Summary
Cawsand Beach sits on the sheltered western side of Plymouth Sound, on Cornwall’s Rame Peninsula, adjoining the twin villages of Cawsand and Kingsand. It’s a friendly, easy-access mark that fishes best at dusk and after dark, offering flatties, whiting and dogfish through the colder months and bass, mackerel, garfish and the odd ray in summer.
Location and Access
Cawsand is straightforward to reach by road via the B3247 across the Rame Peninsula; the beach is right in the village with short, gentle approaches. Urban-style access, firm footing and nearby amenities make it a comfortable venue for most anglers.
- Pay-and-display village car parks signed for Cawsand and Kingsand; both are a few minutes’ walk from the sand (arrive early in peak season).
- Short, easy walk to the beach via paved lanes/ramps; trolleys work fine. Steps at some access points.
- Terrain is mainly clean, gently shelving sand with rocky fringes at either end; a small seasonal ferry landing operates from the Cawsand side in summer.
- Public transport options are limited; a seasonal foot ferry runs to/from Plymouth—check operating times if relying on it.
Seasons
A mixed, generally clean-sand venue with rock edges that add a bit of variety. Expect bread-and-butter species most of the year with occasional surprises in settled spells.
- Spring: school bass, flounder/dab, early smoothhound (odd fish), garfish on calm, bright days.
- Summer: mackerel, scad, garfish, bass (dawn/dusk), plaice/dab, dogfish; occasional thornback ray, small gurnards; wrasse and pollack from nearby rocks.
- Autumn: mackerel/scad into October in settled weather, bass on rougher pushes, dabs/plaice, increasing pouting and dogfish; chance of squid under lights.
- Winter: whiting runs after dark, pouting, dabs, dogfish; odd codling in cold snaps, plus flounder on neap tides in calmer seas.
Methods
Light surf and estuary-style tactics excel here. Scale gear to the sheltered bay; you rarely need heavy leads or extreme range.
- Bottom fishing: 2-hook flappers with size 2–1 hooks for dabs/plaice/whiting; clip-down 1-up/1-down for a bit more distance. 2–4 oz leads cover most states.
- Bigger baits: pulley or pulley-pennel (3/0–4/0) with squid/sandeel/bluey for bass and the odd thornback after dark on the flood.
- Float fishing: slim, clear floats with size 6–2 hooks and small slivers of mackerel/sandeel for garfish and mackerel in summer.
- Lure fishing: slim metals, small surface lures and soft plastics at first light/last light for bass; keep retrieves brisk in clear water.
- Baits: ragworm, lugworm, sandeel, peeler crab (spring bass/wrasse), squid and mackerel strip; for plaice add beads/attractors above the hook.
Tides and Conditions
Cawsand fishes on most tides, with the best bites typically around low-light periods and the flood. The bay is sheltered from prevailing westerlies but feels any easterly.
- Tide states: 2 hours either side of high water is reliable for bass and general species; neaps can be best for flatties. Whiting often switch on from dusk into the first of the ebb.
- Conditions: light onshore ripple or gentle swell livens bass; very flat, clear water favours garfish and lures. Strong easterlies stir weed and colour.
- Time of day: dawn/dusk and after dark outfish busy daytime hours; summer nights for rays/dogfish, winter evenings for whiting.
- Water depth: gently shelving—don’t overlook the near-line; flatties and bass patrol within 20–40 yards on the flood.
Safety
It’s a benign, village-backed beach, but respect ferry operations, swimmers and boat traffic. Treat the rock fringes with the same caution as any intertidal ground.
- Avoid casting near swimmers or the seasonal ferry landing; obey any on-beach zoning/warden instructions in summer.
- Slippery weeded rocks and steps at the ends—use grippy footwear and a headtorch at night.
- Keep an eye on boat traffic and paddlecraft crossing close to shore; use a high-viz headlamp and don’t leave lines unattended.
- Mobility: the main beach access is fairly gentle; no long trudges or steep cliff paths. A waistcoat lifejacket is sensible if venturing onto rocks.
Facilities
One of the most comfortable shore marks in the area thanks to village amenities right behind you. Expect crowds on hot weekends.
- Public toilets close to the beach (seasonal opening hours may apply).
- Pubs, cafés and takeaways in Cawsand/Kingsand within a few minutes’ walk.
- Tackle/bait: full-service shops in Torpoint and Plymouth; limited seasonal bait sometimes available locally—phone ahead.
- Mobile signal generally good in the village; card payments usually fine at car parks and cafés.
Tips
Fish it like an estuary mouth in miniature: subtlety, timing and tidy presentation beat brute force. Night sessions avoid beach crowds and often transform results.
- For plaice, add a couple of small red/yellow beads and keep baits neat; short casts on the flood can outfish long chucks.
- When mackerel are thin, fish a float with a tiny sliver of mackerel belly for garfish—they’re often present even when macks aren’t.
- After warm spells, crab activity strips soft baits fast—use tougher squid wraps or elasticated cocktails.
- The ferry lights and village glow can draw scad and mackerel in late summer—carry a few small metals and size 4–6 hooks.
- In easterlies, expect drifting weed; fish shorter and check leaders frequently.
Regulations
This is an open public beach and recreational sea angling is generally permitted. Always follow on-site signage, especially around the seasonal ferry landing and any marked bathing zones.
- Bass (recreational): subject to seasonal open/closed periods, a daily bag limit and a 42 cm minimum size—check the latest UK/EU rules before your trip.
- Minimum conservation reference sizes (MCRS) apply to many species (e.g., plaice, rays, bass). Return undersized fish promptly.
- Berried (egg-bearing) lobsters and crawfish must be returned; local IFCA rules apply to crustaceans and molluscs if you gather any.
- The area sits within wider Plymouth Sound protected sites; recreational rod-and-line angling is allowed, but additional restrictions may apply to netting or commercial gears.
- No open fires or camping on the beach; respect seasonal beach management and do not fish among bathers during busy hours.
- Check Cornwall IFCA and national guidance for up-to-date byelaws before collecting bait or retaining any catch.
