Summer Sea-Angling on Chesil Beach with Saltwater Angling
Welcome to Saltwater Angling's summer guide to fishing Chesil Beach – Dorset's iconic 18-mile shingle sweep that serves up species diversity, stunning scenery, and year-round opportunity. Whether you're new to the beach or returning with seasoned rigs and big plans, this breakdown gives you everything you need to target cod, mackerel, bass, wrasse, flatfish and more, with gear crafted for each zone.
Why Chesil in Summer?
Summer transforms Chesil into a multispecies playground. From early mackerel runs to late-evening smoothound patrols, it’s a season of action. Dawn and dusk bring fast pelagic feeding frenzies; midday flatfish hunting; night-time prowlers like conger and bass move in close.
Introducing: The Chesil Collection Rigs
Designed and tested by Saltwater Angling, our Chesil Collection series is built to dominate all beach zones:
*Pulley Pennel 4/0: Cod and bass essential, strong in flow.
* Loop Rig 3/0: Great for mixed ground, delivers versatile presentation.
* Dongle Rig 4/0: Perfect for clean beach species, adds movement.
* Two-Hook Dongle Plaice Rig #1: Designed for day bites.
* Sole Destroyer #2: Light-touch rig for smaller flats in calm water.
* Conger Rig 6/0-8/0: When the darkness brings the beasts.
All rigs are hand-tied with 80-lb bodies, 50-lb snoods, ultra-strong swivels, beads and crimps.
Portland (Eastern Ledges)
- Coarse pebbles, fierce currents, and rocky ledges.
- Ideal for wrasse, pollock, conger, and bass.
- Use float rigs or metals at dawn/dusk for wrasse & pollock.
- Night: Pulley Pennel or Conger Rig with squid, mackerel.
Ferrybridge (Fleet Inlet & Shingle Ramp)
- Sharp drop-off, deep water meets tide race.
- Codling, flatfish, rays, smoothhound all show here
- Try Dongle Rig or Two-Hook Plaice Rig by day.
- Pulley Pennel or Conger Rig for cod and conger after dusk.
Abbotsbury (Cod Heartland)
- Deep channel lies close in.
- Paternoster or Pulley rigs with lugworm or peeler crab.
- Strong tides, ideal for cod and bass.
- Chesil Collection's Loop Rig and Dongle Rig both excel.
West Bexington & Cogden (Flatfish Central)
- Smoother shingle, wide surf line.
- Daylight shines for plaice, sole, smooth hound.
- Twin-hook flappers or Dongle Rigs with lugworm.
- Sole Destroyer #2 comes into its own here.
Hive Beach (Quiet End of the Line)
- Dogfish, small conger, sole, plaice
- Gently sloping, less pressured.
- Great for relaxed sessions with mixed species.
- Use lighter Dongle or Pull-through rigs for maximum feedback.
Seasonal Tips & Strategy
- Mornings & Evenings: Target bass, mackerel, garfish on lures.
- Midday: Seek out flatfish with static rigs and worm baits.
- After Dark: Big baits, big rigs – cod and conger come in tight.
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Watch for moon phases and water clarity – big tides stir bigger fish
Live Forecasts & Guided Sessions
SaltwaterAngling.co.uk delivers live updates on tide, wind, moon and wave height. Want to learn hands-on? Book a guided session and master these marks with confidence and clarity.
Final Word
Chesil is more than a beach – it’s a living, changing ecosystem. With the right rigs, right strategy and a little local knowledge, it can produce some of the best summer shore angling in the UK. Whether you're headed for the rough edges of Portland or the peaceful flats of Hive, our Chesil Collection rigs will give you the edge.
Tight lines and clean beaches. See you out there.