Fishes most states of tide Beach Not yet visited by us
The gentlest bit of Chesil for a first visit. Fish close to the car park and stay into dark.
English Channel · England
Dorset, Hampshire and the Solent
Chesil Beach, Portland and the Purbeck coast give deep water, bream and winter codling. Further east, the Solent and Southampton Water are fast, muddy and sheltered, with smoothhound, rays and bass. Several harbours here are bass nursery areas.
12 shore marks · Rules from Southern IFCA, checked 18 October 2026
Stay safe on this coast
- Tides. Know the time of high water and your way off before you go out. Marks that fish around high water or on the flood can cut you off.
- Cut-offs. Sandbanks, causeways and headlands flood from behind. After storms, re-walk even a familiar beach in daylight.
- Rock. Watch the sea for 10 minutes before you go down: big waves come in sets. Wet weed is like ice. Never fish rock alone in the dark.
- Lifejacket. Wear a lifejacket (PFD) on rocks, piers and walls, with the crotch strap fastened.
- Emergency. Call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard. Never go in after someone: call, and throw something that floats.
More in Rules and safety.
Rules
Rules in Dorset, Hampshire and the Solent
Last checked 18 October 2026Regulator: Southern IFCA. Always check its own page before you keep a fish.
- Bass: minimum size 42cm. Catch and release only from 1 February to 31 March. In January and from 1 April to 31 December you may keep 3 bass per angler per day. No bass may be taken with fixed or drift nets. These rules apply from the shore and from boats.
- Southern IFCA's Minimum Conservation Reference Size Byelaw applies to anglers as well as commercial fishers. Undersized fish and shellfish must go back to the sea straight away.
- Black bream have a 23cm minimum across the district. Wrasse minimum sizes are now in the same byelaw and apply to anglers. The byelaw's size list (PDF) could not be read for this check, so the other sizes in the table are marked check locally.
- Bass nursery areas: Southampton Water, Portsmouth Harbour, Langstone Harbour, Chichester Harbour and Poole Harbour, 30 April to 1 November. The Fleet and the Fawley power station area, all year. In these areas you must not fish for bass from a boat, or use sandeel as bait from a boat for any species.
- The nursery rules cover boats, not the shore. The February and March catch and release period still applies inside them.
- Southern IFCA's Net Fishing Byelaw bans using a net in a bass nursery area during its closed period if any bass is on you or on the boat.
- Foul hooking: you must not use any device to foul-hook mullet or bass.
- Shellfish: cockles that pass through a 23.8mm square gauge, mussels under 50mm and oysters that pass through a 70mm ring must not be taken.
- Black bream in the Purbeck Coast, Poole Rocks and Southbourne Rough MCZs: from 1 April 2026 Southern IFCA asks all anglers to follow voluntary handling guidance during the breeding season (1 April to 31 July) and to report catches. Parts of the Purbeck Coast MCZ are also closed to all sea users when the Ministry of Defence ranges are in use.
- Bait digging, access to the Fleet and harbour rules vary by site. Check locally with the harbour authority and Southern IFCA.
Rules change, usually each spring. Where a rule says check locally, ask the regulator or harbour office before you fish.
Minimum sizes
Last checked 18 October 2026Regulator: Southern IFCA. Always check its own page before you keep a fish.
| Species | Legal minimum |
|---|---|
| Bass | 42cm |
| Black bream | 23cm |
| Cod | 35cm (check locally) |
| Pollack | 30cm (check locally) |
| Ballan wrasse | 18cm (check locally) |
| Corkwing wrasse | 14cm (check locally) |
| Thick-lipped and thin-lipped grey mullet | 42cm (check locally) |
| Golden grey mullet | 36cm (check locally) |
| Plaice | 27cm (check locally) |
| Flounder | 27cm (check locally) |
| Whiting | 27cm (check locally) |
| Sole | 24cm (check locally) |
| Dab | 23cm (check locally) |
| Turbot | 30cm (check locally) |
| Mussel | 50mm |
| Native oyster | Must not pass a 70mm ring |
Tip of the snout to the end of the tail. Use the strictest figure you know as your own minimum.
