Summary
Godrevy Point sits on the northern tip of St Ives Bay, staring straight into the Atlantic with the lighthouse off to your right and miles of surf beaches to your left. It’s a classic Cornish headland mark: dramatic ground, deep kelp-fringed water, and surf-washed coves that hold bass, pollack and wrasse in season. If you respect the sea and the cliffs, it’s a rewarding venue for both lure and bait anglers.
Location and Access
Getting to Godrevy Point is straightforward, with National Trust parking and the South West Coast Path delivering you onto the headland. The final approach to any rock mark is exposed and uneven, so dress for rough granite and wind.
- Drive via the A30 and follow signs for Hayle, then the B3301 to Gwithian/Godrevy; use the National Trust Godrevy car parks (postcode TR27 5ED). Charges apply; NT members usually park free.
- From the main headland car park, it’s 10–20 minutes on the coast path to the point; allow extra time for scouting safe platforms.
- Terrain is classic north-coast granite: uneven rock, boulders and short, steep sections. Some ledges involve scrambles and are not suitable for novices.
- Public transport reaches Gwithian in season; expect an additional walk. Night-time access is possible on foot, but car park gates may be locked seasonally—check onsite signage.
Seasons
The headland and adjacent surf beaches produce a mix of rough-ground and open-beach species. Bass and pollack headline the sport, with wrasse in the kelp and summer mackerel shoals under the birds.
- Spring (Mar–May): bass building in the surf and along the rocks; pollack on the flood at dusk; wrasse switch on as water warms; occasional garfish late spring; chance of small-eyed ray and turbot from the beaches.
- Summer (Jun–Aug): mackerel and scad, wrasse (ballan/corkwing), pollack, garfish; bass at dawn/dusk and in onshore surf; occasional gurnard/turbot on the sands; conger and bull huss after dark from rough ground.
- Autumn (Sep–Nov): peak bass, better pollack, lingering mackerel early; whiting start late; small-eyed ray on settled nights; the odd codling in prolonged northerlies.
- Winter (Dec–Feb): whiting, dogfish, rockling on the beaches; conger from the rocks on big baits; codling are possible but uncommon on this coast.
Methods
Godrevy fishes well with both lures and baits; choose tactics to match the ground and sea state. Lure work shines in clear water; baits come into their own in colour and after a blow.
- Lure fishing (rocks): 20–40 g metals and shore jigs for mackerel/pollack; 10–28 g shads or paddletails on weedless hooks for pollack/bass across kelp gullies; diving and surface plugs for bass at first/last light.
- Float fishing (rocks): ragworm or hardback/peeler crab for wrasse down the face; slivers of mackerel on size 6–8 for garfish; set depth to just above the kelp.
- Bottom fishing (rocks): strong gear, 30–40 lb leaders; pulley/pulley-dropper with 4/0 pennel for bass/huss/conger; big mackerel or squid baits after dark. Expect snags—rotten-bottom links help.
- Surf/beach tactics: 2–3 hook flappers with worm/sandeel for whiting/flatfish; clipped-down pulley or up-and-over with sandeel/razor/squid for bass, small-eyed ray, and turbot. Use 5–6 oz grip leads in a pushy surf.
- Times: dawn/dusk for bass/pollack; mackerel under working birds whenever they show; conger/huss after dark; beaches often fish best on the flooding tide into darkness.
Tides and Conditions
This is an Atlantic-facing mark: swell and long-period sets matter more than wind speed alone. Pick your windows; safety comes first.
- Tide state: mid-to-high water fishes well for pollack and wrasse off the rocks; bass can show at any state with moving water, with a notable push on the flood.
- Swell: light-to-moderate swell with a bit of colour is excellent for bass; too much swell makes the ledges dangerous and unfishable. Clear, calm days suit lures for pollack/wrasse.
- Wind: light W–NW creates surf on the beaches; E–SE flattens the bay and improves water clarity for lures.
- Seasonality: summer–autumn for consistent lure sport; winter baiting for conger/whiting on settled nights.
