Fishing at Teignmouth Seafront & Back Beach

Beach / Quay (pier currently storm-damaged)Devon🐾 Seasonal daytime dog ban★★☆ family

A versatile estuary-mouth venue where the sandy Town Beach faces open Channel water for bass and mackerel, while the sheltered Back Beach quays on the River Teign give easy, low-effort access to mullet, flounder and small wrasse right off the walls.

📍 View on the map

What you can catch

Species	Season	Method
Bass	Apr–Nov	Float-fished or freelined live sandeel in the estuary current off Back Beach/Polly Steps, or worm/crab baits fished down the outgoing tide from Town Beach.
Mackerel	Jun–Sep	Feathers cast from the beach or quay wall on summer evenings when shoals move through the estuary mouth.
Grey mullet	May–Oct	Light float tackle with bread or maggot around the harbour quays and Back Beach on a rising tide.
Flounder	Oct–Feb	Small hooks with worm or fish strip fished hard on the bottom in the estuary channel through winter.
Pollack	Apr–Oct	Lures or float-fished sandeel worked around the rocky Polly Steps slipway, best in low light.

Tactics

Fish the outgoing tide for the best results, especially around Back Beach quays and Polly Steps where estuary current concentrates bait; open Town Beach side rewards standard beachcaster tactics with worm/crab bait after dark or in coloured water following a blow.

Best tide: Outgoing/ebb tide, 2 hours either side of low water for estuary marks · Best time: Dusk into darkness, especially summer evenings for bass and mullet

Dogs

Teignbridge District Council PSPO: dogs NOT permitted 1 April to 30 September on the main Town Beach between the Eastcliff slipway and the lighthouse at The Point. Dogs ARE allowed all year at River Beach (Back Beach), from the lighthouse round to Back Beach, and between Eastcliff and Holcombe. On-lead required around the Den and Promenade.

Access & parking

Park at the seafront (Eastcliff/lighthouse area) or Eastcliffe car park off Dawlish Road, a short level walk to Town Beach, the Den and promenade; Back Beach and quays reached via Northumberland Place/Quay Road. Sat-nav: TQ14 8BL.Get directions → Family rating: ★★☆ — Back Beach quays are calm and easy for supervised kids to fish from, but the Town Beach/estuary mouth has real tidal current on the ebb. Note: Teignmouth Pier suffered major structural damage (loss of its end section) in Storm Ingrid, late January 2026, with no confirmed reopening as of July 2026 — not currently a fishable or safe structure.

FAQs

Can I still fish from Teignmouth Pier?

Not currently — the pier's end section collapsed into the sea during Storm Ingrid in January 2026 and no reopening date has been announced. Fish the adjacent Town Beach or Back Beach quays instead.

Are dogs allowed on Teignmouth beach?

Only outside the main tourist stretch. Teignbridge's PSPO bans dogs from Town Beach (Eastcliff slipway to The Point lighthouse) 1 April to 30 September, but Back Beach (River Beach) is dog-friendly all year.

What's the best bait for bass at Teignmouth?

Live sandeel freelined into the estuary current, or fresh crab and worm fished on the outgoing tide.

Nearby marks

Exmouth Beach & Exe Estuary Mouth · Slapton Sands

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.