Summary
Piskies Cove sits within the Prussia Cove cluster on Cornwall’s south coast, a small, secluded pocket of sand guarded by kelp-fringed rocks and clear water. It’s a classic Cornish rough-ground mark that rewards stealth and tidy presentation with wrasse, pollack, mackerel and the chance of bass when there’s life in the sea.
Location and Access
Getting to Piskies Cove involves a short drive off the A394 and a coastal walk through the Porth-en-Alls/Prussia Cove estate. The final descent is steep and rocky, so travel light and wear sturdy footwear. Parking is limited and the cove is small, which helps keep pressure down but demands planning.
- Approach via the A394 between Helston and Penzance; follow signs for Prussia Cove/Prussia Coves from Rosudgeon and continue along narrow lanes to the estate parking area.
- Small private/estate car park (often donation/charge; seasonal variations); arrive early in summer and on calm evenings as it fills quickly.
- 10–20 minute walk to the cove on the South West Coast Path, then a steep path/steps down to the beach and surrounding ledges.
- Terrain is mixed: small sandy pocket at low water, flanked by weed-covered rock platforms, gullies, and ledges with deep kelp beds.
- No step-free access; not suitable for trolleys or prams. Keep to signed estate paths and respect gates and stock.
Seasons
The cove fishes like a classic south-coast rough-ground mark, with wrasse and pollack resident and seasonal pelagics moving through. Bass show on a lift and at low light, with nocturnal predators nosing in after dark.
- Spring (Mar–May):
- Pollack from the kelp edges at dawn/dusk
- Ballan and corkwing wrasse as water warms (April onward)
- Early garfish and the odd bass after a blow
- Summer (Jun–Aug):
- Mackerel and garfish around tide pushes and evenings
- Ballan wrasse (all sizes), with occasional specimen fish
- Pollack, scad at dusk, and schoolie-to-mid bass on lures
- LRF species: rock gobies, blennies, small wrasse
- Autumn (Sep–Nov):
- Better average pollack and bass in on a breeze with colour
- Scad into darkness, mackerel tailing off by late autumn
- Occasional bull huss and conger from rough ground after dark
- Winter (Dec–Feb):
- Conger and huss possible on big baits in calm spells
- Pouting, poor cod, dogfish; bass possible in lively conditions but sporadic
Methods
Treat it as a rough, kelpy inshore reef: present baits and lures tight to structure, keep gear strong, and use rotten-bottoms when ledgering. Clear water calls for finesse and stealth, while a bit of colour lets you fish bigger and bolder.
- Float fishing:
- Sliding float with fluorocarbon trace (12–20 lb) set to run just above the kelp (8–15 ft typical)
- Baits: peeler or hardback crab (prime for wrasse), king rag, prawn, sandeel strip, mackerel slivers for gar/mackerel
- Use size 2–1/0 stout hooks; shot just enough to cock the float in surge
- Lure fishing:
- Pollack: 4–6 inch soft plastics on 10–20 g jig heads; weedless Texas rigs and weighted swimbaits over kelp fringes
- Bass: surface walkers/sub-surface minnows dawn/dusk; 14–30 g metals in tide runs; SPs on 7–14 g heads in clearer water
- Line: 20–30 lb braid with 20–30 lb fluoro/mono leader; long-handled net or safe gaff point identified in advance
- Bottom fishing (rough ground):
- Pulley pennel or pulley dropper with a weak-link/rotten-bottom to sacrificially lose leads
- 3/0–5/0 hooks; 30–50 lb mono leaders; 3–5 oz leads depending on tide
- Baits: whole or flapper mackerel/squid cocktails for huss/conger; peeler crab and rag for wrasse (expect snags)
- LRF/UL tactics:
- Isome-style worms, micro metals, and tiny plugs for gobies, blennies, small wrasse and bonus scad
- Ideal filler method while waiting for tide states or a lure window
Tides and Conditions
Tide and sea state make or break this mark. Work with movement and light; avoid big swell, which booms into the cove and over the ledges.
