Cadgwith Cove Fishing

Summary

Cadgwith Cove is a picturesque, working fishing cove on the east side of the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall. It offers a mix of shingle beach and rocky ledges with quick access to deep, clear water when sheltered, and fizzing tide runs around the headlands. It’s a reliable spot for float fishing in calm conditions and can produce bass and conger when the sea is lively—provided it’s safe to fish.

Location and Access

Set in a steep-sided valley, Cadgwith is easy to find but the last approach is narrow and parking is limited in peak season. The cove itself is split by The Todden, a rocky promontory, with fishable ledges on both sides.

• Parking: Pay-and-display village car park above the cove (signposted from Ruan Minor); postcode for the village/inn area is roughly TR12 7JY
• Walk-in: 5–10 minutes down a steep, cobbled lane; manageable with a rucksack but awkward for barrows
• Terrain: Compact shingle/pebble beach, a working slipway and winch, and kelp-fringed rock ledges either side
• Access points: Easy access from the beach; short scrambles to low ledges on both flanks; follow the coast path towards the Devil’s Frying Pan for more elevated platforms
• Public transport: Seasonal buses serve Ruan Minor; expect a 10–15 minute walk down to the cove
• Parking fills quickly on summer days—arrive early or late; streets in the village are narrow with very limited additional space
• Respect the working cove: keep clear of the slipway and boats launching/landing at all times

Seasons

Cadgwith fishes as a mixed-ground venue with classic south-coast species and the odd surprise in the tide runs. Expect clear-water summer fishing and darker-water opportunities after onshore blows.

• Spring (Mar–May):
  • Pollack (school fish with the chance of better ones at dusk)
  • Ballan and corkwing wrasse (from April onward)
  • Early thick‑lipped mullet nosing around the boats
  • First mackerel and garfish late spring in settled spells
• Summer (Jun–Aug):
  • Mackerel, garfish, scad (horse mackerel) in numbers, especially at dawn/dusk
  • Wrasse to good sizes off rough ledges
  • Pollack on plugs/soft plastics in low light
  • Bass in lively water across the cove mouth and gutters
  • Occasional black bream in very clear, warm spells
  • Mullet (thick‑lipped and the odd golden‑grey) in the cove
• Autumn (Sep–Nov):
  • Bigger pollack at dusk/night
  • Conger eels and occasional bull huss from rough ground after dark
  • Scad and late garfish; mackerel shoals thinning through October
  • Squid runs some years on calm, clear evenings
• Winter (Dec–Feb):
  • Whiting and pouting on calmer nights
  • Pollack and strap conger around the ledges
  • Rockling; chance of a storm bass in coloured water
  • Dogfish on any cleaner patches at range

Methods

Both traditional float fishing and modern lure tactics shine here, with bottom fishing reserved for the rougher ground and after dark. Gear up for abrasion and weed.

• Float fishing (clear, calm to moderate seas):
  • 12–20 g floats, 4–6 ft fluorocarbon traces (12–15 lb), size 1–2 hooks
  • Baits: mackerel strip or sandeel for mackerel/gar; prawn/peeler for wrasse; bread flake for mullet
  • Work the drop-offs around The Todden and ledges either side on the flood
• Lure fishing:
  • Metals (20–40 g wedges/jigs) for mackerel/scad in tide runs
  • Shads and weedless soft plastics for pollack along kelp edges at dawn/dusk
  • Shallow-diving minnows and surface lures for bass when there’s fizz on the water
• Bottom fishing (evenings/nights, neaps to moderate swell):
  • Pulley or pulley-pennel 3/0–5/0 with a weak-link/rotten-bottom to the lead
  • 40–60 lb leader/trace over rough ground
  • Baits: whole squid, mackerel/bluey, large crab for huss/conger/bass
• LRF/light tactics:
  • 1–10 g rods with small metals, isome, or size 8–12 hooks for scad, mini-wrasse, pollack in harbour lights/clear water
• Squid (some autumns):
  • Egi jigs under a float or slow-jigged at dusk on calm, clear evenings

Tides and Conditions

Tide flow wraps the headlands and creates clear seams and gullies. Water clarity is usually excellent in prevailing south-westerlies, but an easterly can turn it rough and dangerous fast.

