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Cornwall

Booby’s Bay

6.4 · Beach · Cornwall

A broad Atlantic-facing surf beach with rocky reefs and kelp gullies at both ends beneath Trevose Head. Best for bass in lively surf at dawn/dusk; summer brings mackerel and garfish close, while the reefs hold wrasse and pollack. On calmer, settled nights the sandy expanses can throw up small-eyed rays and the odd turbot. Access is via nearby car parks with a short walk over dunes; take care with strong swells, rip currents, slippery rocks and being cut off by the tide.

Should you fish Booby’s Bay?

57 Fair

Today · Best window

Best window: 18:00-21:00 around the rising tide

Most likely species: Ballan Wrasse and Tompot Blenny

Fair conditions. Best around 18:00-21:00 around the rising tide. Good chance of Ballan Wrasse and Tompot Blenny.

NW 4 mph Rain 8% High tide 11:04

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Booby’s Bay — 7-day forecast

Scores and best windows are weighted for .

Met Office Met Office · Open-Meteo

Where the data comes from. Weather and sea-state readings come from the Met Office and Open-Meteo forecast models, refreshed several times a day. High and low water are taken from tide-station predictions for this stretch of coast.

How the score works. Each window is scored 0–100 from the signals that most reliably move fish inshore: tide movement (a running tide carries food, so the last of the flood and first of the ebb are usually the prime spells), wind speed and direction (onshore wind stirs food into the surf — up to the point it makes fishing hard), sea state (a little wave and swell movement helps, heavy swell hurts), and weather — rain, temperature and light. Behind the headline number we score bite opportunity and comfort separately, and run a separate safety check on wind and swell. The size of the tide counts too: spring tides move more water than neaps, so the tidal range for this stretch of coast is weighed alongside the tide's direction, your target species and this mark — and unusually big springs strengthen the safety check, because the water rises faster and covers more ground.

Your target species counts. Pick a species below and the score also weights what we know about it — its season, preferred sea temperature, tide stage and sea state, and whether it feeds by day or night.

The rating is guidance, not a guarantee — conditions change fast on the coast, so always judge the sea in front of you before you fish.

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· windows & tide

Spring vs neap tides. Spring tides have a larger difference between high and low water, so more water moves on each tide — usually stronger flow that stirs up food and gets fish feeding. Neap tides have a smaller range and generally gentler movement. The range here is compared with what is normal for this stretch of coast, and the cycle swings between springs and neaps roughly every week, following the moon.

Big spring tides: the water rises faster and covers more ground than usual — double-check access routes and cut-off points before you fish.

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Booby’s Bay is a timing-and-water-reading beach rather than a distance-casting mark. It fishes best when a manageable Atlantic swell creates clear gutters, seams and sandbar edges, with bass the headline target in lively, coloured surf around dawn or dusk. The rocky reef fringes at both ends add wrasse, pollack, garfish and mackerel options, while calmer settled nights over clean sand are better for small-eyed rays, dogfish and the chance of turbot.

  • Find the right gutter before you cast.
  • Know when the open sand beats the reefy ends.
  • Time the flood for surf bass, not dead water.
  • Use calm neap nights for rays and turbot.
  • Avoid the swell and rip patterns that spoil Booby’s.

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Jump to towns around this mark for more marks and guides.

Constantine Bay 0.9 mi St Merryn 1.7 mi Trevone 2.3 mi St Ervan 3.0 mi Padstow 3.9 mi

Explore nearby towns: Constantine Bay · St Merryn · Trevone · St Ervan · Padstow

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Forecast tuning currently supports Bass and Mackerel — more species are on the way.

Overall rating

6.4 /10

Blend of catch potential, access, safety, and overall experience.

Category scores

Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 7/10

Bass 9/10
Tip: Surf beach; fish dawn/dusk on a flooding tide. Shallow diving plugs or sandeel/peeler crab in the gutters. Onshore blow with coloured water fishes best.
Ballan Wrasse 7/10
Tip: Rocky ends and gullies at mid-flood to HW. Use crab or limpet on strong gear; float or simple ledger. Summer-autumn.
Pollack 6/10
Tip: From reefy points into clear water at dusk to HW. Metal jigs/soft plastics or float-fished sandeel. Keep lures high to avoid kelp.
Small-eyed Ray 6/10
Tip: Calm surf nights on clean sand. Long cast sandeel/launce on pulley rigs; neap tides and after dusk best, late spring to autumn.
Lesser Spotted Dogfish 6/10
Tip: Evenings into darkness on the sandy beach. Small fish or squid baits on 2-hook flappers beyond the first breaker. Year-round, best spring-autumn.
Tompot Blenny 6/10
Tip: Mini-fish around rock pools and ledges. Size 12-16 hooks with small worm/shellfish baits; rising tide. Release carefully.
Mackerel 5/10
Tip: Summer shoals may push into the bay or off the points at dusk. Spinners/feathers; look for birds and clear water.
Weever Fish (Lesser) 5/10
Tip: On clean sand in summer, especially near LW. Small worm/squid strips on size 4-6 hooks; handle with care (spines).
Turbot 4/10
Tip: Occasional on the surf line in spring/early summer. Long cast sandeel on long snoods; fish shifting banks on a flooding tide.
Garfish 4/10
Tip: Off the rocky points on a flood in summer. Float-fished strips or small spinners worked high in the water at dawn/dusk.

Local knowledge

Booby’s Bay fishing guide

Practical access, seasons, methods, tides, safety and facilities for this mark.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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 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

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

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