Summary
Booby’s Bay sits just north of Constantine Bay on Cornwall’s Atlantic coast, under the shoulder of Trevose Head. It’s an exposed surf beach with reefy fringes, shifting sandbars and tide-scoured gullies that create classic bass and flatfish ground, plus nearby rocks for wrasse and pollack. Scenic, wild and changeable, it rewards timing and good water-reading more than brute distance.
Location and Access
Access is straightforward via the Constantine/Treyarnon area, but the final approach is across dunes and soft sand, and the rockier corners involve short scrambles. At low water you can walk in over the beach; at higher tides use the coast path around the headlands.
- Drive via St Merryn and follow signs for Constantine Bay; main access is from Constantine Bay beach car park (St Merryn, PL28 area). A secondary option is Treyarnon Bay car park (PL28 area) and then the coast path.
- From Constantine car park it’s a 5–10 minute walk across dunes and beach; add time if you’re heading to the rocky points either end of the bay.
- Terrain is mixed: firm sand at mid-to-low water, soft dry sand high up, and weed-covered rock platforms at the northern and southern ends.
- At low tide Booby’s can connect with Constantine across the sands; at high tide you must use the coast path over uneven ground. Good boots are recommended.
- Parking is pay-and-display in season. Overnight parking and camper restrictions vary—check on-site signs.
Seasons
This is a seasonal, mobile-ground venue. Expect surf predators on pushing tides and rock species around the kelp-fringed points in settled water.
- Spring (Mar–May):
- Bass on surf edges and in forming gutters
- Turbot and the odd brill from the sandbars
- Smoothhound on peeler crab in late spring
- Wrasse from rocky margins as the water warms
- Summer (Jun–Aug):
- Bass at dawn/dusk and on lively surf with some colour
- Small-eyed ray and occasional thornback on calm nights
- Mackerel, garfish and scad on lures from nearby rock points
- Ballan and cuckoo wrasse in the kelp; pollack at dusk
- Dogfish common after dark
- Autumn (Sep–Nov):
- Peak bass fishing in surf channels and along reef edges
- Rays continue in settled spells; bull huss from rough ground at night
- Plaice/turbot oddities in clearer, neap conditions
- Winter (Dec–Feb):
- Whiting and dogfish on the sand; occasional codling after prolonged onshore blows
- Fewer wrasse/pollack due to swell and temperature, but possible in calm windows
Methods
Match your approach to where you stand: surf tactics on the open beach and rock/kelp tactics on the points. Travel light and be ready to move with the water features.
- Surf and bottom fishing (sandbars/gullies):
- Rigs: 1–2 hook clip-down, pulley or pulley-pennel with 3–5 oz leads; long snoods (80–120 cm) help present natural baits
- Baits: fresh peeler crab, sandeel (whole or sections), lug/rag, razor clam; mackerel/squid for rays and huss
- Target: bass on the push, turbot over the seams, rays on calmer evenings
- Lure fishing (reef edges and gutters):
- Sandeel-pattern soft plastics on 10–20 g heads, shallow-diving minnows and surface walkers in low light
- Work parallel to the beach along the lip of channels; on the rocks, cast across tide runs and let lures swing
- Float and light rock fishing (rough ground):
- Float-fish hardback crab, prawn or rag for wrasse; 20–25 lb mono or fluorocarbon traces to cope with kelp
- Light metals and small SPs for pollack and scad at dusk
- Night fishing:
- Big crab, squid or mackerel baits for huss/rays; use a rotten-bottom (weak link) over mixed/rough ground
- Headlamp with spare batteries; fish tidy to avoid lost gear in the dune system
Tides and Conditions
Booby’s fishes best when the tide and swell shape defined gutters and seams. Too much swell makes it unfishable; too little and it can feel lifeless on the open sand.
