Dollar Cove Fishing

Last updated: 1 week ago

Dollar Cove Fishing Map

Dollar Cove (Jangye Ryn) is a rough, boulder-strewn cove at Gunwalloe on the Lizard, with rocky ledges, kelp-filled gullies and patches of clean sand. Access is via the National Trust car park at Gunwalloe Church Cove, followed by a short coastal path and a slightly uneven descent to the rocks. It fishes best on a flooding tide into dusk and after dark; low water exposes prime gullies for wrasse. Expect heavy snags—use strong gear, short traces and a rotten-bottom link for bait fishing. Lure anglers score with soft plastics and surface lures for bass and pollack around tide seams and reef edges. Swell from the Atlantic can be severe: avoid big seas, wet weed and the base of cliffs on springs, and never fish when waves are washing over the platforms.

Ratings

⭐ 7/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 6/10

Fish You Can Catch at Dollar Cove

🐟 Bass 9/10
🎯 Tip: Surf and mixed ground; fish dawn/dusk on a flooding tide. White-water lures or peeler crab/sandeel in the gutters. Avoid big swell; wade with care.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 8/10
🎯 Tip: From rocky ends/kelp gullies; size 2-4 strong hooks with crab or rag. Fish 2-3 hrs either side of low to cover the ledges. Use abrasion-resistant line; expect snags.
🐟 Pollack 7/10
🎯 Tip: Work metal jigs or weedless soft plastics along reef edges at dusk into dark on the flood. Keep lures mid-water to avoid kelp. Float-fished sandeel also scores.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Night over sandy patches in the cove; small fish or squid strips on size 2 hooks. Cast just past the first breaker on a flooding tide.
🐟 Mackerel 6/10
🎯 Tip: Summer, clear water and light winds. Cast feathers/metal from the rocks at mid to high water; early/late best. Keep mobile to find shoals.
🐟 Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
🎯 Tip: Small worm or crab baits lowered into kelp pockets over flood. Size 4-6 hooks, short snoods; gentle lift-bites. Release carefully.
🐟 Pouting 5/10
🎯 Tip: Evenings into night over rough/mixed ground; small fish/squid baits on two-hook flappers. Keep baits hard on the bottom.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
🎯 Tip: After dark in late summer/autumn; small sabikis or size 6 hooks tipped with fish. Slow retrieve from deeper rock points at high water.
🐟 Conger Eel 5/10
🎯 Tip: After dark from the rocks; whole mackerel or large squid into gullies. 60lb+ mono trace, strong hook. Fish the first of the flood.
🐟 Garfish 4/10
🎯 Tip: Calm summer seas; float-fished strips of mackerel or sandeel 2–6 ft under a float from rock points at mid to high tide.

Dollar Cove Fishing

Summary

Dollar Cove, also known locally as Jangye Ryn, sits just north of Gunwalloe Church Cove on Cornwall’s Lizard peninsula. This exposed, mixed ground beach-and-reef mark is a classic west coast bass venue with rock options for wrasse and pollack, plus surf species over the sand patches. It rewards attentive anglers who time the swell and tide, but demands respect in heavy seas.

Location and Access

Getting to the mark is straightforward, with short walks from National Trust car parks and paths onto sand, shingle and low reef. Expect uneven footing and some short, steep sections of coast path and steps.

Seasons

Dollar Cove fishes very seasonally, with bass and rock species in warmer months and surf species through autumn into winter. Occasional surprises turn up after big blows.

Methods

This is a versatile mark: surf fishing across the sand, rough-ground ledgering on the fringes, and lure or float work around the reef. Scale your approach to the sea state.

Tides and Conditions

Tide timing and swell direction are everything here. Aim to fish forming surf and avoid being pushed onto the reef by big spring tides.

Safety

This is an exposed Atlantic mark with powerful surf, rips and slippery reef. Choose conditions carefully, fish with a partner where possible, and keep escape routes in mind.

Facilities

Facilities are sparse at the cove itself, with seasonal amenities in the immediate area and fuller services in Helston and Porthleven.

Tips

Small positioning tweaks make a big difference at Dollar Cove. Read the water, travel light, and be ready to move as the tide changes.

Regulations

Recreational sea angling from the shore is permitted at Dollar Cove, but several national and local rules apply. Always check the latest official guidance before you go.