Gwennap Head Fishing

Summary

Gwennap Head is a dramatic granite headland just east of Land’s End, overlooking the famed Runnel Stone reef and deep Atlantic water. It’s a classic Cornish rock mark with quick access to depth, strong tides, and clean oceanic water that attracts pollack, wrasse, bass and summer pelagics. For skilled rock anglers it offers superb sport in the right conditions, but it is an exposed, committing venue that demands respect.

Location and Access

Reaching the mark is straightforward but involves a coastal walk and uneven terrain. Most anglers park at Porthgwarra and follow the South West Coast Path to the Gwennap Head lookout and surrounding ledges.

• Drive via St Buryan and follow signs for Porthgwarra; pay-and-display parking at Porthgwarra Cove (limited spaces at busy times).
• From the cove, join the coast path west/south-west towards the National Coastwatch lookout at Gwennap Head; allow 15–30 minutes on a rough, undulating path.
• Final approaches are on granite slabs, heather, and short, broken tracks to ledges; footwear with excellent grip is essential.
• Terrain is steep and unforgiving in places. Not suitable for buggies or wheelchairs; carrying a heavy kit is strenuous.
• Avoid trying to down-climb to low platforms unless you are very experienced and conditions are benign; plenty of safer, higher ledges fish well.

Seasons

This is a mixed rough-ground rock mark with depth, tide, and kelp gullies. Species vary by season, with resident wrasse and pollack supplemented by summer visitors.

• Spring (Mar–May):
  • Pollack (increasing size into late spring)
  • Ballan and corkwing wrasse
  • Early bass on lures in working water
  • Garfish from late spring on calm, clear days
• Summer (Jun–Aug):
  • Mackerel and scad (horse mackerel), often at dawn/dusk
  • Pollack (lure and float tactics)
  • Ballan wrasse (big fish possible; handle and release carefully)
  • Bass on surface and soft plastics around tide rips
  • Garfish; occasional triggerfish in warm spells
  • Night conger from deeper cuts and drop-offs
• Autumn (Sep–Nov):
  • Bass (often best of the year around blows easing off)
  • Pollack (dusk excels)
  • Scad and late mackerel shoals
  • Wrasse until first cold snaps
• Winter (Dec–Feb):
  • Pollack (fewer but often better-sized in settled windows)
  • Conger at night
  • Pouting, rockling; occasional whiting on calmer nights

Methods

Gwennap Head rewards mobile fishing, accurate presentation, and tackle that can handle rough ground. Lure and float tactics shine; bottom tactics work but are tackle-hungry.

• Lure fishing (pollack/bass):
  • 9–10 ft lure rod, 20–40 g rating; 20–30 lb braid, 20–30 lb fluoro leader.
  • Soft plastics 12–20 cm (paddle tails and eels) on 15–35 g heads or weedless weighted hooks for kelp gullies.
  • Metals (20–40 g) and sandeel-style lures for range and tide; slow lift-and-drops along the kelp edges.
  • Surface/sub-surface plugs (needlefish, pencils, shallow divers) for bass in the rips at dawn/dusk.
• Float fishing (pollack/gar/wrasse):
  • Streamlined 8–12 g floats with 10–20 g capacity; set 3–8 m trace depth depending on ledge height.
  • Baits: live or dead sandeel, mackerel strip, or ragworm; use a 1/0–2/0 hook and 15–20 lb fluoro trace.
• Bottom tactics (wrasse/conger/odds and ends):
  • Pulley or pulley-dropper with a weak-link/rotten-bottom to save leads; 4–6 oz as needed.
  • Baits: peeler/shore crab for wrasse; squid/mackerel cocktail for conger and nighttime pouting.
  • Expect snags—keep rigs simple and strong.
• Feathering/sabikis (mackerel/scad):
  • Size 6–8 sabikis or a single small lure is safer around birds; fish dawn/evening for best results.
• Night fishing:
  • Heavy mono traces (60–100 lb) and 4/0–8/0 hooks for conger; secure your rod and use a headlamp plus spare light.

Tides and Conditions

Depth and tide are the key advantages here. Work with movement but avoid big Atlantic swells and strong onshore winds.

