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Fishing in Torbay
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Living
Foreshore
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Mackerel, Bass and Pollack
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  1. Maidencombe Beach, Marks out of 10: 3, Status: Not recommended
Situated between Teignmouth and Torbay, Maidencombe is a picturesque place to fish, albeit a bit of a pain to get to and completely unsuitable for disabled anglers. This is because there is a steep path down from the car park followed by 118 steps. When you do struggle down there, you can be lucky and catch the occasional fish, perhaps on float from the rocks at the side, but on the whole the fishing is pretty mediocre. If you really want to give it a go, the best thing to do is to time your arrival with an early morning or evening high tide and then fish either live prawns or live sandeels from as far out on the rocks as you can reach. You might then catch mackerel, bass or pollack. You also need to watch out for stormy conditions since the wind can whip the sea up quite quickly and then drive into the beach with considerable force.
  1. Oddicombe Beach, Marks out of 10: 5, Status: Worth a go
This is quite a stony beach although it does seem to be popular with families in the Summer. It offers some good fishing on a high tide, particularly into the night and especially during the winter months, but take plenty of tackle since the bottom can be a bit snaggy.
   
To the right of the beach (facing the sea) there is a stone sea wall which gives way into fairly deep water at the top of the tide. This can be inundated wth weed but, when conditions are clear in the Summer, is sometimes patrolled by some fairly decent bass. You could try for these with plugs, probably one of the most underused strategies around the bay, but most successful anglers target them with live sandeels or prawns. Personally, I would try here early morning, at first light, but be prepared to move by 9.00 o'clock.
   
Disabled access is okay, at least as far as getting down to the beach is concerned, but I would not recommend wheelchair users trying to get down on the beach itself.
  1. Babbacombe Beach, Marks out of 10: 7, Status: Recommended only when not crowded
This is again quite a stony beach but has the advantage of a little pier, which was gifted in the last century to 'the fishermen of the bay'. Fishing can be great from here in the winter but, in the summer, it attracts some very strange characters, some of whom make a right pain in the neck of themselves. (If anyone tells you he owns the pier and tries to move you, ignore him. ) Personally, in the summer, I would start fishing early morning and be prepared to move by 9.00 or 10.00 at the latest. After this it gets very crowded and the atmosphere can become more than a little strained. Add in the tourist boats, some of whom cut across angler's lines with total disregard, and daylight fishing in the summer becomes somewhat less attractive.
   
Fishing in the winter, especially at night, can be good at the top of the tide but be aware that it can become very crowded. Leave the tripod at home and stick a cloth on the wall itself - much more friendly to other anglers. Most of the fish caught will be whiting, pout and dogfish although rockling and the occasional, extremely rare cod, have been known to appear.
Bass, pollack, mackerel, wrasse and garfish in the summer.

Dogfish, whiting, rockling and pout in the winter.
Bass, pollack, mackerel, the occasional mullet, wrasse and garfish in the summer.

Dogfish, whiting, rockling and pout in the winter.
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