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Cornwall

Hawke’s Point

6.9 · Rocks · Cornwall

A rocky headland between Carbis Bay and Porthkidney Sands near St Ives, offering mixed rough ground with kelp gullies and access to deeper water close in. Best on a flooding to high tide in calmer swells; exposed to Atlantic swell and crosswinds. Popular for spinning and float fishing in summer (mackerel, garfish, pollack) with wrasse in daylight, scad at dusk, and conger after dark. Access is via the South West Coast Path with a short but steep, uneven scramble to the ledges. No facilities or shelter; superb views but limited comfort. Exercise caution with swells, slippery weeded rock, and drop-offs.

Should you fish Hawke’s Point?

56 Fair

Today · Best window

Best window: 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide

Most likely species: Mackerel and Tompot Blenny

Fair conditions. Best around 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide. Good chance of Mackerel and Tompot Blenny.

NW 3 mph Rain 24% High tide 10:59

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Hawke’s Point — 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.

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· 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.

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Hawke’s Point is best treated as a mobile, clear-water rock mark rather than a sit-and-wait venue. The most consistent plan is to fish the last of the flood through high water and the first of the ebb, working kelp edges, gullies, drop-offs and clean sand fringes for bass, pollack, wrasse, mackerel, garfish and evening scad. It can fish well in a small, settled swell, but the ledges are exposed, weeded and unforgiving when Atlantic swell wraps into the bay.

  • Know when to fish the kelp ledges and when to switch to the sand.
  • Time the last of the flood for bass, pollack and wrasse.
  • Avoid the lower ledges before they become a cut-off problem.
  • Use weedless tactics to reach fish hiding in the kelp lanes.
  • Pick the safer backup beach plan when swell ruins the rocks.

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Carbis Bay 0.6 mi Lelant 1.2 mi The Towans 1.3 mi St Ives (Cornwall) 1.5 mi Hayle 1.8 mi

Explore nearby towns: Carbis Bay · Lelant · The Towans · St Ives (Cornwall) · Hayle

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Forecast tuning currently supports Bass and Mackerel — more species are on the way.

Overall rating

6.9 /10

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

Category scores

Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 5/10

Bass 8/10
Tip: Dawn/dusk on a flooding tide; work soft plastics or surface lures along kelpy points and surfy seams. After a blow, fish crab baits in gullies.
Pollack 8/10
Tip: Flood to dusk; cast soft plastics or metals parallel to kelp edges and drop-offs. Keep lures high to avoid snags.
Mackerel 8/10
Tip: Summer, clear water; small metals or float rigs from the point when the tide runs. Best at dusk around high water.
Ballan Wrasse 7/10
Tip: Fish hardback crabs or ragworm into kelp gullies; last 3 hrs of the flood. Use strong gear and a rotten-bottom to beat snags.
Rock Goby 7/10
Tip: Micro-fish along boulder edges with small worm bits on size 12–16 hooks; gentle lift-and-hold over kelp.
Tompot Blenny 7/10
Tip: Size 12–16 hooks with small worm or prawn right under ledges; any tide but calmer water helps; keep baits static.
Shanny 7/10
Tip: Tiny hooks and worm near weeded rock pools and crevices at mid to high water; short drops, no long casts.
Garfish 7/10
Tip: Late spring–autumn; float a sliver of mackerel near the surface over clean patches; flood to high water with clear water.
Pouting 6/10
Tip: After dark over rough ground; small fish baits on a 2-hook paternoster; high water and first of the ebb.
Scad (Horse Mackerel) 6/10
Tip: Warm evenings into dark; small sabikis or size 6 hooks with mackerel strip under a float or light; tide run near high water.
Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
Tip: Small rag or crab on size 4–6 hooks in weed fringes; last of the flood over kelp patches.
Conger Eel 5/10
Tip: Night; big mackerel/squid baits to kelp edges on strong trace; fish high water into first of the ebb. Use a rotten-bottom.

