Summary
Bossiney Haven is a small, steep-sided cove between Tintagel and Boscastle on Cornwall’s wild north coast. It’s a classic rough-ground/kelpy rock mark with pockets of sand, producing wrasse, pollack and bass in the right sea, plus summer mackerel and the odd night-time huss or conger. The setting is spectacular—but also committing—so it rewards tidy tactics, light feet and serious respect for the swell.
Location and Access
Reaching Bossiney Haven involves a short drive and a steep coastal descent. Plan to travel light and allow extra time for the walk back up the cliff.
- Head to Bossiney village on the B3263 between Tintagel and Boscastle and use the signed “Bossiney Haven” car park; spaces are limited and pay-and-display is common in season.
- Follow the coast path waymarks from the car park; the final approach is a steep path with steps that can be muddy, uneven and slippery after rain or sea spray.
- Expect around 10–20 minutes down and longer back up; not suitable for wheelchairs or those with limited mobility.
- The beach all but disappears at higher states of tide; many rock ledges are also state-dependent. Identify safe exit routes in daylight.
- Access can occasionally be closed or diverted after landslips/rockfall. Check local signage and council/National Trust notices before committing.
Seasons
Bossiney fishes like a mixed rough-ground rock mark with seasonal visitors on clear, calm days. Target what’s in front of you—kelp gullies, tide lines and sandy tongues.
- Spring (Mar–May):
- Ballan wrasse, corkwing wrasse
- Early pollack
- Increasing chance of bass on building temperatures and light surf
- Summer (Jun–Aug):
- Pollack, wrasse (peak)
- Mackerel, scad and garfish on calm, clear evenings
- Bass in surf or at first/last light
- Occasional thick-lipped mullet nosing around tight to the rocks in very calm water
- Autumn (Sep–Nov):
- Bass peak time (baitfish around the headlands)
- Pollack remain strong; wrasse steady until the first big blows
- Night-time strap conger and the odd bull huss
- Winter (Dec–Feb):
- Pouting, poor cod, rockling, strap conger in rough ground
- Whiting on cleaner patches in settled spells
- Codling are rare on this coast but not impossible in heavy, coloured seas
Methods
Treat it as a lure-and-rough-ground venue with selective bait fishing after dark. Keep tackle simple and abrasion-proof.
- Lure fishing (daylight/dusk):
- Weedless soft plastics (4–6 inch paddletails and eels) on 10–20 g Texas/Cheburashka for pollack and bass; work along weed edges and drop-offs.
- Wrasse on 10–20 g weedless cray/creature baits with 20–30 lb leaders; slow hops through kelp gullies.
- Metals (15–30 g) and slim spoons for mackerel/scad/gar on calm evenings; vary retrieve speed and add pauses.
- Float fishing:
- Set 8–15 ft over depth for pollack/gar; baits: strip of mackerel, sandeel, or ragworm.
- For wrasse, fish hard to structure: rag/lug/peeler crab where permitted.
- Bottom fishing (after dusk or in coloured water):
- Pulley pennel 3/0–4/0 on 30–60 lb leaders for bass/huss/conger; baits: whole squid, mackerel fillet, sandeel cocktail.
- Use rotten-bottom links and minimal lead to reduce losses; 4–6 oz usually covers the range.
- LRF/micro tactics:
- Isome/Gulp on size 10–6 for blennies, gobies and mini wrasse in calm corners—great for a scratch while waiting on tide.
- Line/rods:
- Lures: 8–9 ft, 10–35 g rod with 15–20 lb braid and 20–30 lb fluoro leader.
- Bottom: 12–13 ft mixed-ground rod; 20–25 lb mono or 30–50 lb leader to handle abrasion.
Tides and Conditions
The mark is very state-and-swell dependent. Time your session for safe water levels and water clarity to match your target.
- Bass: best on a moderate onshore push—flood to high and first of the ebb, especially the first settled day after a blow when there’s residual colour.
- Pollack: flood to high at dusk into dark in clear to lightly tinted water along the weed lines.