- Best tide states:
- Mid-flood to high for wrasse tight to kelp and for pelagics pushing bait
- Ebb can fish for pollack as they drop off the reef edges
- Low water can reveal ledges and gullies; use it to recon snags and safe positions
- Conditions:
- Slight onshore breeze with a foot or two of lift and a hint of colour suits bass and pollack
- Calm, gin-clear days: scale down leaders, natural baits, and translucent lures; fish very early/late
- Exposed to S–SW swell; a groundswell over ~1 m makes lower ledges unsafe and unproductive
- Sheltered in easterlies; water often very clear—think finesse
- Time of day/seasonality:
- Dawn/dusk are prime for pollack, bass, gar and scad
- Summer evenings bring in mackerel and scad; autumn low light often best for bigger fish
Safety
This is a steep-access rock mark with surge, slippery weed and cut-off potential. Plan your route, watch the sea for a full 10 minutes, and wear a lifejacket.
- Steep descent with uneven, sometimes greasy steps; good boots essential; not suitable for limited mobility
- Weed-slick rock and kelp make footing treacherous; use a wading staff if unsure and avoid hopping between boulders
- Check tide times and your escape route; some ledges are cut off on the flood
- Ocean swell reflects off the coves and can surge unpredictably; never fish with a big SW groundswell running
- Wear a PFD, carry a headtorch and spare light if staying late, and tell someone your plan
- Mobile signal can be patchy in the cove; keep phones charged and consider a whistle
- Respect estate signage: keep to paths, close gates, no fires/camping; fishing from the shore is generally tolerated
Facilities
Facilities at the cove are minimal to non-existent; treat it as a self-sufficient rock session. Nearby villages have services if you plan ahead.
- No toilets, bins or running water at the mark; pack out all litter and line
- Small private/estate car park near the start of the path; limited spaces
- Nearest public toilets and cafés typically at Praa Sands or Perranuthnoe (check seasonal opening)
- Tackle and bait: shops in Penzance and Helston carry fresh and frozen bait and lure gear
- Phone signal can be intermittent down in the cove; better reception up on the coast path
Tips
Local knowledge counts here: keep mobile, read the water and think vertical—fish sit tight to kelp walls and gullies. A little finesse goes a long way in clear Cornish water.
- Recon at low tide to map snags, gullies, and safe netting/landing spots; mark them mentally for the flood
- Use a short drop from rod tip to lure when working along kelp edges to reduce foul-hooking weed
- Add a weak-link to leads and consider barbless/flattened barbs to make un-snagging and unhooking easier
- For wrasse, crab out-fishes worm most days; feed little-and-often with chopped crab or prawn under the float
- On very clear days, extend fluorocarbon leaders to 2–3 m and downsize lure hardware
- Dusk into first dark can be electric for scad on small metals and for pollack on slow-rolled SPs
- Keep noise and shadows to a minimum—fish are close under your feet
- Watch for pot markers and inshore net lines outside the cove; give them a wide berth with lures
Regulations
There is no known shore-angling ban at Piskies Cove, but it lies within a sensitive coastal environment managed by the Porth-en-Alls/Prussia Cove estate. Always follow national and local sea angling rules and any on-site signage.
- Bass regulations change periodically; in recent years the recreational daily bag limit and open months have been restricted with a 42 cm minimum size. Check the latest UK government/IFCA notice before your trip.
- Observe minimum conservation reference sizes for common species (e.g., mackerel, pollack) and return undersized fish promptly.
- Consider voluntary catch-and-release for larger ballan wrasse, which are slow-growing and important to the reef ecology.
- No fires or camping on estate land; keep to public paths and respect private property.
- If any part of the shore is temporarily closed for safety or conservation, obey signage and choose an alternative ledge.
- General rules on retaining shellfish and bait collection may apply locally; consult Cornwall IFCA for current bylaws before harvesting.
