Where’s The Fish? Logo for Where's The Fish?
Cornwall

Clodgy Point

6.9 · Rocks · Cornwall

Clodgy Point is a rugged rocky headland just west of St Ives, offering ledges and kelp-filled gullies with quick access to relatively deep water. It fishes best on a flooding tide through high water, especially at dawn or dusk when predators push baitfish tight to the rocks. Summer and early autumn bring mackerel, garfish and active wrasse fishing; pollack are reliable much of the year when the water has some movement. Swell and wind can make it dangerous and unfishable—pick calm or moderate swell days, wear suitable footwear, and avoid spring tides or big surf. Access is via the coast path from St Ives with short scrambles onto uneven rock platforms.

Should you fish Clodgy Point?

56 Fair

Today · Best window

Best window: 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide

Most likely species: Ballan Wrasse and Pollack

Fair conditions. Best around 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide. Good chance of Ballan Wrasse and Pollack.

W 4 mph Rain 24% High tide 10:59

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Clodgy Point — 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.

Wednesday looks better than today. Unlock the week to see its score and exact window.

· 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.

Now

Tide curve will appear once tide data is available.

All windows will appear once the forecast is loaded.

Premium forecast

Unlock exact best windows, tactics and backup options for this mark.

Trip planner

Find the best time to fish Clodgy Point

Choose when you're free and what you want to catch. We'll show the best tide, weather window and method for this mark.

Premium unlocks exact windows, tactics and alerts.

Premium Mark Insight

Locked

Clodgy Point is a mobile, rough-ground rock mark where the best fishing usually comes from matching tide movement with safe swell. The productive zone is the deep-water, kelp-lined gullies and outer ledges below the coast path, especially on the flood through high water. Pollack, wrasse, mackerel, garfish and bass are the main decision-makers here: lure and float tactics score in clearer, moving water, while crab, worm and fish baits work better tight to holes, kelp and rough ground. The mark should be avoided in big surf, strong onshore wind or exposed spring-tide conditions.

  • Know when the outer ledges are worth the risk — and when they are not.
  • Target the kelp gullies properly for pollack, bass and wrasse.
  • Time the flood so you are fishing the short prime window, not just standing on rock.
  • Pick the right method: metals, weedless plastics, float gear or rotten-bottom bait rigs.
  • Have a safer backup plan before Clodgy becomes unfishable.

Included with Premium

Cancel anytime · Stripe

Unlock this mark's plan

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

St Ives (Cornwall) 0.9 mi Carbis Bay 2.1 mi Lelant 3.5 mi The Towans 3.5 mi Canon's Town 4.1 mi

Explore nearby towns: St Ives (Cornwall) · Carbis Bay · Lelant · The Towans · Canon's Town

Zoom and pan to explore access points and nearby marks.

Jump to guide

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

Overall rating

6.9 /10

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

Category scores

Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 5/10

Pollack 8/10
Tip: Dawn/dusk on a flooding tide; cast metal jigs or soft plastics along kelp gullies into deep water off the point.
Ballan Wrasse 8/10
Tip: Flood tide over rough kelp; lower hardback crab or ragworm straight down into holes; summer–autumn.
Bass 7/10
Tip: Rising tide and after dark; work surface or weedless soft plastics through white water in gullies; onshore swell, late spring–autumn.
Mackerel 7/10
Tip: Summer shoals; small metals or feathers from high rock ledges on evening flood; watch swell.
Scad (Horse Mackerel) 6/10
Tip: Aug–Oct; small sabikis or size 6–8 hooks at dusk into deeper water; slow steady retrieve.
Conger Eel 6/10
Tip: After dark over rough ground; large fish baits dropped into kelp gullies on strong gear; top of flood into first of ebb.
Garfish 6/10
Tip: Late spring–autumn; float-fish mackerel strip or small spinners near surface on a clear, flooding tide.
Pouting 5/10
Tip: Mixed rough ground; small fish or worm baits just off bottom on the flood; often better after dark, year-round.
Tompot Blenny 5/10
Tip: Tight to rock holes; size 10–14 hooks with small crab or worm baits; best on a making tide, calm seas.
Long-spined Sea Scorpion 5/10
Tip: Close-in boulders and kelp; tiny hooks with worm or squid strips; fish the flood, year-round.

