Pendennis Point Fishing

Summary

Pendennis Point sits at the mouth of the Fal estuary in Falmouth, Cornwall, where deep water wraps a high, rugged headland beneath Pendennis Castle. It’s a classic, easily reached rock mark offering mixed fishing through the year, from summer mackerel and pollack to winter whiting and conger. The point fishes across a range of tides and winds, with dramatic views over Falmouth Bay and the Carrick Roads.

Location and Access

Access is straightforward via Falmouth, following signs for Pendennis Castle and continuing to the end of Castle Drive for the headland car park. The rocks and railings are only a short stroll, but the best ledges involve a little careful footwork.

• Drive: Follow Castle Drive to the signed viewpoint at the end; aim for the Pendennis Castle area and continue downhill to the point
• Parking: Pay-and-display bays and small car parks near the point; arrive early in summer and at weekends
• Postcode (for sat nav): Use Pendennis Castle’s postcode as a guide (TR11 area) and follow local signage to the point; the viewpoint is signed on arrival
• Walk-in: 1–5 minutes to the railings; a few extra minutes to pick your rock ledge
• Terrain: Exposed rock platforms, kelp fringes, uneven ground; some spots are several metres above the water, so a drop net is useful
• Public access paths circle the headland; do not enter the castle grounds after closing or cross fences/railing barriers

Seasons

Pendennis Point produces a classic Cornish rock mark species list, with summer variety and winter night bites. Expect deep-water species close in and estuary-influenced visitors on stronger tides.

• Spring (Mar–May): pollack, ballan wrasse, garfish (from late spring), occasional bass on the flood, pout
• Summer (Jun–Aug): mackerel, pollack, garfish, scad (horse mackerel) after dark, wrasse, schoolie bass, dogfish
• Autumn (Sep–Nov): late mackerel/scad runs, better-sized pollack at dusk, bass during onshore pushes, wrasse until seas cool
• Winter (Dec–Feb): whiting after dark, pout, conger eel, dogfish; the odd codling is possible but uncommon
• Occasional visitors: gurnard, launce (greater sandeel), small bull huss; inside the estuary side thornback rays occur but are less typical right on the point

Methods

Being a deep, kelpy headland, Pendennis responds to float and lure work along the faces, and careful bottom fishing with sacrificial weights. Match your approach to the tide run and swell.

• Float fishing: mackerel strip, sandeel, or ragworm at 6–15 ft down for garfish, mackerel, pollack, and wrasse along the rock face
• Spinning/lures: metals (20–40 g), slim shore jigs, and sandeels/soft plastics for mackerel and pollack; weedless soft plastics or Texas rigs to probe kelp edges for wrasse and bass
• LRF/HRF: small jigheads and creature baits for wrasse and mini species; scale up to 10–20 g for pollack around dusk
• Bottom fishing: 1–2 hook pulley/pulley-dropper or up-and-over rigs with a weak/rotten-bottom link to save gear in snags; 4–5 oz leads typically hold
• Baits: ragworm and hardback/peeler crab for wrasse and bass; mackerel strip, sandeel, and squid for pollack, conger, dogfish, and whiting
• Night tactics: large fish baits on 3/0–5/0 hooks for conger and huss; small worm or fish-bait snoods on size 1–2 for whiting/pout
• Landing: use a drop net from higher ledges; don’t handline fish up the rock face

Tides and Conditions

The point fishes on most states, but current and swell direction dictate where and how you present baits. Work the edges on the flood and use neaps or lulls for bottom fishing.

• Tide: productive on the flood and first of the ebb; neaps are easier for bottom work, springs give lively lure fishing but stronger cross-tide
• Timing: dawn and dusk excel for pollack and bass; after dark for whiting, pout, conger, and scad
• Wind/swell: easterly or northerly winds flatten the bay side; big south-westerly swells wrap the headland and can make it unfishable
• Water clarity: clear water favours wrasse, garfish, and lure fishing; a light stir can switch on bass
• Seasonality: May–October is the most varied; winter is mostly a night bait fishery

Safety

This is an exposed granite headland with height, swell, and kelp—treat it with respect. Choose ledges with good footing and fish within your limits.

• Hazards: swell wrap and rogue sets, slippery weed, sheer drops, snaggy ground; wash from passing vessels can surge the ledges
• Footwear: cleated boots or studs recommended; carry a headtorch and spare light at night
• Safety gear: a personal flotation device is strongly advised when rock fishing; use a drop net for landing
• Weather: avoid the outer ledges in heavy south-westerly seas; never fish alone in rough conditions
• Accessibility: viewpoints and railings are close to parking but not ideal for mobility-restricted anglers; rock ledges require short scrambles
• Boundaries: respect fences/railing barriers and the castle/heritage grounds; do not climb or fish from prohibited structures

Facilities

Amenities are close by in Falmouth, with basic facilities at the point in season. Plan self-sufficiently after dark.

• Parking: pay-and-display at the headland and along Castle Drive (seasonal charges)
• Toilets: public conveniences near the viewpoint typically operate on seasonal hours
• Food/drink: seasonal snack/ice-cream vans sometimes attend; cafés at Castle Beach and Gyllyngvase Beach are a short drive/walk back towards town
• Tackle/bait: multiple tackle outlets in Falmouth town centre; confirm opening hours and bait availability ahead of time
• Mobile signal: generally good 4G/5G coverage on the headland
• Lighting: no floodlighting; bring headtorches if staying for dusk/night

Tips

Regulars fish light and mobile here, picking lines that skim the kelp edges rather than dropping straight into it. Treat it as two marks—the open bay and the estuary side—and switch sides with wind and tide.

• Bring a drop net: ledge height varies with tide; it’s kinder on fish and gear
• Lure angles: cast uptide and sweep lures across the face to reduce snagging; count soft plastics down then retrieve just above the weed
• Float depth: set shallower than you think (8–12 ft) for garfish and mackerel; deepen towards dusk for pollack
• Rotten-bottoms: a 6–10 lb weak link for sinkers saves rigs over the rough ground
• Etiquette: feathering for mackerel is popular—keep space, de-barb or crimp feathers to speed unhooking, and take only what you’ll use fresh
• Wrasse care: use barbless or circle hooks and release quickly; these are slow-growing, site-faithful fish
• Timing trick: last two hours of the flood on a modest onshore breeze often pushes bait tight to the rocks for bass and pollack

Regulations

Recreational rod fishing is generally permitted at Pendennis Point, but you must comply with national and local rules. Regulations change, so check the latest before you go.

• Minimum sizes and bag limits: follow current UK national and Cornwall IFCA size/bag limits for all species; keep a printed or saved chart to hand
• European seabass: recreational rules (closed periods, daily bag limits, 42 cm minimum) change periodically—check the current MMO/Cornwall IFCA notice before retaining any bass
• Protected areas: the Fal and Helford area includes marine designations and specific netting/collection byelaws; while rod fishing from the point is allowed, restrictions apply to certain methods and bait/shellfish gathering
• Private/heritage land: do not fish from within Pendennis Castle grounds or beyond safety railings/fences; observe any on-site council or safety signage
• General: no littering; dispose of line and hooks responsibly; use a drop net to avoid lifting fish; be mindful of other visitors on the viewpoint paths