Local knowledge

Hawke’s Point fishing guide

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

Hawke’s Point sits on the headland between Carbis Bay and Porthkidney Sands in St Ives Bay, Cornwall. It’s a classic mixed-ground rock mark with kelp, ledges and clean sand fringes, offering great lure and float sport for bass, pollack and wrasse in clear water. When conditions line up, it’s one of the most scenic and productive spots on this stretch of coast.

This mark is reached via the South West Coast Path on the headland above Carbis Bay. Access is straightforward for fit anglers but includes steep paths and short scrambles onto weeded rocks. Go light and wear good footwear.

  • Approach from Carbis Bay: follow Headland Road to the coast path; signed paths drop to the point. Pay-and-display parking is available around Carbis Bay/Carbis Bay Station (TR26 area) but fills quickly in summer.
  • Approach from Lelant/Porthkidney: park near the church/common and walk across the dunes to the beach, then pick up the coast path towards the point. Allow extra time and check tide to avoid long detours.
  • Terrain: uneven, weed-covered rock ledges with kelp gullies; lower platforms expose on bigger lows and can be cut off on the flood.
  • Public transport: the St Ives Bay Line stops at Carbis Bay and Lelant; it’s a handy way to avoid parking pressures.
  • No coordinates are given here; follow local signage on the South West Coast Path and keep to established paths.

This is a mixed ground mark that fishes differently through the year. Expect lure sport in clear water and bait fishing options on adjacent clean sand.

  • Spring (Mar–May):
    • Bass along the rocks on small surf; early-season pollack on lures; ballan wrasse as water warms.
    • Plaice and turbot are occasional from Porthkidney on long traces; flounder near the estuary side.
  • Summer (Jun–Aug):
    • Bass, pollack, garfish, mackerel, scad; ballan and corkwing wrasse in kelp gullies.
    • Night bites can see conger from deeper holes; small-eyed ray are a possibility on the beach.
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov):
    • Peak bass and pollack on lures; mackerel and scad shoals; wrasse still reliable until the first chills.
    • Whiting and gurnard show on the beach as temps drop.
  • Winter (Dec–Feb):
    • Fewer lure options; whiting and the odd codling from surf beaches in a blow; dogfish on baits. Occasional conger from the rocks on settled nights.

Lure fishing is the headline act here, with float and light bottom tactics also effective. Adjacent clean sand opens classic surf options.

  • Lures (rocks):
    • Bass: 12–20 g hard minnows and topwaters at dawn/dusk; 10–20 g weedless soft plastics (paddle/slug) on Texas/weightless rigs for kelp lanes.
    • Pollack: 15–30 g jigheads or chebs with soft shads swung along the edge of kelp; metals for distance when birds are working.
    • Garfish/mackerel/scad: small metals and spoons; micro-jigs at dusk into dark for scad.
  • Float fishing:
    • Wrasse: strong gear, 20–25 lb fluoro trace, size 2–1/0 hooks; baits of hardback crab, prawn or ragworm set to just off the bottom over rough ground.
    • Garfish: small slivers of mackerel under a pencil float in clear water.
  • Bottom tactics (rocks and beach):
    • Beach bass/rays: 4–6 oz leads, pulley or pulley-dropper with 3/0–5/0 hooks; peeler crab, fresh sandeel or squid/sandeel cocktails.
    • Turbot/plaice: long up-and-over or flowing traces, size 1–2 hooks, sandeel or worm baits on the cleaner patches.
    • Conger (rocks, after dark): strong mono rubbing leaders, 6/0 hooks, mackerel or squid sections.
  • Tackle notes:
    • Lure rods 8’6–9’6, 10–35 g; 20–30 lb braid with 20–25 lb fluoro leaders for rough ground.
    • Wear cleated or studded boots; carry a long-handled net or gripper for safe landing.

Tide and sea state matter here. The point is sheltered compared to the open north coast but swell wraps into the bay and surges on the ledges.

