, often best in autumn	Crab, worm or lure fished close over the steep shingle drop, especially dawn/dusk/after dark.
Small-eyed / thornback ray	May–Sep	Sandeel or fish bait fished at range on a flooding tide.
Mackerel / garfish	Jun–Sep	Feathers or spinners, productive well into the evening in summer.
Whiting / pouting	Oct–Feb	Worm/fish-strip cocktails fished on the bottom through autumn and winter.

Tactics

The steep shingle drops straight into deep water, so fish close rather than casting to distance; the banker pattern is a flooding tide into darkness for smoothhound and bass, with mackerel and garfish keeping rods bent well into summer evenings.

Best tide: Flooding tide into darkness · Best time: Dawn, dusk and after dark

Dogs

South Hams District Council bans dogs from the beach zone 1 May–31 October, 10am–6pm; footpath access along the top of the beach is allowed year-round. Note: as of 2026 the A379 north of Torcross is closed due to storm damage, which may affect access — check current road status before travelling.

Access & parking

Park at Strete Gate car park (north end) or the Slapton Memorial/Torcross car parks (south end). Sat-nav: TQ6 0RR.Get directions → Family rating: ★★☆ — Long, open shingle beach with car parks at both ends, but it shelves steeply into deep water close to the tideline, so keep younger children well back from the water's edge.

FAQs

Are dogs allowed on Slapton Sands?

Not on the beach zone between 1 May and 31 October, 10am to 6pm; the footpath along the top is accessible year-round, and the beach is unrestricted outside those dates/hours.

When's the best time for smoothhound at Slapton?

Late spring to midsummer (May–Aug), fishing peeler or shore crab on a flooding tide into darkness.

Is the road to Slapton Sands currently open?

Check before travelling — as of 2026 the A379 north of Torcross has been closed due to storm damage, which may affect access to parts of the beach.

Nearby marks

Salcombe (Bolt Head) · Teignmouth Seafront & Back Beach

Last updated 7 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.