Summary
Mullion Cove Harbour Wall sits on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula, a dramatic, National Trust–owned harbour that can fish brilliantly in settled weather. The outer wall gives quick access to depth with kelp and broken ground, drawing pollack, mackerel, garfish and wrasse in season, with night options for scad and conger.
Location and Access
Set just below Mullion Cove Hotel on the west side of the Lizard, the harbour is reached by a short but steep lane with pay-and-display parking at the top. It’s popular with visitors, so arrive early in summer to secure a space and some elbow room on the wall.
- Parking: National Trust car park above the harbour (NT charges apply; free for NT members). The Mullion Cove Hotel is adjacent; do not use hotel parking unless a guest.
- Postcode for sat nav: TR12 7EP (for the hotel/harbour area). Follow local signs to Mullion Cove from Mullion village.
- Walk-in: 3–5 minutes down a steep tarmac lane to the quays. Surfaces on the walls are uneven stone; steps up to the top of the outer wall.
- Terrain: Stone pier tops and rough, kelpy rock ground outside the harbour. The outer wall is exposed to Atlantic swell.
Seasons
This mark produces classic Lizard mixed fishing with a strong summer peak. Expect pelagics on calm days and wrasse/pollack tight to the kelp, with occasional winter pods of whiting and pout.
- Spring (Apr–May): Pollack, ballan and corkwing wrasse, early garfish; occasional bass on a bit of movement; odd plaice unlikely due to ground.
- Summer (Jun–Aug): Mackerel, garfish, scad (horse mackerel), pollack; wrasse from the rocks; mullet often patrol the inner harbour; occasional bass at dusk/dawn.
- Autumn (Sep–Nov): Mackerel into October in settled spells, scad after dark, pollack, wrasse (until first big blows), possible squid on calm, clear nights; conger after dark.
- Winter (Dec–Feb): Pouting, poor cod, occasional whiting and pollack on calmer days; fishing is very weather-dependent and often blown out by swell.
- Occasional/bonus: Conger at night, small strap eels more common; tub/grey gurnard outside the harbour mouth at times; rare John Dory sightings on very clear, calm days.
Methods
Simple but tidy presentations work best: cover the mid-water for pelagics and keep a plan for rough ground. Lighter tackle gets more bites in the clear water typical of this coast.
- Spinning/Lures: Metals (20–40 g) and slim spoons for mackerel/scad; 10–20 g jigheads with 3–5 inch soft plastics for pollack along the wall and kelp line. Surface/needle lures dawn/dusk for bass in a gentle roll.
- Float fishing: Small strips of mackerel/sandeel or ragworm for mackerel/gar/pollack. Set 8–15 ft depending on depth along the outer wall. Use long-shank size 6–2 hooks and fine fluorocarbon (10–12 lb).
- Bottom fishing: Two-hook flappers or a single hook running ledger with a weak link (rotten bottom) for rough ground. Baits: ragworm, peeler/crab cart, squid/mackerel for pout/conger; scale up to 40–50 lb mono trace if targeting eels.
- LRF/HRF: Isome/gulp worms on size 10–6 jigheads for mini species in and around the structure; HRF weedless soft plastics for wrasse and kelp pollack.
- Mullet (when permitted and safe): Bread flake or crust under a small controller float in still water inside the harbour; ultra-light lines and stealth. Only if signage allows and without obstructing boats.
- Practicalities: A long-handled drop net helps for safe landing from the wall. Use barbless or crushed barbs if releasing wrasse and mullet.
Tides and Conditions
The harbour fishes best on a flooding tide into high water, especially in clear seas with a gentle lift. The Atlantic swell wraps in quickly, so pick your windows.
- Tide: Mid-flood to high and first of the ebb for pelagics and pollack; neaps can fish very well with clearer water.
- Sea state: Light to moderate movement is ideal. Avoid fishing the outer wall in heavy W/SW swells. NE/E winds flatten it but can cool the water.
- Time of day: Dawn/dusk for mackerel, gar and bass; after dark for scad, pout and conger; bright days still produce wrasse tight to cover.
- Seasonality: May–October is the prime window. Winter action is limited and strongly weather-dependent.
Safety
This is an exposed Atlantic-facing harbour; conditions can change fast and rogue swells are a genuine hazard. Treat the outer wall with real respect and wear a PFD.
- Swell risk: If there’s any real sea running, do not fish the outer wall. Watch for long-period sets that wash the deck.
- Slips/trips: Algae and spray make stones slick. Footwear with good grip is essential; avoid climbing down wet ladders.
- Drops and edges: Unprotected edges in places; use a headtorch at night and keep tidy to avoid tangles near other users.
- Harbour operations: Give absolute priority to boats; keep clear of ladders, moorings and the harbour mouth when craft are moving.
- Accessibility: Short but steep approach; steps onto the wall. Not ideal for limited mobility. Limited lighting after dark.
- Restrictions: National Trust/harbour signage may seasonally restrict fishing from parts of the inner wall or during busy daylight hours—always check and comply.
Facilities
Facilities at the harbour are limited, with more options up in Mullion village and nearby Helston/Porthleven. Plan ahead for bait and tackle.
- Toilets: Check for seasonal public toilets near the car park; availability varies—do not rely on facilities at the harbour itself.
- Food/drink: Mullion Cove Hotel (seasonal) and cafés/shops in Mullion village; mobile kiosks may appear in peak season.
- Tackle/bait: No tackle shop on site. Options in Helston and Porthleven; bring bait or collect locally where permitted.
- Parking: National Trust pay-and-display above the harbour; fills quickly in summer.
- Mobile signal: Patchy to fair around the harbour; better higher up by the car park.
Tips
Small adjustments here make a big difference thanks to clear water and kelp. Think stealth, depth control and safety first.
- Set float depth by counting arm-length pulls through the stop-knot; tweak until you tick the kelp tips without snagging.
- Lures in matte/natural tones outfish bright metals on ultra-clear days; change to flash when scad/mackerel are visibly shoaling.
- Use a weak link below your lead when ledgering—there’s plenty of rough ground. A 6–8 lb mono sacrificial link is enough.
- Keep a small sabiki and 1–2 oz lead handy: scad often switch on at full dark for a fast top-up session.
- Watch the colour line: after swell, a seam of clearer water can form outside the harbour mouth—work lures along that edge for pollack.
- Summer crowds: Fish dawn or late evening for space and better bites, and expect seasonal no-fishing sections on inner walls.
- Respect the venue: it’s a National Trust historic harbour—take litter home and keep noise down near residences.
Regulations
Know and follow current national and local rules. Harbour/landowner signage takes precedence on the day.
- Access: The harbour is National Trust–owned; local byelaws/signage may restrict fishing from parts of the inner harbour for safety/operations—obey any posted instructions.
- Bass (England, 2025): Recreational bass rules change periodically. As of recent regulations, there is a closed or catch-and-release period and a limited daily retention with a minimum size. Check the latest MMO/IFCA notice before you fish.
- Minimum sizes: Adhere to UK and Cornwall IFCA minimum conservation reference sizes for retained species (e.g., bass, wrasse, pollack, mackerel by general guidance, etc.). If in doubt, release.
- Mullet/wrasse: No specific local bans commonly published for this mark, but many anglers practice catch-and-release for thick-lipped mullet and larger ballan wrasse—consider conservation best practice.
- Shellfish and bait: Observe local byelaws for crab/lobster collection and bait digging; some areas may be protected or have method/quantity limits.
- Night fishing: Allowed unless signage states otherwise; avoid obstructing harbour operations and keep lighting considerate.
- Always verify current rules with Cornwall IFCA/MMO/harbour notices before your session.
