Summary
Penlee Point sits on the eastern tip of the Rame Peninsula, guarding the entrance to Plymouth Sound. It offers deep, kelpy water right under your feet, fast tide run, and prime rock-fishing for wrasse, pollack, bass and summer pelagics. It’s dramatic, productive, and unforgiving—one of Cornwall’s classic rough-ground shore marks.
Location and Access
This is a rugged coastal headland within Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, reached by the South West Coast Path from Kingsand/Cawsand or via the Penlee Battery area. Access is straightforward to the path, but getting onto fishing ledges involves steep, uneven ground and occasional short scrambles.
- Approach from Cawsand/Kingsand: follow signed coast-path east towards Penlee Battery and Penlee Point (allow 20–35 minutes from village car parks).
- Parking: use Kingsand/Cawsand village car parks (PL10 area). Limited informal parking by Penlee Battery can be busy in peak season; arrive early.
- Lanes are narrow; drive carefully and expect walkers and cyclists. Do not obstruct gates or emergency access points.
- Terrain: cliff-top path with cut-ins to rough rock platforms; most ledges are sloping, kelpy and can be wet even in calm weather.
- Footwear: sturdy boots with good grip; cleats or studded soles help on weeded rock.
Seasons
Penlee fishes like a classic deep, rough-ground headland with swift tidal movement. Expect seasonal variety, resident wrasse and pollack, and night-time predators.
- Spring (Mar–May): pollack, ballan and cuckoo wrasse, early garfish, occasional bass after a blow, first mackerel shoals late spring.
- Summer (Jun–Aug): mackerel, garfish, scad, pollack, wrasse at their peak, bass at dawn/dusk, occasional black bream and squid in calm, clear spells.
- Autumn (Sep–Nov): pollack (often bigger fish), scad at dusk and after dark, bass in lively seas, conger eel and bull huss from the bottom, late mackerel tailing off.
- Winter (Dec–Feb): conger, pout/poor cod, whiting inside the Sound on settled nights, the odd codling in cold snaps, bull huss; sport can be hit-and-miss but nights can produce.
Methods
Lure, float and bottom tactics all score here; choose methods around tide strength, swell and water clarity. Think abrasion resistance, weedless presentations and sacrificial lead links.
- Lure fishing: 20–40 g metals for mackerel/scad; 5–6 inch soft plastics on weedless hooks or Texas rigs (10–20 g) for pollack and bass; slim hard minnows in low light along tide seams.
- Float fishing: set 10–20 ft for wrasse, gar and mackerel; baits include ragworm, prawn, peeler crab, and mackerel strip. Use strong mono and abrasion-resistant hooklengths.
- Bottom fishing: single or two-hook paternoster with a rotten-bottom weak link; pulley/pennel rigs (3/0–5/0) for huss and conger. Baits: peeler or hard crab, squid, cut mackerel, whole sandeel.
- Tackle notes: 9–10 ft lure rods (20–40 g) or 12–13 ft beach/rock rods with 20–30 lb mainline and 60–80 lb rubbing leaders. Long-handled drop net is strongly recommended for landing.
- Timing: dawn/dusk for predators on lures; wrasse through flood and around high; conger and huss from dusk into the night with big baits.
Tides and Conditions
The point accelerates tide and creates eddies; reading the water is key. Neaps are generally easier; big springs can be brutal but productive in the right windows.
- Tide: 2 hours either side of high water fishes well for wrasse and pollack; first of the ebb can be excellent for bass and pollack along the rips.
- Springs vs neaps: neaps offer better presentation and fewer snags; springs create strong tide seams and overfalls—fish the slacks and back-eddies.
- Sea state: light northerly or easterly gives clarity for lures; a southerly push and fizzing white water can switch bass on. Big swell makes some ledges unfishable—safety first.
- Time of day: low light is best for lure work; after-dark sessions for conger, huss and scad. Clear, warm evenings bring gar and mackerel tight to the rocks.
- Seasonality: summer–autumn for surface and midwater species; winter nights for bottom dwellers when the Sound settles.
Safety
This is an exposed, high-energy rock mark with real hazards. Only fish within your limits and choose conservative ledges with safe retreat routes.
- Steep, uneven access with short scrambles; not suitable for those with limited mobility. Keep hands free and wear proper boots.
- Unfenced drops, slippery kelp, and swell wash; rogue waves and ship wash from naval and commercial traffic can surge unexpectedly.
- Powerful tidal race around the point; lines can be swept hard into snags—fish shorter casts into eddies rather than straight into the rip.
- Some lower ledges can be cut off at certain states and swell heights; plan an exit and avoid committing to marginal perches.
- Wear a modern flotation lifejacket, fish with a partner, carry a headtorch and means of calling for help; avoid first visits in the dark or in big seas.
- This is within Mount Edgcumbe Country Park: stay on established paths, heed any temporary closures or safety signage, and do not climb fences to reach ledges.
Facilities
There are no facilities on the headland itself—treat it as a remote rock mark. Stock up and plan ahead in the villages.
- Toilets: public conveniences in Cawsand/Kingsand (seasonal hours may apply).
- Food and drink: cafés, pubs and small shops in Cawsand/Kingsand; hours vary off-season.
- Tackle and bait: options in Plymouth and Torpoint; pre-order live bait in summer. Limited or no bait retail in the immediate villages.
- Mobile signal: patchy near cliffs and in gullies; better on higher ground along the path.
- Lighting and shelter: none at the mark; bring headtorch, spare batteries, warm layers and a dry bag.
Tips
Penlee rewards tidy presentation, abrasion resistance and watercraft. Watch the tide seams and fish the edges rather than the heaviest flow.
- Use a weak-link (rotten bottom) lead setup to save gear; oval or watch leads hang up less in kelp.
- For bigger wrasse, peeler crab, hardback crab or prawn can outfish worm; unhook and release wrasse quickly and low over the water.
- Pollack often sit under the colour line of the rip—count your lure down and work it up the slope, weedless.
- Scad hit small metals or size 6–8 sabikis at dusk; add a tiny sliver of mackerel and work midwater.
- Bass show after a blow as the sea eases; white or natural sandeel-pattern soft plastics in the fizz can be deadly at first light.
- Busy at weekends with walkers—keep casts controlled and use a drop net for landing to avoid risky lifting.
- Pause retrieves and step well back when large ships pass; the wash can arrive several minutes later.
Regulations
Shore angling is generally permitted at Penlee Point within Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, but you must comply with national and local fisheries rules and any park safety closures.
- Bass: recreational bass rules change annually (seasonal retention and daily bag limits apply). Minimum conservation reference size is 42 cm; check current MMO notices before retaining any fish.
- Minimum sizes and protected species: adhere to Cornwall IFCA minimum sizes for common species (wrasse, bass, pollack, rays, etc.). Berried or v-notched lobsters/crabs must be returned.
- Marine designations: the area sits within wider protected sites (e.g., Plymouth Sound and Estuaries). Recreational angling from shore is generally allowed, but additional restrictions can apply—check Cornwall IFCA and Natural England guidance.
- Bait collection: follow local byelaws; no damaging SSSI features, and avoid hammering rocks for peelers within the Country Park.
- Litter and access: no fires or camping on the headland; take all litter and line home. Do not block gates or emergency access when parking.
- If any temporary signage or rangers indicate closures or restrictions, follow instructions—these override general guidance.
