Slapton Sands and Start Bay
FreeStart Bay in South Devon, including the Slapton Sands beaches and the mark known as the Tank, fishes for plaice, flounder, pollock, wrasse, dogfish, smooth-hound and big winter cod.
Access: No day ticket mentioned by the source
Parking: The source gives no parking details.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
Species you can expect
| Species | Best season |
|---|---|
| Pollock | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
| Wrasse | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
| Dogfish | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
| Pouting | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
| Smooth-hound | Summer |
| Plaice | Spring, Summer |
| Flounder | Winter |
| Cod | Winter |
| Whiting | Winter |
The source says Start Bay is made up of a number of bays and beaches and includes some rockier marks. Pollock and wrasse are caught around the rocks, there are always plenty of dogfish, and pouting show in numbers at times. There is always the chance of a big summer smooth-hound to a peeler or hardback crab bait. The flat sandy beaches produce plaice in spring and summer and flounder in winter. The beaches around Slapton can produce all of these, with the mark known locally as the Tank (near a Second World War Sherman tank memorial) particularly good, and Start Point at the southern limit of the bay another great mark. Big winter cod and plenty of whiting are found through the bay in winter; it suggests a pennell rig with 4/0 to 6/0 hooks and large baits for a big fish. The map pin is on Slapton Sands beach, not on the Tank or Start Point.
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