- Wrasse: mid-tide up on flooding water to reach kelp gullies; avoid heavy swell.
- Mackerel/gar: calm, clear evenings around high water.
- Big springs amplify surge in the cove—assess from high ground and give extra margin for set waves.
- Offshore (E/NE) winds flatten the sea here; W/NW winds build swell quickly and can make the venue unfishable.
Safety
This is a committing Atlantic rock/beach mark with steep access, surge and rockfall risk. If conditions or footing feel wrong, they are.
- Steep, uneven path and steps; not accessible for wheelchairs/buggies. Good boots and both hands free are essential.
- Rockfall/landslip risk below the cliffs; heed closures and avoid loitering under unstable faces.
- The beach and some ledges get cut off by the tide—carry times, set a turnaround time, and keep visual on your exit.
- Heavy swell and surges are common; observe for 10–15 minutes on arrival and leave a big margin above wash lines.
- Slippery, weeded rock platforms; use grippy footwear and consider a wading staff. A PFD and headtorch are strongly recommended.
- Landing fish can be awkward—use a long-handled net or heavy glove; never climb down wet faces to reach a fish.
- Wildlife: grey seals haul out around Lye Rock and birds nest on the cliffs—keep distance and avoid disturbance.
- Mobile signal can be patchy in the cove; tell someone your plan and carry a charged phone/whistle.
Facilities
Facilities are limited at the mark itself; treat it as a self-sufficient session and stock up in Tintagel.
- No lifeguards; no facilities on the beach/ledges.
- Nearest public toilets, shops, cafés and pubs are in Tintagel (a short drive). Seasonal opening hours apply.
- Tackle/bait: small selections may be found locally in season; for full-service tackle/bait look to larger towns such as Bude, Wadebridge or Newquay.
- Parking at the Bossiney car park is limited in peak season—arrive early.
- Mobile reception varies; it often drops out near the beach and cliff base.
Tips
Treat Bossiney as a mobile, observational venue—read the water from height, then drop onto a specific feature with minimal gear.
- Pack light: one lure rod or a single rough-ground rod, compact bag, headtorch, and a long-handled net or cliff-grip glove.
- Use rotten-bottoms and short snoods to beat snags; expect to lose some gear—carry spare leaders and links.
- Polarised glasses help pick out sand tongues and kelp lanes at mid-tide.
- After a big westerly blow, the first day of easing swell with some colour can be superb for bass.
- Dusk changeovers fire up pollack—slow-roll paddle tails along the weed edge and pause on the drop.
- Respect wildlife: seals often work the mouth of the cove—if they’re persistent, move rather than educate them.
- Have a Plan B nearby (e.g. other Tintagel headland marks) if surge makes the cove unsafe.
Regulations
Shore angling is generally permitted at Bossiney Haven, but standard national and local rules apply. Always check the latest notices on-site and official sources before fishing.
- Marine Conservation Zone: this coastline falls within the Hartland Point to Tintagel MCZ. Recreational line angling from shore is allowed; avoid disturbing protected features and wildlife.
- Bass rules: UK recreational bass regulations change periodically. Check MMO/DEFRA updates before you go. As of 2024 guidance, shore anglers may retain one bass per person per day (≥42 cm) from 1 March–30 November, with catch-and-release only outside those dates.
- Minimum sizes and protected shellfish: observe national/Cornwall IFCA minimum conservation reference sizes. Do not retain berried or V-notched lobster/crayfish; return undersize crabs, lobsters and crawfish immediately.
- Netting/pots: deploying nets or pots requires appropriate permissions/permits; not applicable to casual shore angling.
- Bait collection: follow the Seashore Code—no digging in vegetated or protected areas; take only what you need and backfill holes.
- Wildlife protection: disturbing nesting seabirds or grey seals can constitute an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Keep well clear of haul-outs and nesting ledges.
- Litter and line: pack out all tackle waste; leaving line or lead on the rocks risks wildlife and visitor safety.