- Tidal pull: expect strong cross-tides and back-eddies around the point—step up leads and keep contact with the gear.
Safety
Godrevy is beautiful but unforgiving: sheer drops, barnacled rock, and surging swell. Choose conservative perches and fish within your limits.
- Sheer cliffs and slippy ledges: avoid the edge, wear grippy boots/cleats, and use a personal flotation device. Never climb down unstable faces.
- Swell and surges: long-period sets can wash platforms in calm-looking weather—watch the sea for 10–15 minutes before committing, and relocate if waves are licking your spot.
- Cut-off risk: some boulder coves and lower shelves become isolated on a rising tide; plan an escape route and time your session.
- Tackle up well back from the edge; keep kit leashed/organised; headtorch with spare batteries for night sessions.
- Wildlife sensitivity: Mutton Cove is a seal haul-out—disturbance is an offence. Keep at least 100 m, no shouting, dogs on leads, no lights or drones over seals, especially during the pupping season.
- Accessibility: the main coast path is good but undulating; rock marks are not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Safer, flatter alternatives are the nearby beaches in fair conditions.
- Fish with a partner when possible and let someone know your finish time.
Facilities
Facilities are decent by Cornish headland standards, with seasonal services close to the car park and full amenities a short drive away.
- Parking: National Trust car parks at Godrevy (charges apply; check seasonal opening and potential evening gate closures).
- Toilets: seasonal toilets near the main car park; none at the marks themselves.
- Food/drink: a café/kiosk typically operates near the car park in season; bring water and warm layers year-round.
- Tackle/bait: nearest options are in Hayle and Camborne; check opening times and stock (fresh sandeel/rag can sell out in summer).
- Mobile signal: generally good atop the headland, patchy in coves.
- No lighting on paths or ledges—bring reliable torches.
- No camping or fires on the headland; follow National Trust signage.
Tips
A bit of watercraft goes a long way here. Read the gullies, watch the birds, and cover ground until you find fish.
- Work lures tight to the kelp but stay snag-savvy: use weedless hooks and slow, controlled retrieves; count metals down and sweep them up through the water column.
- After a blow, fish the first safe, settling sea for bass with big sandeel or crab baits; lures can shine as the colour drops out.
- On mackerel days, try a single small jig or Sabiki under a bomb for selective fishing and fewer tangles in crosswinds.
- For wrasse, crab outfishes worm once spider crabs arrive; keep traces short to reduce reefing.
- Beaches: look for outer bars and rip gutters at low water, then return to fish the flood as the features start to fill.
- Seals are common—expect them to patrol hooked fish; a firm retrieve and barbless or semi-barbed hooks help with quick releases.
- Keep noise and headtorch beams low at dawn/dusk on calm days—nervy bass and garfish stay tighter for longer.
Regulations
Regulations change, so always check current rules before you go. Godrevy lies within a Marine Conservation Zone, and wildlife protections are actively enforced.
- Marine Conservation Zone: Godrevy sits within the St Ives Bay to St Agnes MCZ. Recreational rod-and-line fishing is generally permitted, but do not disturb protected habitats or wildlife. Commercial-style netting has separate restrictions—rod anglers should not be affected.
- Bass rules: recreational bass retention is subject to an annual seasonal window, daily bag limit, and a 42 cm minimum size in this area. These dates and limits can change year to year—check the latest MMO/DEFRA notice before retaining fish.
- Minimum sizes: observe Cornwall IFCA minimum conservation reference sizes for common species (e.g., bass 42 cm; others vary). When in doubt, measure and release.
- Pollack: retention rules have been reviewed recently—check current government guidance for recreational limits before keeping pollack.
- Protected species: allis/twaite shad, seahorses, and marine mammals are strictly protected—release immediately if encountered and avoid disturbance.
- Bait collection: follow local byelaws and site guidance; avoid damaging rockpools or SSSI dune systems (Towans). Collect only what you need.
- Access and signage: National Trust and wildlife wardens may impose temporary area restrictions for nesting birds or seals—comply with any closures or advice on-site.