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

Daymer Bay

6.7 · Estuary · Cornwall

Sheltered sandy beach on the Camel Estuary beneath Brea Hill, with clean sand, channels and shallow bars, plus rocky fringes toward Greenaway. Best on a flooding tide and the first of the ebb, especially at dawn/dusk and after dark. Lures for bass along the surf line and channel edges; mullet patrol the margins in calm, clear water; winter and small tides suit flatties. Easy parking close to the beach; beware strong tidal flow near the estuary mouth, deep gutters on springs, and shifting banks around the Doom Bar.

Should you fish Daymer Bay?

57 Fair

Today · Best window

Best window: 18:00-21:00 around the rising tide

Most likely species: Mullet (Thick-lipped) and Garfish

Fair conditions. Best around 18:00-21:00 around the rising tide. Good chance of Mullet (Thick-lipped) and Garfish.

NW 4 mph Rain 8% High tide 11:04

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Daymer Bay — 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 Daymer Bay

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

Daymer Bay is best treated as a mobile estuary beach mark rather than a static chuck-and-wait venue. The key is the flooding tide: new water pushes over clean sand, shallow bars and channel edges, drawing bass, mullet, flounder and summer species into reachable water. Fish light, move with the tide, and focus on the seams where channels, gutters and freshly covered sand meet. Dawn, dusk and after dark are the strongest windows, but avoid getting tempted too far onto bars or around the rockier Greenaway/Brea Hill fringes as the flood can move quickly.

  • Know when to chase the floodline instead of casting long.
  • Pick the right channel edge for bass, flounder or mullet.
  • Time the first ebb drop-back before the bay goes quiet.
  • Avoid the gutters and bars that can trap unwary anglers.
  • Have a nearby fallback plan before weed or chop ruins the session.

Included with Premium

Cancel anytime · Stripe

Unlock this mark's plan

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

Polzeath and Trebetherick 0.4 mi Rock (Cornwall) 1.3 mi Padstow 1.4 mi Trevone 2.4 mi St Merryn 3.7 mi

Explore nearby towns: Polzeath and Trebetherick · Rock (Cornwall) · Padstow · Trevone · St Merryn

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

6.7 /10

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

Category scores

Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 6/10
Accessibility 8/10

Bass 8/10
Tip: Dawn/dusk on the flooding tide; work surface or soft-plastic lures along surf edges and the Doom Bar channel. Peeler crab or sandeel in the gutters on a rolling sea.
Golden-grey Mullet 7/10
Tip: Summer in calm/light surf over sand. Small rag or maddies on size 8–10 hooks, long snoods; or bread flake in the shore rip. Best on a flooding evening tide.
Flounder 6/10
Tip: Autumn–winter. Lug/rag or crab tipped with mackerel on long snoods; cast to channels from mid-tide down. Slow retrieve or inch back with the tide.
Lesser Spotted Dogfish 6/10
Tip: Dusk into dark over clean sand. Small fish or squid baits; fish just off the weed line. Neap or mid-flood tides most comfortable.
Starry Smoothhound 6/10
Tip: Late spring–autumn. Peeler crab baits to the channel edges on mid–flood into dusk. Clean sand; light running rig.
Mullet (Thick-lipped) 6/10
Tip: Warm months. Sight-fish along margins by Brea Hill on the flood; bread flake or crust under a controller. Stealth essential.
Ballan Wrasse 5/10
Tip: Rocky margins around Brea Hill/Greenaway on the flood; crab or worm dropped tight to kelp. Use short, abrasion-resistant leaders.
Garfish 5/10
Tip: Late spring–autumn in clear water on the flood. Float-fish tiny slivers of mackerel/sandeel or small spoons around the channel edges.
Mullet (Thin-lipped) 5/10
Tip: Warm months on a flooding tide. Small spinner with fine sandeel strip worked in channel seams; or tiny rag on long traces in calm water.
Gilthead Bream 5/10
Tip: June–Sept after big tides. Peeler or hard crab in channel seams; fish near Brea Hill on the first of the flood. Keep rigs light with abrasion-resistant trace.
Thornback Ray 4/10
Tip: Occasional on dusk floods in spring. Cast sandeel or bluey to the deeper channel near the Doom Bar; use long low rigs and enough lead for tide.

Local knowledge

Daymer Bay fishing guide

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

Daymer Bay sits on the eastern side of the Camel Estuary between Rock and Polzeath in North Cornwall. It’s a sheltered, clean-sand beach with rocky fringes toward Greenaway and Brea Hill, offering easy, family-friendly access and consistent sport for bass, flounder, and summer species.

Access is straightforward by road via Trebetherick, with a large pay-and-display car park just behind the dunes. The approach is short and gentle, and you’re fishing within minutes of leaving the car.

  • Postcode for the main car park: PL27 6SA (signed “Daymer Bay” via Trebetherick)
  • 2–5 minute walk on firm paths and soft sand; sloping access rather than steep steps
  • Terrain: clean sand with tidal channels; rockier ground at the northern end (toward Greenaway) and around the base of Brea Hill to the south
  • Public footpaths run behind the dunes; please stick to marked paths to protect the dune system

This is a classic estuary-mouth venue with a mix of clean sand and nearby rough patches, so expect bass and flats, with mullet and gilthead opportunities in warmer months. Seasonal highlights below:

  • Spring (Mar–May): school bass, flounder, thick‑lipped mullet; early garfish in May near the estuary mouth; first gilthead bream trickle in late spring
  • Summer (Jun–Aug): bass (including better fish at dawn/dusk), gilthead bream, thick- and thin‑lipped mullet, garfish; wrasse and small pollack from rougher ground toward Greenaway
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov): peak bass time, improved flounder, chance of Dover sole after dark on neaps; gilthead bream can linger into October; odd whiting in the outer estuary late season
  • Winter (Dec–Feb): flounder on settled days, schoolie bass in mild spells (catch‑and‑release period often applies for bass), very occasional whiting; expect leaner fishing in heavy freshwater run-off

Light, mobile fishing shines here. Follow the flooding tide up the channels for bass, or settle into a gentle ledger for flats when the sea is calm and coloured.