- Tide: 2 hours up to high and the first of the ebb are prime for surf bass; last of the ebb exposes rock platforms for wrasse (watch your cut-off)
- Springs create stronger rips and rapidly changing channels; neaps are kinder for rays/turbot and precise bait presentation
- Swell: a clean 2–4 ft W–NW swell with a light offshore or cross-off breeze is ideal for bass; flat or gentle swell suits rays/turbot
- Water clarity: a touch of colour helps bass; wrasse/pollack prefer clearer water
- Time of day: dawn/dusk for lures and bass; nights for rays, huss and whiting
- Seasonality: late spring to late autumn is the headline window; winter needs a calm spell or a post-storm clarity break
Safety
This is a high-energy Atlantic beach with mobile sand, powerful rips and slippery weeded rock. Plan around the tide and never assume yesterday’s safe path is still there today.
- Swell and rogue waves: keep off exposed ledges in any significant swell; never turn your back on the sea
- Tide cut-off: both ends of the bay have platforms and skerries that flood behind you—time your exit; carry a headtorch if there’s any chance of returning in the dark
- Rips: obvious on springs and surfy days; avoid wading in waders and keep clear of rip necks
- Footing: algae-covered rocks are extremely slick; wear cleated soles and consider a buoyancy aid/lifejacket
- Access: uneven paths, sand dunes and short scrambles; not suitable for wheelchairs or very limited mobility
- Crowds and boards: in summer the surf lineup is busy—don’t fish among swimmers or between lifeguard flags
- Seasonal notes: check on-site signs for any dog restrictions on adjacent beaches; stick to marked dune paths (fragile habitat)
Facilities
Facilities are beach-holiday standard in season but sparse after hours. Plan bait and water beforehand.
- Parking: pay-and-display at Constantine Bay and Treyarnon Bay; limited verge options are enforced in peak season
- Toilets: usually available seasonally at nearby bays (Constantine/Treyarnon); none on Booby’s itself
- Food/shops: seasonal cafés/kiosks nearby; general stores in St Merryn; full services in Padstow/Wadebridge
- Tackle/bait: nearest dedicated tackle shops are in Padstow, Wadebridge and Newquay—call ahead for fresh bait
- Lifeguards: usually on adjacent bathing beaches in summer hours; Booby’s itself is not specifically lifeguarded for anglers
- Mobile signal: generally fair on headlands but can be patchy in dips
Tips
Booby’s is all about reading the water. If you can identify the day’s best gutter, you’ll often only need a handful of well-placed casts.
- Walk the beach at low water to mark gutters, bars and rip heads; fish those features as the tide floods
- After storms, the ribs of the old wreck (the Carl) may show—great for photographs, but don’t fish tight to exposed metal in surf
- Use a weak-link (rotten bottom) over mixed ground; weed can be fierce on big springs, so clip-down rigs and streamlined baits help
- For bass, fish parallel to the shore along the lip of channels rather than blasting long; moving 20–30 m can beat changing rigs
- Float-fishing hardback crab near kelp edges picks out better wrasse than worm baits
- Lures: start with SPs in colour, switch to topwaters at first light in calmer seas; downsize and slow down as clarity improves
- Share the space: at busy times, fish dawn or late evening to avoid swimmers and surfers
Regulations
Angling is permitted, but this coastline falls within protected designations and seasonal beach management—know the rules before you go.
- Marine Conservation Zone/SSSI: the area around Trevose Head includes protected features; recreational sea angling is allowed, but do not disturb wildlife, collect from rockpools, or damage the dunes
- Bass regulations: recreational bass retention is tightly controlled and changes periodically—check current DEFRA/MMO rules (size limit and any open/closed retention periods) before keeping fish
- Minimum sizes: follow Cornwall IFCA Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes for all species; measure fish and return undersized immediately
- Wrasse: many local anglers practice catch-and-release for large ballan wrasse—strongly recommended to protect slow-growing fish
- Beach management: obey RNLI flag zones (do not fish between red/yellow bathing flags), respect any seasonal dog restrictions on nearby beaches, and follow National Trust/Council signage
- Lead weights, hooks and litter: recover all tackle where safe; pack out all waste and avoid leaving bait elastics or line in the dune system