Local knowledge

Clodgy Point fishing guide

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

Clodgy Point is a wild granite headland on the west side of St Ives, Cornwall, facing straight into the Atlantic. It offers classic North Coast rock fishing: deep gullies, kelp beds, and fast tidal run with real potential for bass, pollack and hard-fighting wrasse. Expect spectacular scenery, a bit of a scramble, and rewarding fishing when the sea and swell align.

Getting there takes a coastal walk and a sure pair of feet. From St Ives, follow the South West Coast Path west from Porthmeor Beach to the Clodgy headland; the best ledges are below the path and require cautious descents.

  • Parking: Long-stay options in St Ives include Barnoon (TR26 1JF), the Island (TR26 1SY) and the large Trenwith/Leisure Centre car park (TR26 1DD); Porthmeor Beach parking is limited in season
  • Approach: Walk 10–25 minutes from Porthmeor along the coast path; allow extra time to scout safe descents to ledges
  • Terrain: Exposed granite, slippy weed on lower rocks, and uneven paths; not suitable for pushchairs or those with limited mobility
  • Access notes: The headland is National Trust cared-for countryside; stick to the main path until you identify a safe, dry route down and avoid trampling sensitive vegetation
  • Night access: Viable for experienced anglers only—recce in daylight, mark exit routes, and keep lighting discreet

A mixed rough-ground mark with strong seasonality. Expect summer surface life and autumn predators, with winter better for the nocturnal specialists.

  • Spring (Mar–May): Pollack (schoolies to mid-doubles at dusk), wrasse from late spring (ballan, cuckoo), bass on a rising tide after a blow, first mackerel and garfish from May
  • Summer (Jun–Aug): Mackerel, garfish, scad (night), wrasse (plenty of ballans), pollack on lures at dawn/dusk, occasional bass under fizzing white water, mini-species for LRF (corkwing, rock goby, scorpion fish)
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov): Peak bass time on stir, consistent pollack, mackerel lingering into October, conger after dark, bigger scad at night
  • Winter (Dec–Feb): Conger after dark in calmer spells, pollack on metals/soft plastics if water is clear, dogfish possible; cod are extremely rare on this coast

Rough-ground tactics shine here—fish strong and plan to lose some gear. Lures and float fishing cover ground by day; heavier bottom tactics come into their own at dusk and after dark.

  • Lure fishing: 9–10 ft rod rated 20–60 g; 20–30 lb braid with 30–40 lb leader
    • Metals (20–40 g) and long soft plastics (12–20 cm) for pollack; work along the kelp line at first and last light
    • Weedless paddletails on 10–20 g Texas/cheb heads for bass in white water pockets
    • Surface/sub-surface lures on a building flood with light swell for bass
  • Float fishing: Set 8–12 ft over sand/kelp edges; size 1–1/0 hooks
    • Baits: sandeel, mackerel strip, prawn; add beads/slivers for garfish
  • Bottom fishing: Simple running ledger or pulley/pulley-dropper with a weak/rotten-bottom link; 40–60 lb mono rubbing leader
    • Baits: peeler or hardback crab for wrasse/bass; whole sandeel or squid/mackerel cocktails for bass/conger
    • Hooks: size 1–2 for wrasse; 2/0–4/0 for bass/conger
  • Night sessions: Big fish baits for conger/bass; use a drop-net for landing from higher ledges
  • LRF: Size 6–12 hooks, isome/sandeel slivers down the sides for colourful minis on calm, clear days

This headland fishes best with movement, but swell is the limiter. Aim for building water and edge times of day; avoid big Atlantic surf.