  • Tide states:
    • Lures: last of the flood through high and first of the ebb are prime along the rocks; fish the movement around kelp edges.
    • Beach: 2 hours up and first 2 down are productive for bass and rays; look for rips and gutters off Porthkidney.
  • Sea conditions:
    • Bass: light colour and a metre or so of swell is ideal; too much swell creates dangerous surges.
    • Pollack/wrasse: clear to lightly coloured water over kelp; avoid gin-clear mid-day sun or go early/late.
  • Wind and clarity:
    • E/SE winds can flatten and clear the bay; W/NW adds life but watch for wrap-around sets.
  • Time of day/seasonality:
    • Dawn and dusk are consistently better for bass/gar/scad; summer nights fish well for conger and scad.
    • Autumn often gives the best all-round fishing before winter storms.

These are exposed rock ledges with kelp, swell and cut-off risks. Treat it as a serious rock mark and plan around tides and conditions.

  • Slippery, uneven rocks with thick weed: studded boots recommended; take small, deliberate steps.
  • Swell and surges: never fish close to the edge; keep eyes on the sea; avoid big-swell days entirely.
  • Tide cut-off: some lower ledges flood early on the push; know your escape routes and timings.
  • Cliff edges and loose ground: stick to established paths; do not undercut or climb unstable sections.
  • Night fishing: carry two headtorches and a charged phone; mark safe exits in daylight first.
  • Personal safety: a rock-fishing PFD is strongly recommended; fish with a partner where possible.
  • Restrictions: respect any seasonal wildlife signage (nesting seabirds) and private property boundaries along the coast path. If in doubt, move on.

Facilities are focused around Carbis Bay and St Ives; the point itself is wild with no amenities on the rocks.

  • Parking: pay-and-display options around Carbis Bay/Carbis Bay Station (TR26 area); limited roadside spaces—arrive early in peak season.
  • Toilets and cafés: usually available at Carbis Bay beach and in Carbis Bay village; none at the point itself or on Porthkidney beach.
  • Tackle and bait: available in St Ives and Hayle; check opening hours in winter.
  • Lifeguards: Carbis Bay typically has seasonal lifeguard cover; Porthkidney is generally unlifeguarded—verify locally.
  • Phone signal: generally good on the headland; can dip under the cliffs—don’t rely on it at water level.

Local patterns reward stealth, mobility and timing. Treat it like a clear-water lure venue with backup options on the beach.

  • Travel light and rove: pick off likely gullies and points rather than camping on one ledge.
  • Weedless is king: Texas-rigged soft plastics save gear and reach fish in kelp lanes.
  • Polarised glasses help you read weed lines and spot bait fish and gar.
  • Bird signs: terns and gannets working over the sand line often push mackerel/scad within casting range.
  • After a small blow: as the sea settles and colours slightly, bass often move tight to the rocks.
  • Train hack: park at St Erth and use the branch line to Carbis Bay/Lelant to dodge parking stress on busy days.
  • Summer crowds: at busy times, fish very early or late to avoid swimmers and paddleboards.
  • Landing fish: plan a safe landing spot before you cast; use a net or gripper rather than risking a wave-washed ledge.

Regulations change—always check current rules from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and Cornwall IFCA before you go. The following is guidance, not legal advice.

  • European bass (Dicentrarchus labrax): as of 2024, the recreational daily bag limit in this area is 2 fish per angler, minimum size 42 cm, with retention typically permitted 1 March–30 November and catch-and-release only outside those dates. Verify the current year’s notice before fishing.
  • Protected species: do not intentionally target shad, dolphin, porpoise, or basking sharks; release any accidentally caught rare or protected species immediately.
  • Shellfish and crustaceans: local byelaws apply (minimum sizes, berried/v-notched lobsters/crabs must not be taken). Check Cornwall IFCA for specifics before collecting from shore.
  • Hayle Estuary and nearby designations: parts of the adjacent estuary are protected for wildlife (SSSI/RSPB). Observe any on-site signs and avoid restricted areas; do not disturb nesting birds or seals.
  • Access: the coast path is public, but adjacent land may be private/managed (including National Trust and hotel areas). Respect signage and do not block gates or emergency access.
  • Litter and fish welfare: follow catch-and-release best practice where appropriate; take all line, hooks and litter home.