• Best tide: Mid-to-high water for float/lure work along ledges; first of the ebb can stay productive
• Springs vs neaps: Springs add movement for pelagics and bass; neaps suit wrasse and mullet mooching tight in
• Wind/sea:
  • Sheltered in many SW winds; clear water suits floats and lures
  • Easterly or SE onshore winds: swell stands up and surges—often unfishable and unsafe on low ledges
• Time of day: Dawn and dusk markedly better for pollack, bass, mackerel, and gar; after dark for conger/huss/scad
• Seasonality: Summer/early autumn for surface/float sport; late autumn/winter nights for conger/whiting
• After a blow: As seas drop and colour lingers, try big baits or shallow lures for bass in the cove mouth and gutters (only if conditions are safe)

Safety

This is a beautiful but serious rock venue in places, with a working slipway and frequent boat movements. Treat ledges, swell and weed with respect.

• Do not fish from or obstruct the slipway or winch area; give boats maximum room when launching/landing
• Rock ledges are uneven, kelp-covered and can be extremely slippery, especially on an easterly swell
• Swell surges: Low ledges can be washed without warning—avoid on onshore winds or long-period swell
• Some ledges and gullies can be cut off on bigger tides; know your exit and the tide times before you commit
• Use a PFD/lifejacket, grippy footwear/cleats, headtorch and spare light if fishing into dusk/night
• Abrasion hazards: fish heavy leaders and carry a long-handled net or gaff (where legal) to avoid risky climbs
• Mobile signal can be patchy in the valley; tell someone your plan and fish with a partner if possible
• Accessibility: The steep cobbled approach and rough rock platforms make it unsuitable for those with limited mobility; the beach itself is the safest option

Facilities

Cadgwith is a small, friendly, working cove with basic amenities close by and broader services a short drive away.

• Public toilets near the cove (seasonal opening hours may apply)
• Food & drink: Cadgwith Cove Inn and seasonal cafés/seafood huts in the village
• Bait and tackle: None in the cove; stock up in Helston/Porthleven before you arrive
• Waste: Take litter and line home—keep the working beach clear
• Parking: Pay-and-display car park above the village; limited space in peak season
• Mobile signal: Intermittent in the valley, better up on the coast path

Tips

This is a venue where timing and water clarity make all the difference. Keep mobile, read the water, and work the features.

• Watch the boats: ask locals when launches/landings are due; fish away from the slip and moorings
• The Todden and the ledges just beyond often produce on the flood; move with the tide and cover new water
• Bread mash trickles mullet into range—be patient, step down to fine hooks and fluorocarbon
• Scad stack after dark in late summer/autumn—tiny metals or glow jigs can be nonstop sport
• Use weedless soft plastics to glide over kelp edges for pollack without constant snagging
• After an easterly blow, as the sea drops, try big shallow plugs or whole squid for a chance of a storm bass (only if conditions allow)
• Travel light and wear a PFD; it’s a scramble between ledges and you’ll fish better if you can move quickly

Regulations

Cadgwith lies within the Cornwall Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority (Cornwall IFCA) district and within designated marine protected areas on the Lizard. Recreational sea angling is permitted, but several important rules apply.

• Bass: The recreational bass minimum size and seasonal bag limits are set annually by UK authorities; check current MMO/DEFRA guidance before retaining any fish (catch-and-release periods often apply early in the year)
• Tope: It is illegal to retain tope caught by rod and line in England—release safely
• Spurdog and other shark species: Many are conservation species—best practice is immediate release
• Mullet and wrasse: No specific national recreational size limits are commonly applied to rod-caught fish here; many local anglers practice voluntary catch-and-release, especially for large wrasse and mullet
• Shellfish and crustaceans: Hobby potting within the Cornwall IFCA district requires a (free) permit and tagged pots, with strict minimum sizes and mandatory release of berried/v‑notched lobsters—check Cornwall IFCA byelaws before setting any gear
• Protected species and MPAs: The Lizard area includes protected sites (SAC/MCZ). Some species (e.g., shad, seahorses) are protected and must be released; check Cornwall IFCA guidance for species protections and any site-specific restrictions
• Local restrictions: Obey any signage around the slipway/working areas; do not impede commercial fishing operations or access
• General: Observe national and local minimum sizes (MCRS), daily limits where applicable, and only keep what you will use; when in doubt, release

Always verify the latest rules with Cornwall IFCA and the Marine Management Organisation before your trip, as regulations can change.