Fishing in Selsey

Fishing at East Beach
Fishing at East Beach
Selsey Bill, courtesy of CoastalJJ
Selsey Bill, courtesy of CoastalJJ
Fishing at Selsey Bill
Fishing at Selsey Bill
White cliffs onthe Isle of Wight in the background behind a yellow fishing boat
Isle of Wight viewed from Marine Beach, courtesy of CoastalJJ

Selsey is a popular destination on the south coast for sea anglers keen on catching a wide selection of fish within its waters. Blessed with three main beach areas for fishing, sea anglers can be regularly seen reeling in their catch.  These areas are East Beach, Selsey Bill and West Beach.  Please do fish responsibly and follow Sussex Inshore Fisheries Conservation Area Code of Practice set out on this page. 

East Beach 

East Beach is home to many species of fish, from Bass, Black Bream, Codling, Conger eels, Dogfish, Garfish, Mackerel, varieties of Rays, Scads, Smooth-hounds, Whiting and Wrasse. 
 
Always choose an area away from the RNLI Lifeboat Station and Selsey Fisheries as boats and moorings can interfere with casting distance.  A short cast will find relatively deep water whether low or high tide.  Be mindful of the effects of strong tidal currents, the water temperature, the weather and height of the tide. To plan for your visit here.

Please note that Bass are catch and release only during the months of January, February and December.  Almost all ray species are classed as Vulnerable or Near Threatened by the IUCN it is recommended that anglers catch and release ray species.

Litter, rig packets and leftover bait etc need to be cleared away from fishing marks and dispose of responsibly 

East Beach has a large, chargeable car park accessible from Beach Road. Set your Sat Nav to PO20 0SZ. 

Selsey Bill 

In summer the waters off Selsey Bill play host to Bass and Black Bream while winter brings with it Bass, Codling and Dogfish.

Selsey Bill is the most southern tip of West Sussex and is subject to strong tidal currents from the channel and it is physically impossible to fish there safely at high tide.  It is best fished a couple of hours either side at low tide when the concrete boulders are revealed for the angler to pitch up on.   Please check the tide times and weather conditions before planning to fish, here.

Please note that Bass are catch and release only during the months of January, February and December. 

Litter, rig packets and leftover bait etc need to be cleared away from fishing marks and disposed of responsibly

Marine car park is the nearest and best place to park. Set your Sat Nav to PO20 0JL.

West Beach 

Bass, Pout and Rays are prominent in this area along with Mackerel, Soles, Scad, Smooth-Hounds and the occasional Tope. 

West Beach is a large expanse of sandy beach leading to Seal bay Resort, RSPB Medmerry and westwards towards Bracklesham.  Fishing is best experienced 3 hours either side of high tide but during high season be mindful of holiday makers swimming here.

Please note that Bass are catch and release only during the months of January, February and December. Almost all ray species are classed as Vulnerable or Near Threatened by the IUCN it is recommended that anglers catch and release ray species. Tope must be released alive due to legislation protecting this species.

Litter, rig packets and leftover bait etc need to be cleared away from fishing marks and disposed of responsibly

There are no public carparks at this side of Selsey, it is recommended to park at Marine Carpark and at low tide walk along the foreshore in a westerly direction. 

When Fishing in Selsey, Please follow the Sussex Inshore Fisheries Conservation Area Code of Practice: 

  • Use circle, barbless or de-barbed hooks when fishing.
  • If practising catch and release, unhook fish in the water or use a suitable
    landing net. Handle fish as little as possible using wet gloves or cloth and
    quickly return fish to the water.
  • If retaining fish, dispatch fish quickly and cleanly.
  • Use the Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) in common with the
    commercial fishing sector. The MCRS for most species found off the Sussex
    coast can be found here http://www.sussex-ifca.gov.uk/recreational-fishing.
  • When fishing for black bream support your fishery by adopting a Minimum
    and Maximum landing size (Minimum of 23 cm and Maximum of 40cm)
  • During the black bream spawning season (April to June) consider practicing
    and promoting catch and release, or adopt a four fish bag limit per person.
  • For all other species only take home what you need, and consider returning
    trophy specimens. Use your camera to record your memorable catches.
  • When targeting sharks, skates and rays use the Sharks Trust guide to
    handling these species. https://www.sharktrust.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=94f428ad-9ffd-47a2-a388-a7a851b28bbf
  • Return female fish in roe.
  • Use methods that minimise damage to sensitive areas, consider drifting where practicable or if necessary use a lower impact anchor.