Tides
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Tides
Fish
Marks
Water quality
Log
Alerts

For planning a fishing trip only, not for navigation. Check an official tide table and local conditions before you go.

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Tides
Fish
Marks
Water quality
Log
Alerts

Tides
Fish
Marks
Water quality
Log
Alerts

Smoothhound at Hooken Beach · Tidefinder

Branscombe

Hooken Beach

Shore
Deep water close in

Beach listed on OpenStreetMap. Species and access haven't been checked yet.

Fish here

BassPeak now
Thornback rayIn season
SmoothhoundMay–Sep
WhitingPeak now

Also caught

Mackerel Jun–Oct
Pollack Sep–Dec
Garfish May–Sep
Dogfish May–Oct

Location is approximate. Check access and safety locally before you go.

Approximate tides. These come from a sea model and can be up to an hour out in estuaries, so check a tide table before you go.

Fish

Any species
Bass, peak season
Whiting, peak season
Thornback ray, good season
Smoothhound, occasional this month

When

Any time

Science says

Other good times

Summer shark that hunts crabs over sand and mud; strong runs and powerful fights.

Suggested baits

Peeler crab
Hermit crab
Squid

Thu 15 Oct · 10:00–10:30
Poor · 38
Early or late in the season in October · Fresh SSW 16 mph · 1h into the ebb · Daylight · Mid tides · Moderate (1.0 m waves) · Sea 16.7°C

Next 7 days

Times are the middle of each turn. The small times underneath are slack water, when the level stays close to high or low.

~ times come from a sea model and can be up to an hour out. There's no tide gauge close enough for our own predictions, so heights aren't shown.

TodayWed 14 OctSprings
1. Low~01:5101:09–02:33
2. High~08:4007:49–09:31
3. Low~14:1813:34–15:02

Tide times for SidmouthThe week's highs and lows, 9 km away

Top pick this week
Friday morning
07:30–10:30
48Poor
- 5h into the flood
- Dawn
- Mid tides
SmoothhoundLight WNW 7 mph
Why this time?
Tide: 5h into the floodPacks move in on the second half of the flood and feed over high water.
Light: DawnFeed through the day, often best into dusk.
Tide size: Mid tidesBigger tides tend to bring them close in.
Season: Early or late in the season in OctoberMay to September, peaking in early summer.
Wind: Light WNW 7 mphLight enough to fish comfortably, so it costs nothing.
Sea: Slight (0.6 m waves)Not fussy about sea state unless it gets rough.
Water: Sea 16.7°CComfortable between 12 and 20°C, best around 16°C.
How we score
2nd best this week
Tomorrow morning
08:00–09:00
45Poor
- 5h into the flood
- Dawn
- Mid tides
SmoothhoundFresh SSW 15 mph
Why this time?
Tide: 5h into the floodPacks move in on the second half of the flood and feed over high water.
Light: DawnFeed through the day, often best into dusk.
Tide size: Mid tidesBigger tides tend to bring them close in.
Season: Early or late in the season in OctoberMay to September, peaking in early summer.
Wind: Fresh SSW 15 mphStrong wind makes it harder to fish and to spot bites.
Sea: Moderate (0.9 m waves)Not fussy about sea state unless it gets rough.
Water: Sea 16.7°CComfortable between 12 and 20°C, best around 16°C.
How we score
3rd best this week
Saturday morning
07:30–10:30
44Poor
- 4h into the flood
- Dawn
- Neaps
SmoothhoundLight N 9 mph
Why this time?
Tide: 4h into the floodPacks move in on the second half of the flood and feed over high water.
Light: DawnFeed through the day, often best into dusk.
Tide size: NeapsBigger tides tend to bring them close in.
Season: Early or late in the season in OctoberMay to September, peaking in early summer.
Wind: Light N 9 mphLight enough to fish comfortably, so it costs nothing.
Sea: Flat calm (0.3 m waves)Not fussy about sea state unless it gets rough.
Water: Sea 16.5°CComfortable between 12 and 20°C, best around 16°C.
How we score
4th best this week
Sunday morning
08:00–11:00
41Poor
- 5h into the flood
- Daylight
- Neaps
SmoothhoundLight N 10 mph
Why this time?
Tide: 5h into the floodPacks move in on the second half of the flood and feed over high water.
Light: DaylightFeed through the day, often best into dusk.
Tide size: NeapsBigger tides tend to bring them close in.
Season: Early or late in the season in OctoberMay to September, peaking in early summer.
Wind: Light N 10 mphLight enough to fish comfortably, so it costs nothing.
Sea: Slight (0.4 m waves)Not fussy about sea state unless it gets rough.
Water: Sea 16.1°CComfortable between 12 and 20°C, best around 16°C.
How we score
5th best this week
This morning
10:30–11:00
38Poor
- 2h into the ebb
- Daylight
- Springs
SmoothhoundLight SW 11 mph
Why this time?
Tide: 2h into the ebbPacks move in on the second half of the flood and feed over high water.
Light: DaylightFeed through the day, often best into dusk.
Tide size: SpringsBigger tides tend to bring them close in.
Season: Early or late in the season in OctoberMay to September, peaking in early summer.
Wind: Light SW 11 mphLight enough to fish comfortably, so it costs nothing.
Sea: Slight (0.4 m waves)Not fussy about sea state unless it gets rough.
Water: Sea 16.8°CComfortable between 12 and 20°C, best around 16°C.
How we score

Why?

