Keneggy Sands Fishing

Summary

Keneggy (Kenneggy) Sands is a tucked-away pocket of clean sand and rock on the eastern side of Mount’s Bay between Praa Sands and the Prussia Cove coves. It’s a classic Cornish surf-and-rock mark: bass in the surf, wrasse and pollack off the fringes, and the chance of small-eyed rays after dark on the sand. The access is steep and tide-dependent, but the solitude and fish quality make it well worth the effort.

Location and Access

This is a remote-feeling beach backed by steep cliffs with no facilities on site. Most anglers approach via the South West Coast Path from either Praa Sands or the Prussia Cove car parks. Expect a final steep descent with steps/handline sections that are not ideal for heavy kit.

• Park at Praa Sands (pay-and-display; TR20 area) and walk east 20–30 minutes along the coast path, or use the Prussia Cove car park and walk west a similar distance.
• The last drop to the beach is steep, sometimes aided by ropes/handrails put in by walkers; wear good boots and keep hands free.
• Terrain is a mix of clean sand in the cove and kelpy, bouldery rock at the ends; travel light and use a rucksack rather than boxes.
• The beach all but disappears on big tides; plan your access/exit around the tide, not after it.

Seasons

This mark fishes like a small surf beach framed by wrasse-y rock ends. Expect classic Mount’s Bay species with seasonal shifts.

• Spring: Bass (early arrivals on small surf), pollack and wrasse on the rock fringes, garfish in calmer spells.
• Summer: Bass (lure and bait), ballan and corkwing wrasse, pollack, mackerel and scad on evenings, golden-grey mullet in the surf line, occasional smoothhound on peeler crab, lesser-spotted dogfish after dark.
• Autumn: Peak for bass, with mackerel/garfish tapering off; small-eyed and spotted rays become a real possibility on settled nights; pout and gurnard mixed in.
• Winter: Whiting and dogfish on night tides over the sand, the odd ray on milder settled spells; pollack possible from the rocks in clear water.
• Wildcards: Turbot or plaice are occasional on shifting banks; conger and bull huss from rougher ground at the edges after dark.

Methods

Fish it as two marks in one: a surf beach for bass/rays and rocky margins for wrasse/pollack. Keep gear minimal due to the descent.

• Surf bass: 9–10 ft lure rod with surface/sub-surface lures at first and last light; or a light beach rod with rolling ledger and crab/sandeel. Soft plastics on 10–20 g heads work the gutters.
• Rays and night work: 12–13 ft beach rod, 15 lb mono/30–40 lb leader, 4–5 oz leads; 3–5 ft pulley or up-and-over with a 3/0–4/0 pennel. Best baits: whole sandeel, squid/sandeel wraps, or bluey.
• Wrasse/pollack: Short leaders and abrasion-resistant line; float fish prawn/crab for wrasse in kelp gullies, or slow-retrieve paddletails for pollack as light falls.
• Scratch rigs: 2-hook loop or clipped-down with size 2–1 hooks and lug/rag/mackerel strip for whiting, pout, gurnard.
• Timing: Lures at dawn/dusk or over a flooding tide; static baits for rays/dogs from late evening into the first half of the ebb on settled nights.

Tides and Conditions

Tide and sea state dictate everything here because the cove is small and the beach gets swamped on springs. Read the surf and work the edges.

• Tides: Flooding tide into dusk is prime for bass; first two hours of the ebb can also be good. Rays often show 2 hours either side of high on bigger tides when the sand fills out.
• Sea state: A light to moderate SW swell with some colour brings bass in; too much swell makes it unfishable and dangerous. Rays prefer settled or slight sea with modest lateral tide.
• Wind: Offshore or cross-off (N–E quadrant) cleans the surf for lures; a gentle onshore (S–SW) can switch bass on, but weed can be an issue after blows.
• Seasons: May–November is the headline window for varied sport; winter nights are quieter but can produce whiting and the odd ray.
• Time of day: Dawn and dusk are standout, with proper darkness best for rays and dogfish.

Safety

This is an exposed, committing venue with a steep access and limited dry land at high water. Treat it as a serious rock/surf mark.

• Steep descent/ascent with steps and potential handlines; not suitable for trolleys, heavy boxes, or limited mobility.
• Tide cut-off risk: the beach all but vanishes on big highs; know your tide times and leave an exit margin.
• Cliff and rock hazards: loose rock, slippery weeded boulders, and swell surges around the points—keep well back in swell.
• Wear a modern foam or inflatable lifejacket if fishing near rocks, and use studded boots/cleats for kelp.
• Night fishing: go light, carry two headtorches, and avoid fishing alone due to the access.
• Mobile signal can be patchy in the cove; tell someone your plan and timing.

Facilities

There are no on-site facilities at Keneggy Sands. Everything you need must be carried in and out.

• Nearest toilets, cafés, and seasonal shops are at Praa Sands; limited options also at Perranuthnoe.
• Tackle shops are in Penzance and Helston; stock up before you walk in.
• Pay-and-display parking at Praa Sands and Prussia Cove; arrive early in summer.
• Mobile reception varies—usually better on the headlands than down on the sand.

Tips

Keneggy has a few quirks that regulars quietly work around. Keep an eye on the weed and the shifting banks.

• It’s known to be used by naturists in settled summer weather—don’t be surprised if you share the cove.
• After a couple of days of SW swell, rolling a peeler crab along the inner bar at first light can be deadly for bass.
• For rays, fish big and still: whole sandeel or a squid-sandeel cocktail on a long trace, and leave it to soak—don’t drag it about.
• Golden-grey mullet patrol the tiny backwash gutters; small size 6 hooks with isome or slivers of prawn under a waggler can be fun on calm evenings.
• Weed can be severe after onshore blows; a short, high leader and breakout leads help keep line clear of the bottom.
• Travel minimalist: one rod, one lure box or a couple of bait wallets, and a compact tripod—your back will thank you on the climb out.

Regulations

Shore angling is generally permitted here; there is no specific byelaw banning fishing at Keneggy Sands. Always follow national and Cornwall IFCA rules and any local signage on the day.

• European seabass (recreational): as of 2024, daily bag limit 2 fish per angler, minimum size 42 cm, with a closed catch-and-release period over winter—check MMO/DEFRA for any updates before your trip.
• Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes (MCRS) apply to many species; measure fish and release undersize catches promptly. Rays should be supported for photos and returned quickly.
• There are Marine Protected and conservation designations around Mount’s Bay; normal shore angling is allowed, but avoid disturbing wildlife and keep to marked paths to protect SSSI cliff habitats.
• No fires or camping on the cliff tops or beach, and take all litter (including line and bait wrappers) home.
• If collecting peeler or shellfish for bait, respect local byelaws, closed seasons, and voluntary codes of conduct; only take what you need.