Summary
Polurrian Cove, Mullion (Lizard Peninsula) is a west-facing sandy cove framed by rugged, kelp-draped rock arms. It’s a classic Cornish surf beach that rewards mobile anglers with bass, rays and summer species, while the flanking rocks offer wrasse and pollack sport. Expect Atlantic energy: pick your window and it can be superb.
Location and Access
Polurrian Cove sits between Poldhu Cove and Mullion Cove on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula. Access is via coastal footpaths and a steep descent, so travel light and wear good footwear.
- Driving: From Helston, follow the A3083 towards Lizard, then turn for Mullion and follow signs for Polurrian/Coast Path.
- Parking options:
- Mullion village car parks, then walk 10–20 minutes via signed footpaths to the beach.
- Poldhu Beach car park (pay-and-display), then coast path north 15–25 minutes to Polurrian.
- Polurrian Bay Hotel (TR12 7EN) sits above the cove; hotel parking is typically for guests only—check locally and be considerate if using nearby residential streets.
- Approach: Coast Path sections can be exposed in wind; the final drop to the sand is steep and can be slippery after rain.
- Terrain: Clean sand in the middle; reefy, kelpy rock ledges and gullies at both ends. Not suitable for trolleys; pack for a hike.
Seasons
A mixed venue with surf beach and rocky points. Bass are the headline act, with rays and turbot over the sand and wrasse/pollack from the rocks.
- Spring (Apr–May):
- Bass on building surf, especially into dusk.
- Early turbot on sandeels over clean ground.
- Pollack from the points in clear water; wrasse as temps lift.
- Summer (Jun–Aug):
- Bass in lively surf and around bait shoals.
- Small-eyed ray and the odd spotted ray on settled nights.
- Turbot, gurnard occasional; mackerel and garfish from the points; scad at dusk.
- Wrasse (ball, corkwing) and pollack around the kelp; occasional bull huss after dark from rough ground.
- Autumn (Sep–Nov):
- Peak bass season in coloured, choppy water.
- Rays continue in calmer spells; more scad and mackerel if mild.
- Increasing dogfish; pollack stay reliable at dusk.
- Winter (Dec–Feb):
- Whiting and dogfish on night tides over sand.
- Pout and conger from the rough ground on foul nights.
- Very occasional codling in heavy, cold blow (not reliable here).
Methods
Match your approach to the ground you’re fishing. Keep moving to find features, bait, and water colour that screams fish.
- Surf bass (beach):
- Rigs: Pulley pennel or clipped-down 1–2 hook rigs, 2/0–3/0 hooks, 4–5 oz grip leads.
- Baits: Peeler crab (prime), fresh lug/rag cocktails, whole sandeel, squid strips.
- Range: Often 10–50 yards—fish the first and second breakers and any rips; don’t automatically blast it long.
- Rays and turbot (clean ground):
- Rigs: Up-and-over or long-trace pulley; 3/0 hooks, 25–60 lb snoods for rays.
- Baits: Fresh or frozen sandeel (whole), squid/sandeel combo; for turbot, roll a sandeel slowly back across the bar.
- Timing: Calm, settled seas after a blow, especially evening into night for rays; daylight flood for turbot.
- Rocks (wrasse/pollack/mackerel/gar):
- Wrasse: Simple running ledger with strong abrasion-resistant snoods; crab or ragworm. Use rotten-bottoms among kelp.
- Pollack: 20–40 g metals, slim sandeel lures, or float-fished sandeel/mackerel strip at dusk.
- Mackerel/gar: Spinners or floats in clear, settled water.
- Lures for bass (points and gutters):
- Shallow divers, topwaters and weedless soft plastics on dawn/dusk floods, especially with a 2–4 ft surf.
- Tackle notes:
- Use shockleaders (60–80 lb for heavy leads), and carry spare rigs with weak links for the reefy ends.
Tides and Conditions
Atlantic energy dictates when Polurrian fishes best. Read the surf: too big and it’s unfishable; just right and it comes alive.
- Tides:
- Bass: Mid-flood to first of the ebb is reliable, especially into dusk or after dark.
- Rays: 2 hours either side of high water on settled seas.
- Turbot: Flood tide in daylight over clean sand, particularly neaps to mid-tides.