Tide: 1h into the ebbPacks move in on the second half of the flood and feed over high water.
Light: DaylightFeed through the day, often best into dusk.
Tide size: Mid tidesBigger tides tend to bring them close in.
Season: Early or late in the season in OctoberMay to September, peaking in early summer.
Wind: Fresh SSW 16 mphStrong wind makes it harder to fish and to spot bites.
Sea: Moderate (1.0 m waves)Not fussy about sea state unless it gets rough.
Water: Sea 16.7°CComfortable between 12 and 20°C, best around 16°C.

Draft profile, not yet reviewed. Based on FishBase: Mustelus asterias and Cefas, Catchwise: A Survey of Marine Recreational Fishing Activity in England and Wales (2026) and General UK sea-angling guidance (to be verified).

High

~20:48

20:01–21:34

38Best 10:30–11:00~3.6 m range

Good fishing timeDark

Sunrise: 07:33
Sunset: 18:22
Moon: Waxing crescent, 14%
Wind: SSW 7–16 mph, gusts 28
Waves: Waves 0.7 m
Sea temperature: Sea 16.8°C

TomorrowThu 15 OctMid tides

Low~02:2801:44–03:12
High~09:0508:19–09:50
Low~14:4714:05–15:30
High~21:1820:34–22:03

45Best 08:00–09:00~3.1 m range

Fri 16 OctMid tides

Low~03:1002:25–03:55
High~09:3108:46–10:16
Low~15:3014:44–16:16
High~21:5021:11–22:28

48Best 07:30–10:30~2.5 m range

Sat 17 OctNeaps

Low~03:4302:57–04:29
High~10:0509:24–10:46
Low~16:1215:24–17:00
High~22:2321:39–23:06

44Best 07:30–10:30~2.2 m range

Sun 18 OctNeaps

Low~04:2803:38–05:18
High~10:4009:57–11:22
Low~17:1316:25–18:01
High~23:0222:24–23:40

41Best 08:00–11:00~1.7 m range

Mon 19 OctNeaps

Low~05:2704:40–06:15
High~11:3010:47–12:12
Low~18:2017:38–19:02

No standout fishing times~1.5 m range

Good fishing timeDark

Sunrise: 07:41
Sunset: 18:12
Moon: First quarter, 58%
Wind: NE 9–12 mph, gusts 23
Waves: Waves 0.7 m
Sea temperature: Sea 15.8°C

Tue 20 OctNeaps

High~00:0523:28–00:42
Low~06:4706:13–07:22
High~12:2911:43–13:16
Low~19:3218:53–20:10

No standout fishing times~1.3 m range

Good fishing timeDark

Sunrise: 07:43
Sunset: 18:10
Moon: First quarter, 67%
Wind: E 5–17 mph, gusts 32
Waves: Waves 0.5 m
Sea temperature: Sea 15.7°C

Good fishing timeDark

Sunrise: 07:35
Sunset: 18:20
Moon: Waxing crescent, 22%
Wind: SSW 11–17 mph, gusts 30
Waves: Waves 1.0 m
Sea temperature: Sea 16.8°C

Good fishing timeDark

Sunrise: 07:36
Sunset: 18:18
Moon: Waxing crescent, 30%
Wind: NNW 6–12 mph, gusts 23
Waves: Waves 0.9 m
Sea temperature: Sea 16.7°C

Good fishing timeDark

Sunrise: 07:38
Sunset: 18:16
Moon: First quarter, 39%
Wind: NNE 7–12 mph, gusts 24
Waves: Waves 0.3 m
Sea temperature: Sea 16.5°C

Good fishing timeDark

Sunrise: 07:40
Sunset: 18:14
Moon: First quarter, 48%
Wind: NNE 9–14 mph, gusts 27
Waves: Waves 0.4 m
Sea temperature: Sea 16.1°C

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Tackle & bait nearby

We don't know of a tackle shop within 20 km yet.

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Caught one here? Log it

Fish here? Share what works

When do smoothhound bite best at Hooken Beach? Three taps, anonymous.

Which state of tide fishes best?

Flood (rising)Around high waterEbb (falling)Around low waterNot sure

Springs or neaps?

Big springsSmall neapsNo differenceNot sure

What time of day?

Dawn and duskDaytimeAfter darkNot sure

Get alerts for smoothhound here

No angler reports here yet. Be the first.

Fished here? How did you get on?

Two taps is all it takes. It builds a picture of Hooken Beach for everyone.

How did it go?

1Blank2Slow3Okay4Good5Cracking

Anonymous unless you're signed in. We only show totals, never who said what.

Best bet is Wednesday 14 October from 07:30 to 10:00, when a light south-westerly, a flood tide running about five hours, dawn light, spring tides and a slight sea all line up. For a second option, Friday 16 October from 07:30 to 10:30 also has a light north-westerly and a slight sea, though the tide is smaller, and Thursday's fresher south-south-westerly and moderate swell make it the weakest of the three morning windows.

Written by AI from the scores below. Check conditions before you go.