Summary
Battery Rocks sits beside the art‑deco Jubilee Pool on the seaward edge of Penzance, looking out across Mount’s Bay. It’s a compact, easily reached rock mark that offers mixed‑ground fishing for wrasse, pollack, bass and summer pelagics, with the bonus of shelter from many northerly winds.
Location and Access
This mark is at the western end of Penzance Promenade, adjacent to Jubilee Pool on Battery Road. Access is straightforward, with short walks from nearby pay‑and‑display parking and a choice of flat promenade or stepped routes down onto the granite ledges.
- Parking: Jubilee Pool/Promenade car parks (Battery Road, approx. postcode TR18 4FF); pay‑and‑display, busy on fine days.
- Approach: From the promenade, follow paths by Jubilee Pool; stone steps lead onto the rocks. The ledges are uneven and can be slick with weed.
- Distance/effort: 2–5 minutes’ walk from parking; travel light if you intend to move between ledges.
- Terrain: Low granite platforms, kelp‑covered gullies, pockets of sand and broken ground just off the rocks.
- Public transport: Penzance rail and bus stations are a short walk along the seafront.
Seasons
Battery Rocks fishes as classic Cornish mixed ground, with resident wrasse and pollack, bass in a swell, and summer visitors. Occasional winter species show after dark.
- Spring: Ballan and corkwing wrasse, pollack, early bass on lures or crab, garfish from late spring.
- Summer: Mackerel, garfish, scad (horse mackerel) at dusk, wrasse, pollack, mullet mooching around the pool wall, occasional black bream, bass on a rolling swell.
- Autumn: Bass (often best season), pollack, scad, mackerel late runs, squid on calm clear nights, conger after dark.
- Winter: Whiting on some nights, pout/poor cod, conger, occasional dogfish; opportunistic bass in coloured water after a blow.
- Occasional/nearby potentials: Thornback ray or gurnard if you can reach sand patches beyond the rough ground; not a primary ray venue but possible on longer casts.
Methods
Simple, snag‑aware tactics catch most fish here. Travel light, fish efficiently, and adjust to the swell and water clarity.
- Lure fishing:
- Soft‑plastics (7–20 g) on weedless hooks for wrasse and pollack; work along kelp fringes and drop‑offs.
- Metals (15–30 g) and casting jigs for mackerel/scad; small shore jigs or micro‑metals excel at dusk.
- Surface/sub‑surface lures (white/ayú) for bass in a light swell, especially at first/last light.
- Float fishing:
- Set 6–12 ft for wrasse, garfish and mackerel with ragworm, prawn, sandeel, or mackerel strip.
- Drip feed small slivers of fish to hold garfish/scad in range at dusk.
- Bottom fishing:
- 1–2 hook pulley or pulley‑dropper with a weak/rotten‑bottom link to beat snags; 3–4 oz leads are usually enough.
- Baits: peeler or hardback crab (wrasse/bass), rag/lug (mixed), sandeel/mackerel/squid (pollack, conger, dogfish).
- Night tactics: Big fish strip or whole squid for conger and bass; keep gear compact and use a headtorch with red mode to preserve night vision.
- Tackle notes:
- 9–10 ft lure rod (10–35 g) or 10–12 ft light ledger rod; abrasion‑resistant leaders (20–30 lb) for rough ground.
- Long‑handled landing net or safe gaff alternative helps on the lower ledges.
Tides and Conditions
The ground here fishes best with movement and manageable swell. Water clarity dictates whether lures or baits shine.
- Tide: Flood to high and the first of the ebb is reliable; mid‑tide up to HW often prime. Springs open more water but can add weed in the tide run.
- Sea state: Excellent in light southerly swell under 1 m; coloured water after a blow can switch on bass for 24–48 hours as it settles.
- Wind: Sheltered from many northerlies/easterlies by the town; exposed to strong south/south‑westerlies.
- Time of day: Dawn/dusk for bass, pollack and pelagics; after dark for conger, scad, and winter whiting.
- Seasonality: May–October is most consistent; winter is scratchier but can produce on milder nights.