• Tide: the last two hours of the flood into the first hour of the ebb often fish best for pollack and bass; wrasse are consistent through mid-tide when swell is manageable.
• Swell and wind: safest and clearest with light–moderate E/SE winds; W/SW swell wraps around and can be dangerous. Avoid large groundswells.
• Water clarity: clear water favors pollack/garfish/visual lure work; after prolonged easterlies go finesse with lighter leaders and natural patterns.
• Time of day: dawn and dusk markedly improve mackerel, pollack, and bass encounters; night for conger and scad.
• Seasonality: late spring through autumn is prime; winter requires settled high-pressure windows and extra caution.

Safety

This is an exposed Atlantic rock mark with high cliffs, surging swell, and uneven ground. Treat it as a serious venue and plan conservatively.

• Wear a modern PFD/lifejacket, grippy boots or studs, and carry a headlamp plus spare.
• Observe the sea for at least 20 minutes before committing; rogue sets frequently reach higher ledges.
• Many ledges are high with deep water below; avoid down-climbs to low platforms unless conditions are benign and you are experienced.
• Use a weak-link for leads, keep gear tidy, and never turn your back on the water.
• Strong W/SW winds and big swells make this mark hazardous—choose a different venue on such days.
• The area hosts climbers and birders; cast with awareness and keep the coast path clear.
• Steep, uneven approaches; not suitable for those with limited mobility. Phone signal is patchy.
• There is an NCI (National Coastwatch) lookout on the headland—be courteous; in poor visibility or heavy seas consider scrubbing the session.

Facilities

You’re fishing a wild headland with minimal amenities on site. Plan to be self-sufficient.

• Parking: pay-and-display at Porthgwarra Cove; arrive early in summer or at weekends.
• Toilets: usually available at/near the Porthgwarra car park (often seasonal); none at the mark itself.
• Food/refreshments: Porthgwarra Cove Café operates seasonally; fuller services in St Buryan, Sennen, St Just, and Penzance.
• Tackle and bait: good options in Penzance/Newlyn; call ahead for live bait (ragworm/sandeel availability varies).
• Mobile signal: intermittent around the headland; don’t rely on data or calls.
• No lighting, benches, or shelters; bring everything, and pack out all litter and line.

Tips

A little local knowledge goes a long way at Gwennap Head. Read the water, move often, and fish the edges of the kelp and tide.

• Watch the gannets and terns—if they’re working, mackerel/scad and often pollack aren’t far below.
• Always use a rotten-bottom on bottom rigs; the ground is unforgiving and kelpy.
• For pollack, count down soft plastics to different depths and sweep them back just above the weed line; dusk can be electric.
• Bass often patrol the seams where the tide rip meets slack water; needlefish or weightless soft plastics can be deadly in low light.
• If seals start shadowing you, move ledge—your hookup rate will plummet and fish welfare suffers.
• The two cone-shaped daymarks on the head align to warn shipping of the Runnel Stone reef—handy for understanding where the tide races form.
• Big ballan wrasse are slow-growing; barbless hooks, wet hands, and quick releases keep the stock healthy.
• Summer water can be gin-clear: step down leaders, choose natural colours, and lengthen float traces to find the thermocline layer.

Regulations

This shoreline sits within the Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) district and the Cornwall AONB/Heritage Coast. Recreational angling from the shore is permitted, but rules apply to what you can retain.

• Bass: retention, minimum size, and open seasons are subject to annual UK rules. At the time of writing, a slot-size minimum and closed months typically apply—check current Defra/Cornwall IFCA guidance before keeping any bass.
• Wrasse: no national MLS for ballan/corkwing, but many Cornish clubs/practitioners operate voluntary catch-and-release—strongly recommended at this mark.
• Lobsters and crustaceans: it is illegal to retain berried (egg-bearing) lobsters or v-notched lobsters. Local byelaws protect spiny lobster (crawfish)—return any crawfish immediately and check the latest Cornwall IFCA byelaws if potting/collecting.
• Marine protected areas: the headland is adjacent to sensitive seabird cliffs and near offshore conservation sites. These do not generally restrict normal shore angling, but avoid disturbing nesting birds and seals.
• Lead weights and litter: retrieve what you can and take all waste home; some coastal parishes enforce anti-litter measures.
• Always verify up-to-date byelaws, size limits, and bag limits with Cornwall IFCA and the UK government before your trip.