Summary
East Portholland sits on the quiet Roseland coast of south Cornwall, the eastern half of a twin-hamlet joined to West Portholland at low tide. It offers a mix of clean sand, kelpy rock ledges and gentle surf, giving shore anglers genuine variety from one compact, scenic mark.
Location and Access
This is a small, lived-in cove at the end of narrow Cornish lanes, so arrive early and be considerate. Access is straightforward onto the beach at low water, with short scrambles to rock ledges either side.
- Approach via the A390 (St Austell/Truro) then minor lanes signed for Caerhays/Portholland; allow extra time for single-track roads with passing places.
- Parking is very limited in East Portholland itself (a few roadside spaces by the sea wall); do not block gateways, slipways or resident access.
- If full, try West Portholland (again, very limited) or use the larger paid car park at Porthluney Cove (Caerhays Beach) and walk 15–25 minutes on the South West Coast Path to East Portholland.
- Postcode area: TR2; sat-navs can misroute—follow local signs to Caerhays and Portholland near the end.
- Terrain is mixed: firm sand at low tide, shingle pockets, low rock platforms and kelp gullies off both headlands. Good boots help on barnacle and weed-covered rock.
Seasons
Expect classic south-coast variety with a strong summer showing and some worthwhile winter options. The surrounding mixed ground and sand patches broaden the target list.
- Bass: March–November; best May–October in a light surf or after dark.
- Pollack: Year-round from rough ground, with dusk/dawn peaks; larger fish in clear winter water at range.
- Ballan and corkwing wrasse: May–October around kelp-fringed ledges and boulder fields.
- Mackerel: June–September in calm, clear spells; shoals move through at dusk.
- Garfish: May–October, often tight to the surface under floats.
- Scad (horse mackerel): July–October after dark under lights.
- Rays (small-eyed, spotted): Late spring to autumn over the cleaner sand; best on a flooding tide.
- Bull huss and conger: All year from the rougher corners and deeper ledges after dark.
- Flatfish (plaice/sole occasional, flounder in winter): Mostly on the sand tongues in settled seas.
- Whiting: November–February on night tides in calm to moderate conditions.
- Thick-lipped mullet: May–October in calm water around the stream outflow and beach corners.
Methods
A versatile mark: you can lure fish the kelp edges, float fish for summer pelagics, or bait-fish the sand for rays and bass. Adjust to the water clarity and swell.
- Lures for bass/pollack: 10–30 g weedless soft plastics, shallow divers and surface walkers at dawn/dusk along the gutters; use 20–25 lb fluorocarbon leaders on braid to cope with kelp and rock.
- Float fishing: Set 6–12 ft for garfish, mackerel and wrasse with sandeel, mackerel strip or rag/prawn; drift along the drop-offs on a flooding tide.
- Bottom tactics (mixed ground): Pulley/pulley dropper or up-and-over with a short rotten-bottom link; 4–5 oz grip leads; baits include peeler crab, whole sandeel and squid cocktails. Expect snags—fish robust mono leaders.
- Rays over sand: Long up-and-over or clipped-down traces, size 2/0–4/0 hooks, sandeel or sandeel/squid; 2–3 hours up and first of the ebb.
- Bass in surf: From the beach on a small to moderate swell with sandeel, razorfish or crab; night tides are prime.
- LRF/UL gear: Isome/worm imitations, small paddletails and micro-metals for corkwings, pollack, scad and pout when it’s quiet.
- Mullet: Bread flake on size 8–12 hooks, light fluorocarbon and plenty of stealth around the stream plume on calm days.
Tides and Conditions
Tide state and sea colour drive results here. The flood into dusk is a consistent pattern, but each species likes a slightly different window.
- Best tide: Mid-flood to high; wrasse switch on as gullies fill, bass prowl the surf line and gutters at dusk, rays favour 2–3 hours up over sand.
- Wind and swell: Light southerly onshore puts life in the surf for bass; wrasse prefer settled, clear water. Heavy SW groundswell can make ledges unsafe; northerlies flatten it.