Safety
This is a low rock mark with regular swell wash and very slippery weed—treat it with respect. It is also a popular wild‑swimming entry spot beside Jubilee Pool, so situational awareness is essential.
- Slips and swell: Wear grippy boots/cleats; never fish with swell breaking across the ledge; keep gear leashed/secured.
- Tidal reach: Some low ledges flood on springs—have an exit plan and avoid getting cut off.
- Edges and retrieval: Use a long‑handled net; do not climb wet weeded faces to handline fish.
- Swimmers: Battery Rocks is used by local sea swimmers daily, especially mornings and calm days—give them a wide berth and avoid casting near entry ladders or the pool wall.
- Night fishing: Take a headtorch, spare light, and fish with a partner where possible.
- Mobility: The rocks are uneven and not suitable for wheelchairs; the promenade above is flat for spectators but not a safe fishing stance.
- PPE: A compact inflatable lifejacket is strongly recommended on all rock marks.
Facilities
Penzance has excellent amenities within a short walk of the mark. Expect crowds and limited parking on sunny weekends.
- Toilets: Public toilets by Jubilee Pool/prom on seasonal hours; check opening times.
- Food/drink: Café at Jubilee Pool (seasonal), plus numerous cafés, pubs and shops along the promenade and town.
- Tackle/bait: Angling shops in Penzance stock bait and end‑tackle; ring ahead for fresh worm/peeler availability.
- Parking: Pay‑and‑display near Jubilee Pool (TR18 4FF); arrive early in summer.
- Connectivity: Good mobile signal; street lighting on the promenade but the rocks themselves are dark after dusk.
- Bins: Public bins on the promenade—pack out all line and scraps.
Tips
Think small, mobile and stealthy—Battery Rocks rewards agile approaches and careful reading of the water.
- Work the seams: Cast along the edge where kelp meets sand; pollack and bass patrol these lines.
- Weedless is king: A Texas‑rigged 3–4 inch soft‑plastic saves gear and finds wrasse hiding in cabbage weed.
- Rotten‑bottom: Always use a weak link for leads when bait fishing; you’ll lose sinkers before fish.
- Dusk routine: A float set at 8–10 ft with tiny slivers of mackerel will often turn garfish and scad into a bite‑a‑cast session.
- Squid watch: Calm, clear autumn evenings can produce squid—try egi jigs around the brighter patches of water near the pool.
- Respect swimmers: Early mornings are busy with the local swimming community; choose a different time or position well away from the entry ladders.
- Seals: Curious grey seals sometimes cruise past—expect last‑minute “tax” on hooked fish; don’t feed or pursue them.
Regulations
Recreational sea angling is generally permitted at Battery Rocks, but local restrictions apply around structures and harbour areas. Always follow on‑site signage and current national/IFCA rules.
- Jubilee Pool/harbour: Do not fish from the walls of Jubilee Pool or inside Penzance Harbour areas where signage prohibits angling; keep clear of designated swimmer entry points at Battery Rocks.
- Bass rules (Channel/ICES 7): Minimum size 42 cm; recreational daily bag limit typically two fish per angler during the open retention season, with catch‑and‑release only outside that period. Check the latest MMO notice before your trip.
- Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes (MCRS): Standard UK sizes apply (e.g., mackerel none, pollack 30 cm in some advisories, bass 42 cm, etc.); confirm current legal sizes via the MMO or Cornwall IFCA.
- Mount’s Bay environment: Parts of Mount’s Bay are designated for conservation; hook‑and‑line angling is allowed, but avoid disturbing seagrass and wildlife and refrain from collecting protected species.
- Bait collection: Local bylaws may restrict shellfish collection and size limits; check Cornwall IFCA if gathering peeler/hardback crabs or other bait.
- Etiquette/safety: Give priority to swimmers and water users, retrieve lost line, and use barbless/flattened barbs if fishing among crowds.
- Always verify: Regulations change—confirm with the MMO/Cornwall IFCA and observe any new on‑site notices before fishing.