  • Tide: Flood to high water is most productive; last of the ebb can switch bass on in white water
  • Light: Dawn and dusk are prime for pollack and bass; after dark for conger and scad
  • Swell: Safe, modest W–NW swell (around 0.5–1.0 m) creates bassy fizz; anything larger becomes dangerous and unfishable
  • Wind: Light offshore to northerly helps clarity and presentation; strong onshore winds rapidly raise swell
  • Water clarity: Clear for pollack/lures; a touch of colour suits wrasse and post-blow bass
  • Springs vs neaps: Springs drive stronger run and shorter feeding windows; neaps offer steadier wrasse and float-fishing sport

This is an exposed rock mark—treat it with full respect. There are no railings, and ledges can be cut off or swept by sets even on a small swell.

  • Wear a modern fishing lifejacket/buoyancy aid and cleated boots or rock spikes
  • Assess swell for 10–15 minutes before committing; rogue sets are common on this coast
  • Avoid weeded/slimy rock; keep well back from edges and never turn your back on the sea
  • Use a drop-net rather than hand-lining fish up steep faces; never gaff bass you intend to release
  • Some ledges can become isolated on a big flood—plan exit routes and avoid committing to peninsulas
  • Night fishing only for experienced teams; carry spare headlamps and a charged phone (call 999 and ask for the Coastguard in an emergency)
  • Bird nesting cliffs are present—keep dogs on leads and heed any seasonal signage

You’re close to town but the headland itself is wild. Plan as if there are no services once you leave Porthmeor.

  • Toilets: Public facilities near Porthmeor Beach and elsewhere in St Ives
  • Food and drink: Numerous cafés, pubs and shops in St Ives a short walk away
  • Tackle and bait: Available in St Ives, Hayle and Penzance—check opening times in season
  • Parking: Long-stay car parks in town; residential streets near Clodgy are restricted
  • Mobile signal: Generally workable but can be patchy near cliffs—download tide/weather in advance
  • No lighting, shelter or water at the mark itself

Small tweaks make a big difference at Clodgy. Treat it as a mobile, searching venue rather than a static chuck-and-wait mark.

  • Work lures along colour lines and the outside edge of kelp beds—pollack often sit tight to the weed
  • After a blow, try crab baits in the first pushing water for bass nosing around turned stones
  • Carry spare leaders and a weak-link setup; the ground eats tackle
  • A long-handled drop-net saves fish and gear on higher ledges
  • Watch for birds and surface dimples—garfish and mackerel often show themselves before they reach you
  • Summer weed blooms can clog gear; swap to streamlined metals and keep rods high to ride the surface
  • Seals patrol this stretch—land fish quickly and release away from the water’s edge to avoid interactions

Clodgy Point is not a designated no-fishing zone, but standard sea angling rules apply. Always check current notices from the MMO and Cornwall IFCA before your trip.

  • European seabass: Recreational measures change periodically; recent rules have included a 42 cm minimum size and a limited daily bag during parts of the year, with catch-and-release outside those dates—verify the current season and limits before retaining any bass
  • Cornwall IFCA byelaws: Minimum sizes apply to many species; it is illegal to take berried (egg-bearing) lobsters or crawfish, and there are controls on shellfish gathering—check the latest byelaws if you plan to retain crustaceans or collect bait
  • Protected areas: The headland forms part of designated conservation sites (e.g., SSSI/MCZ). Shore angling is allowed, but obey any on-site signage and avoid disturbing nesting seabirds or damaging intertidal habitats
  • Bluefin tuna: It is illegal to target bluefin tuna recreationally from shore; any accidental capture must be released immediately and unharmed
  • General: Use barbless or crushed-barb hooks when releasing, carry a tape to check sizes, and follow the Angling Trust/IFCA best-practice guidelines