Summary
Mother Ivey’s Bay sits tucked under Trevose Head on Cornwall’s north coast, between Harlyn and Constantine. It’s a pretty, crescent-shaped sand beach with rocky points that offer mixed ground options, plus some shelter from prevailing westerlies, making it a quietly productive mark in the right conditions.
Location and Access
This mark lies on the Trevose Head peninsula near Padstow, with access either via the South West Coast Path or from nearby car parks. Arrive early in peak season as spaces are limited and paths get busy.
- Parking options: National Trust car park by Trevose Head/Lighthouse (often signed; SatNav reference area PL28 8SL); larger pay-and-display at Harlyn Bay (PL28 8SB). No general public parking inside Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park—respect private roads and signage.
- Approach: From the lighthouse car park, follow the coast path south/east to the bay (10–20 minutes). From Harlyn, follow the coast path west via Cataclews Point (20–35 minutes). Final descents are on sandy or stepped paths.
- Terrain: Clean sand in the middle of the bay, with kelpy and bouldery ground on either side. The headland ledges are uneven and can be slippery.
- Notes: The RNLI Padstow Lifeboat Station is on Trevose Head above the bay—do not use the slipway or its access road for fishing or parking.
Seasons
The bay fishes as a clean surf beach with rough-ground options on the flanks. Expect classic north-coast species with a few stand-out targets in the right windows.
- Spring (Mar–May): Turbot (best April–June), early bass, small plaice possible, dogfish; wrasse and pollack wake up around the rocks.
- Summer (Jun–Aug): Bass, small-eyed ray over the sand, mackerel and garfish from the points, gurnards, scad at dusk, thick-lipped mullet in calm water, ballan/corkwing wrasse in kelp, pollack.
- Autumn (Sep–Nov): Peak bass, continued small-eyed rays, lingering turbot, pouting, conger from rough ground after dark, whiting late on.
- Winter (Dec–Feb): Whiting, dogfish, rockling; occasional codling in a proper northerly blow; conger from the rocks at night.
Methods
Treat the middle as a surf beach and the sides as mixed to rough ground. Travel light so you can shift between sand and rock as the tide and swell dictate.
- Over the sand: Long-range clipped-down rigs (1-up/1-down, up-and-over pennel) with 4–5 oz leads. Best baits are sandeel (whole or half), mackerel strip/squid cocktails for rays, and small whole sandeels or fillets for turbot.
- Bass in surf: 10–12 ft surf rod or a lighter estuary rod on smaller seas. Peeler crab, lug, or sandeel on a pulley/flowing trace; or work shallow divers, surface walkers, and 12–15 cm weedless soft plastics along the gutters at dawn/dusk.
- Rocks/points: Float-fish crab, prawn, or rag for wrasse in 6–15 ft of water; lure-fish with 10–30 g metals and soft plastics for pollack/mackerel/gar. Use abrasion-resistant leaders and weedless hooks.
- Night tactics: For rays/whiting, scale to 2/0–3/0 hooks on long snoods; keep baits neat and aerodynamic. For conger, stout gear with large fish/squid baits from the kelp edges.
- Tackle notes: Shockleader (at least 60 lb for power casting), long snoods (3–5 ft) for turbot and rays, and pulley dropper rigs if you’re near rough ground to lift fish/lead.
Tides and Conditions
Mother Ivey’s gains some shelter from big W/SW swells, so it can be fishable when nearby open beaches are blown out. It’s more exposed to N/NE winds and northerly swell.
- Tide state: For the beach, last 2 hours of flood into the first of the ebb are prime for bass and rays. For the rocks, 2 hours either side of low can open up ledges and channels—mind cut-offs.
- Sea state: Slight colour helps bass and rays; clearer water suits wrasse/pollack. After 24–48 hours of settled weather, lure fishing shines around the points.
- Swell/wind: Moderate W/SW often fishable; strong N/NE quickly raises surf and weed—pivot to the more sheltered side of the bay or the inner ledges.
- Light/season: Dawn/dusk for bass and turbot spring–autumn; after-dark improves rays and whiting. Summer neaps are good for wrasse; larger spring tides move bait and can spark bass activity.
Safety
This is a beautiful but committing coast. Plan exits, wear proper footwear, and treat any swell with respect.
- Slips/surges: Kelp-coated rock and sudden sets can knock you off balance. Avoid low ledges if there’s any swell running.
- Cut-offs: The points towards Trevose Head and Cataclews can flood behind you—know the tide times and your retreat route.
- RNLI lifeboat: Never fish from, on, or near the lifeboat slipway or its exclusion area. Launches can happen with little warning and create dangerous wash.
- Beach hazards: Strong shore-dump at mid-to-high on bigger swells; rips can form along the sides of the bay.
- Mobility: Paths are uneven and steep in places; not suitable for wheelchairs. A waist-belt lifejacket and headtorch are strongly recommended, especially after dark.
Facilities
Expect limited on-site amenities; plan self-sufficient sessions, especially at night.
- Toilets: Seasonal facilities at Harlyn Bay; none at Trevose Head car park (check current NT info). Holiday park facilities are for residents/guests.
- Food/shops: Cafés and pubs in St Merryn; more options and supermarkets in Padstow. Small beach kiosks operate seasonally in nearby bays.
- Tackle/bait: Bait and tackle available in Padstow and St Merryn (ring ahead for fresh worms/peeler).
- Lifeguards/phone: Harlyn is usually lifeguarded in summer; Mother Ivey’s typically isn’t. Mobile signal on the headland is generally fair but can dip in the bay.
Tips
A little local knowledge goes a long way here—treat it as two venues: a surf beach and a pair of rocky points.
- Turbot trick: Long, low snoods with small whole sandeels fished just beyond the inner bar on a flooding tide. Keep baits tidy and moving with a slow, occasional lift.
- Rays: Dusk into first of the ebb is a classic window for small-eyed rays over clean sand—fresh sandeel beats frozen most days.
- Wrasse: Downsize hooks and keep floats moving. A crab bait dropped tight to kelp fringes gets quicker takes than static presentations.
- Lures: On clearer, calm evenings, work surface lures along the western point’s slicks for bass; swap to paddle tails when there’s a bit of chop.
- Summer crowds: Fish very early or after dark to avoid swimmers; keep casting angles away from the bathing area and respect any beach lifeguard flags.
- Folklore: The bay’s name recalls a local “wise woman” from old Padstow lore—consider it a reminder to fish with respect for weather and water.
Regulations
Cornwall waters have a mix of national rules and local byelaws. Always check the latest guidance from the MMO and Cornwall IFCA before you go.
- Bass (recreational): At time of writing, a closed season for retention typically applies in Jan–Feb (catch-and-release only), with a daily bag limit (commonly 2 fish at 42 cm minimum) from Mar–Nov. Verify current dates/sizes before fishing.
- Minimum sizes: Observe UK/EU minimum conservation reference sizes for species you intend to keep. When in doubt, return fish.
- MCZ/SSSI: The area sits near designated conservation sites (e.g., Padstow Bay and Surrounding Waters MCZ; Trevose Head and Constantine SSSI). Angling is generally allowed, but do not damage features or disturb nesting birds on cliffs.
- Crustaceans: Berried or v-notched lobsters must be returned. Crawfish/spiny lobster have strict size rules—return undersize or berried individuals.
- RNLI infrastructure: No fishing from the lifeboat slipway, platforms, or within any marked exclusion zones—obey on-site signage.
- Access: Some paths cross private land or holiday park boundaries—stick to public rights of way and respect any seasonal restrictions.
