Whitburn (Coddy's Point & the Wherry)
FreeA run of natural rock shelves right below Souter Lighthouse, with Coddy's Point and the Wherry the two named marks anglers head for. Cod is the main draw here, especially through winter, but there's a proper mixed bag on offer too, whiting, rockling, flounder, dab, silver eels, wrasse, coalfish, and a summer bass if you're lucky and fish the right state of tide.
Access: Free shore access, no rod licence needed for sea fishing
Parking: Souter Lighthouse car park (National Trust) sits right above the marks, short walk down to the rocks
Last updated: 6 September 2026
Species you can expect
| Species | Best season |
|---|---|
| Cod / codling | Winter |
| Whiting | Winter |
| Rockling | Autumn, Winter |
| Flounder | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
| Dab | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
| Wrasse | Spring, Summer, Autumn |
| Coalfish | Autumn, Winter |
| Bass | Summer |
For cod, step up to a 3/0 to 4/0 Pennell rig loaded with big crab, squid, worm or razorfish, the sort of bait that stands out on rough, snaggy ground. Drop down to a 1/0 to 2/0 paternoster for the smaller stuff. The rock shelves are natural, not built, which means they're slippery in the wet and get swamped fast if the sea's up, and the cliffs above have been eroding for years, so this is a mark to treat with real respect rather than one to wander onto casually.
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