- Sea state:
- Bass like milky/coloured water with a 2–5 ft surf; avoid heavy dumpers and strong backwash.
- Rays/turbot prefer calmer, cleaner spells after a blow.
- Wind:
- W–NW puts surf on; too much west creates weed and dangerous surf.
- Light northerly or easterly flattens it—good for rays, turbot, wrasse, and lure fishing the points.
- Time of day:
- Dawn/dusk are key for bass and pollack; nights for rays, huss, and whiting in season.
- Seasonality:
- Late spring through autumn is prime overall; winter becomes a cleaner-ground, night-whiting proposition.
Safety
This is an exposed Atlantic cove with steep access. Prioritise safety and avoid the rocks in heavy swell.
- Steep path/steps: Slippery when wet; not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.
- Swell and backwash: Can be powerful; avoid wading in dumpy surf and keep clear of the waterline during big sets.
- Rock risks: Weed-slick ledges, deep gullies, and snaggy kelp—use cleated boots and a headtorch if finishing after dark.
- Cut-off potential: Don’t get trapped on the rocky arms by a pushing tide—plan exits.
- Cliff hazards: Keep away from undercliffs due to rockfall risk; never climb.
- Lifejacket: Strongly recommended when fishing the rocks; fish with a partner where possible.
- Summer restrictions: Expect swimmers/surfers; some beaches operate bathing zones during lifeguard hours—give them a wide berth or fish at dawn/dusk.
- Mobile signal: Patchy in the cove; better on the cliff tops. Tell someone your plan.
Facilities
Facilities are limited at Polurrian itself, so plan ahead. Nearby coves and the village cover the basics.
- Toilets: Usually not on the beach; nearest public toilets are in Mullion village or at nearby Poldhu (seasonal opening).
- Food & drink: Poldhu Beach has a café; Mullion village has pubs, takeaways, and shops; Polurrian Bay Hotel serves guests/visitors—check availability.
- Tackle & bait: Options in Helston and Porthleven for fresh lug/rag, frozen sandeels, squid, and hardware.
- Lighting: None—bring a good headtorch if fishing into dark.
- Bins: Limited; take all litter and spent line home.
- Parking: Pay-and-display at Poldhu; village car parks in Mullion; limited on-street near hotel—be considerate.
Tips
Read the beach and stay mobile. Small changes in banks and rips make big differences to catches here.
- Look for rips and seams where coloured and clear water meet—prime bass ambush lanes.
- After a blow, give it 24–48 hours for the surf to settle and weed to drop for rays and turbot.
- Weed management: Carry weedless soft plastics and short leaders when the kelp is thick in the wash.
- Keep moving: A dozen short casts into likely gutters often beats one static rod all session.
- Rock ends: Try a roving lure session at first light on a flooding tide for bonus bass/pollack.
- Sandeel rules: For turbot, cast slightly uptide, let it hit bottom, then creep it back—many takes feel like dead weight.
- Summer etiquette: Share water with bathers and surfers; early and late tides are quieter and often fish better.
- Wrasse care: Use strong gear, unhook over water, and release quickly—these fish are vital to the reef ecosystem.
Regulations
There is no specific ban on recreational sea angling at Polurrian Cove. The shoreline forms part of protected coastal designations, so minimise habitat disturbance.
- General: Observe Cornwall IFCA byelaws and UK national recreational sea angling rules; check for updates before you go.
- European seabass (as last widely published for 2024): Recreational anglers may retain up to 2 bass per angler per day, minimum size 42 cm, with catch-and-release only typically required in December–February. Always verify the current year’s rules before retaining fish.
- Minimum sizes/bag limits: Adhere to MLS for common species (e.g., bass 42 cm; check current MLS for rays, wrasse have no legal MLS but consider voluntary release).
- Protected species: Release any shad, tope (if protected locally when boat-caught), angel shark, and all berried lobsters or crabs—do not remove from the water for photos.
- Bait collecting and SSSI: Do not hammer rocks, pry living reef, or strip kelp; only take what you need and avoid damaging features.
- Beach use: During any lifeguarded periods, respect flagged bathing/surf zones—angling may be restricted within them for safety.
- Litter and line: It is an offence to leave litter; take all waste home and discard line responsibly.
