Carne Beach Fishing

Last updated: 5 days ago

Carne Beach Fishing Map

A south-facing sandy beach on the Roseland Peninsula, backed by dunes and the Nare Hotel, with clean sand channels and rocky patches at either end. Fish the flooding tide, especially at dusk or into darkness; daylight favors scratching for flats at range while the rocky points hold wrasse and pollack. Summer brings mackerel and scad in calm, clear water; winter nights see whiting and dogfish. Watch for spring tides pushing high up the beach and for lesser weevers in warm months.

Ratings

⭐ 6.6/10 Overall
Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 6/10
Accessibility 7/10

Fish You Can Catch at Carne Beach

🐟 Bass 8/10
🎯 Tip: Work the surfline on a flooding tide at dawn/dusk. Shallow divers or metals in calm; peeler crab or sandeel in a bit of surf. Focus on gutters and the rocky ends.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 7/10
🎯 Tip: Reliable after dark over clean sand. Two-hook flapper with mackerel or squid strips, short casts 20–50 yd. Best last of flood into first ebb.
🐟 Plaice 6/10
🎯 Tip: Daylight, neap tides. Long trace with beads/spoons; ragworm or worm tipped with sandeel. Cast 60–100 yd over clean sand. Spring to early autumn.
🐟 Mackerel 6/10
🎯 Tip: Summer, clear water. Metals or small feathers from the rocky ends at dawn/evening on a flooding tide. Watch for birds working bait.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 6/10
🎯 Tip: Target the rocky ends (toward Nare Head/Pendower) on the flood. Crab or rag on a running ledger; keep tight to avoid snags. Late spring to autumn.
🐟 Golden-grey Mullet 6/10
🎯 Tip: Summer shoals in the first breakers. Small rag/isome on size 8–10 below a bubble float or tiny spinners. Rising tide, clear water.
🐟 Flounder 5/10
🎯 Tip: Autumn–winter. Small rag/lug on light flappers, gentle lobs to gutters and stream outflows. Ebb to low and first flood fish best.
🐟 Dover Sole 5/10
🎯 Tip: Warm, calm nights Jun–Sep. Small rag on size 4–6, long snood; short lob just beyond the first wave. Last of the flood into first ebb.
🐟 Thornback Ray 5/10
🎯 Tip: Evening flood into dusk. Sandeel or squid wrap on a pulley; cast 60–90 yd onto clean sand. Best spring and early autumn.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
🎯 Tip: Warm nights late summer–autumn. Small sabikis or size 6–8 jigs, often under a float light; fish from the rocky ends on a flood at dusk into dark.
🐟 Garfish 5/10
🎯 Tip: Late spring to autumn. Float-fish mackerel strip or work tiny spoons/metals from the rock ends on the flood in clear water.

Carne Beach Fishing

Summary

Carne Beach sits on the Roseland Peninsula between Pendower Beach and Nare Head, a sweeping south‑facing arc of clean sand with rocky fringes. It’s a classic Cornish surf mark for bass and flatties, with the option of lure fishing around the rockier ends when the surf is down. Quiet, scenic, and versatile, it rewards anglers who read the bars, gutters, and tide movement.

Location and Access

This is an easily reached, gently shelving beach with parking close by and straightforward paths. Access is best via the Roseland back roads, and the beach joins Pendower at low tide, giving plenty of room to spread out.

Seasons

The mark fishes year‑round with classic surf and mixed‑ground species. Seasonality matters, with bass peaks in late spring through autumn and winter whiting when the water cools.

Methods

Match your approach to the surf and where you set up on the beach. The open sand favours simple surf rigs, while the rocky ends respond to lures and wrasse tactics.

Tides and Conditions

Reading the bars and gutters is key here. Carne fishes best with a gentle to moderate surf and some movement in the water, with the flood often out‑fishing the ebb.

Safety

This is a friendly, open beach, but rips and slippery rocks at the ends demand respect. If you step onto ledges or boulders, treat it like a rock mark.

Facilities

Facilities are low‑key but adequate if you plan ahead. Expect seasonal availability typical of rural Cornwall.

Tips

Small tweaks make a big difference at Carne. Treat it like two or three micro‑marks rather than one long beach.

Regulations

Rules are straightforward but do change—always check current guidance from the MMO and Cornwall IFCA before you go. Do not rely on outdated online posts.