Rules change, usually each spring. Where a rule says check locally, ask the regulator or harbour office before you fish.
Headline fish
April to October
Black bream
Season
Weymouth, Portland and Purbeck. Small hooks with thin strips of squid or rag, fished just off rough ground.
Species guide: Black bream
May to September
Smoothhound
Season
The Solent, Hurst and Hayling. Peeler or hardback crab on a long pulley rig, with the drag set light.
Species guide: Smoothhound
March to October
Thornback ray
Season
Solent marks and Seatown after a blow. Sandeel or mackerel on a long trace behind the lead.
Species guide: Thornback ray
September to November
Squid
Season
Chesil and Portland on calm, clear nights near the full moon. A single jig, lifted and wound slowly.
October to February
Codling and whiting
Season
Chesil after a northerly with a little colour. Lug or squid, and stay on into dark.
Species guide: Cod and codling Whiting
Marks
The marks below are researched from public sources and local anglers' videos. We haven't fished them yet, so each is labelled Not yet visited by us. Drive times from your postcode are on the Marks page.
Fishes most states of tide Beach Not yet visited by us
Very steep shingle and deep water close in. Stay well back from the surf in any swell.
Fishes most states of tide Beach Not yet visited by us
Best in coloured water after a blow. Keep away from the cliffs, which fall.
Fishes most states of tide Rock Not yet visited by us
Ledges over a fierce tide race. Calm days only, never near the water's edge in swell.
Fishes most states of tide Pier Not yet visited by us
Easy, safe family spot at the harbour mouth. Busy in summer, so cast with care.
Flood tide only Harbour Not yet visited by us
Very strong run at the harbour mouth. Busy with boats, so watch your line.
Fishes most states of tide Rock Not yet visited by us
Rock groyne, slippery when wet. A fair walk from the car park.
Fishes most states of tide Beach Not yet visited by us
Long shingle walk and a very strong tide. Heavy leads needed; avoid in a big sea.
Flood tide only Beach Not yet visited by us
Strong Solent tide but firm ground. The concrete is slippery and gates lock at night.
Fishes most states of tide Sea wall Not yet visited by us
Sheltered fallback in rough weather. Bass nursery area, so return bass. Take litter home.
Flood tide only Harbour Not yet visited by us
Fierce tide and deep water close in. Bass nursery area, so return bass.
Flood tide only Beach Not yet visited by us
Park near the marina. Strong tide at the Chichester Harbour mouth.
Local tips
New to Chesil? Start at West Bexington. The beach slopes gently, the pebbles are small and you can fish a short walk from the car.
On Chesil the tide pushes along the beach. Cast a little up-tide and let the lead swing round to sit in front of you.
If it is slow in daylight on Chesil, stay on. Whiting and squid often come on as soon as it gets dark.
For Chesil squid, use a single jig on a calm autumn night. Lift it twice, wind slowly and do not strike, as the jig has no barbs.
Freeze black lug one at a time in paper and it fishes nearly as well as fresh. Worms thrown in the freezer loose are no good.
At Sandy Point, a pulley rig of about 3ft with a 3/0 and crab or prawn takes smoothhound. Keep the drag light or the rod can go in.
Lepe has a strong pull, but the bottom is firm, so you can fish right through the flood. The deeper water is by the old D-Day concrete.
At Seatown after a blow, rays took big sandeel baits fished on a long trace behind the lead.
In our own words, cross-checked against local anglers. Rules always come from the regulator, not a video.
Crabbing on this coast: family spots, and the crab and lobster rules for every regulator, are on Crabbing. Squid: Weymouth, Portland, Chesil and the Solent, from August to December, with high confidence. See Squid and cuttlefish.
Local tackle and bait shops, charter boats and clubs: we're building these lists. Run one? Add it free.
Before you go
- Tide times for the nearest port: EasyTide (UK Hydrographic Office).
- Wind and sea state: Met Office inshore waters forecast.
- Access to piers, harbours and ports changes. Check with the owner or harbour office before your first visit.