  • Lure fishing for bass: small soft plastics on 5–12 g heads, weightless weedless SPs, topwater and subsurface hard lures at first/last light over the flood
  • Bait fishing: running ledger or two‑hook flapper; size 2–1 hooks for flounder/sole, 1/0–2/0 for bass
  • Best baits: ragworm and lugworm for flounder/sole; peeler or hardback crab, sandeel, or squid strip for bass; small peeler or crab cocktail for gilthead bream
  • Float tactics: bread flake or small rag for mullet on calm, clear evenings near the margins; keep gear ultra‑fine
  • Rigs: long flowing trace (2–4 ft) for bass on sand; short snoods for flats in stronger tide; use minimal lead—1–2 oz often holds on neaps

The bay fishes well on a flooding tide as water pushes over the sandbars and channels, drawing bait and bass tight to the margins. It’s naturally sheltered from heavy Atlantic swell, so clarity and tide strength matter more than surf height.

  • Tide: mid to high water on the flood is prime; first hour of the ebb can also produce as fish drop back off the bars
  • Springs vs neaps: springs give more flow and movement (great for bass, take care with channels); neaps are kinder for flounder and sole
  • Time of day: dawn and dusk are standout for lure‑caught bass; after-dark neaps for sole and better flounder
  • Water clarity: a light colour (not chocolate) after a blow is ideal for bait bassing; very clear, calm water suits topwaters and subtle soft plastics
  • Wind: the mark is relatively sheltered—moderate westerlies are manageable; strong northerlies can add chop and weed

This is a comparatively safe beach mark, but the Camel Estuary’s channels flood fast and can cut you off if you stray onto bars or around the rocks toward Greenaway. Plan your position with the tide in mind and avoid wading deep channels.

  • Rapidly flooding gullies and bars—identify your exit routes on a falling tide and don’t get marooned on the flood
  • Soft sand and shifting channels: avoid heavy wading; use a wading staff if uncertain underfoot
  • Rock edges (Greenaway/Brea Hill): slippery weeded ledges, uneven ground, and trip hazards—consider a buoyancy aid if venturing onto the rocks
  • Boat/watersports traffic: kitesurfers, windsurfers, and paddlecraft are common—avoid casting near water users and keep lines short near launch areas
  • Limited night lighting—take a headtorch, spare light, and keep to known paths
  • Mobile signal is generally good but can dip behind Brea Hill; let someone know your plan

The beach is well-served in season, with essential amenities close by and full services in Rock, Polzeath, Wadebridge, and Padstow.

  • Parking: large pay-and-display at Daymer Bay (seasonal charges)
  • Toilets: seasonal public toilets by the car park
  • Food and supplies: cafés, shops, and takeaways in Rock and Polzeath (5–10 minutes’ drive)
  • Tackle and bait: nearest dedicated tackle shops in Wadebridge and Padstow; limited seasonal bait sometimes available locally—ring ahead
  • Bins: beach and car park bins in season—pack out at quiet times
  • Lifeguards: Daymer is typically not lifeguarded; nearby Polzeath usually is in the main season

Treat Daymer like a roaming bass venue on the flood: travel light and cover the seams where new water meets dry sand. Flats fishing rewards finesse and fresh bait.

  • Track the floodline: cast diagonally across the advancing edges of channels—bass patrol these ‘fronts’
  • Use long leaders and small, natural baits for flounder; keep hooks sharp and snoods supple
  • Topwater lures at first light over knee-deep water can be explosive—pause near the lips of freshly covered bars
  • Gilthead bream show after warm spells—try crab baits on a strong but short snood, positioned on the up-tide edge of a channel
  • Weed can be an issue on certain winds: switch to weedless SPs and clip‑down rigs with bait shields
  • Holiday crowds are heavy—fish dawn/dusk or shoulder seasons for space and better bites

Daymer Bay is open to recreational sea angling from the shore. The wider Camel Estuary is a designated Bass Nursery Area, which imposes restrictions on vessel‑based bass fishing; shore angling is permitted. Always check on‑site signage and the latest official guidance before you go.

  • Bass Nursery Area (Camel Estuary): fishing for bass from a vessel is restricted for much of the year—if launching a boat/kayak from nearby slips, check current dates and rules
  • Recreational bass: minimum size 42 cm; seasonal daily bag/catch‑and‑release rules apply—check current MMO/DEFRA notices for dates before retaining any bass
  • Cornwall IFCA byelaws: observe local minimum conservation/reference sizes and any estuary netting restrictions (rod‑and‑line anglers should still comply with sizes for retention)
  • No taking of berried or V‑notched lobsters or crawfish; adhere to shellfish permits where applicable
  • Access and dunes: keep to marked paths; do not disturb protected habitats or wildlife
  • If in doubt, release fish in good condition and verify current rules with Cornwall IFCA/MMO before retaining catch