- Water clarity: After storms, expect suspended sand/weed; give it 24–48 hours to settle for lures and wrasse.
- Time of day: Dawn/dusk reliably lift pollack, bass and pelagics; after dark brings huss, conger, scad and winter whiting.
- Seasonality: May–October is the headline window (wrasse, bass, mackerel, gar, rays); November–February sees fewer species but useful whiting/pollack/huss fishing in settled spells.
Safety
This is a low, friendly-looking cove, but the rock platforms are slippery and swells rebound around the headlands. Plan for the tide and give yourself exits.
- Check tide times and avoid getting cut off on the ends of either headland on big floods.
- Wear grippy footwear and consider a waist-belted PFD; kelp and weed make even gentle ledges treacherous.
- Keep an eye on swell surges—never turn your back on the sea, especially on spring tides or long-period groundswell.
- Night sessions: carry a headtorch plus spare, and tell someone your plan; phone signal can be patchy.
- Accessibility: The beach itself is straightforward at low water, but the ledges are uneven and not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.
- Share space: slips and launch points are used by locals—give way to boats and avoid fishing among bathers in summer.
- Cliffs are crumbly in places; avoid climbing or sitting beneath unstable faces.
Facilities
Facilities are minimal at East Portholland; treat it as a self-sufficient session and pack accordingly. Nearby options improve towards Caerhays, Gorran and Mevagissey.
- Toilets: None at East Portholland; seasonal facilities at Porthluney Cove (Caerhays) and public toilets in Gorran Haven/Mevagissey.
- Food/drink: Seasonal beach kiosk at Porthluney; year-round pubs/cafés in Gorran, Portloe and Mevagissey.
- Tackle/bait: Tackle shops and fresh/frozen bait in Mevagissey and St Austell.
- Lifeguards: None at East Portholland (Porthluney may have seasonal coverage—check locally).
- Mobile signal: Variable and network-dependent; don’t rely on data coverage on the rocks.
Tips
A few local quirks and patterns help swing the odds. Watch the water, not the clock, and match your approach to the day’s conditions.
- Rot weed can be heavy in late spring/early summer—use weedless lures and move to clearer lanes or higher rock points.
- Spider-crab moult (late spring) fires up wrasse on peeler crab but increases bait theft and snags; elasticated baits help.
- Grey seals occasionally work the bay; if one moves in, relocate rather than feeding it your fish.
- Bioluminescence often shows on warm, calm late-summer nights—great to watch and a scad magnet under a small headlamp.
- The east headland gains depth quickest on the flood; the west side’s kelp gullies are wrassey in clear water. At low tide you can traverse the beach between the hamlets to reposition.
- Use a short rotten-bottom link on mixed ground and step up to 60–80 lb abrasion leaders for conger/huss.
- For rays, present long, straight baits (whole sandeels) and keep snoods long; a gentle lob into the sand tongues often out-fishes a full-blooded cast.
Regulations
Shore angling is permitted here and there is no local blanket ban for rod-and-line fishing. Always respect private property, keep to the South West Coast Path and the foreshore, and follow any on-site signage.
- European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax): Recreational limit currently 2 fish per angler per day from 1 March–30 November, minimum size 42 cm; catch-and-release only December–February. Check MMO/IFCA updates each year.
- Minimum sizes/bag limits: Follow UK national minimum conservation reference sizes where applicable if retaining fish; many local anglers use higher voluntary sizes and release big wrasse.
- Pots and nets: Do not tamper with pot markers or gear; avoid casting across pot lines and swimming areas.
- Protected areas: No rod-and-line restrictions specific to this cove are advertised at the time of writing, but wider marine designations exist along this coast—check Cornwall IFCA byelaws and MCZ guidance before collecting bait or foraging.
- General conduct: Pack out all litter, avoid fires/BBQs where prohibited (estate beaches may have restrictions), and keep noise/light to a minimum near homes.
