Eighteen miles of steep shingle running from Portland to West Bay — the most storied beach mark in the south. The shelf drops fast at the Portland end, putting deep water under your rod tip; further west toward Abbotsbury the beach flattens and works better on the flood. Cod and bass move along the shingle through autumn; spotted ray, smoothhound and bull huss show through summer; turbot and plaice come into the deeper sections in spring.
Target species here
Tide times for Chesil Beach
EA gauge · Bournemouth
Next high tide at Chesil Beach is 10:00 (0.7 m). Next low tide 06:00 (-0.8 m).
| ↓ Low | 01:00 | 0.6 m |
| ↑ High | 02:00 | 0.6 m |
| ↓ Low | 05:00 | -0.6 m |
| ↑ High | 10:00 | 1.0 m |
| ↓ Low | 13:00 | 0.6 m |
| ↑ High | 14:00 | 0.7 m |
| ↓ Low | 18:00 | -0.5 m |
| ↑ High | 22:00 | 1.0 m |
Fishes best on the flood.
Access & rules
Park at Ferrybridge, Cogden or West Bexington. Long walks down the back of the beach — wheels for your tackle barrow are essential. The steep shelf at the Portland end is unforgiving on tackle but produces the biggest fish.