Porthbeor Beach Fishing

Last updated: 1 month ago

Porthbeor Beach Fishing Map

Secluded south-coast Roseland cove with a clean sandy middle and rocky, kelp-lined ends. Fishable through the tide but best at dusk into night on a flooding tide. The sand offers chances for bass, dogfish and occasional rays, while the rocks/gullies hold wrasse and pollack; summer can see mackerel, garfish and scad pushing bait in tight. Sheltered from prevailing westerlies but exposed to easterlies, which can drive swell and weed. Access is via the South West Coast Path and a long, steep flight of steps from National Trust parking near St Anthony Head—travel light. Be mindful of cut-off points at higher tides, slippery weeded rocks and falling tides for the steep exit.

Ratings

⭐ 6.1/10 Overall
Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 5/10
Accessibility 4/10

Fish You Can Catch at Porthbeor Beach

🐟 Bass 8/10
🎯 Tip: Best at dawn/dusk on a flooding tide with a light surf. Shallow divers or soft plastics from the beach, or crab/worm baits into gullies by the rocks.
🐟 Pollack 7/10
🎯 Tip: Evening into dark around the headlands; cast metals or soft plastics parallel to the kelp line on mid-flood to high. Float-fished sandeel also works.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 7/10
🎯 Tip: Work the rocky ends on the flood; lower crab or ragworm into kelp gullies on strong gear. LRF paddletails also score. Avoid slack water.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: After dark over clean sand; small fish or squid baits cast into the bay on mid to high tide. Static rigs work best.
🐟 Mackerel 6/10
🎯 Tip: Summer in clear water; feathering or small metals from the rocks on a flooding tide. Best at first or last light.
🐟 Corkwing Wrasse 6/10
🎯 Tip: Common around rough ground; size 8-10 hooks with ragworm. Fish pockets between kelp on the flood with light gear.
🐟 Garfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Calm, clear summer days; float a sliver of mackerel or sandeel over the sand/weed edge on the flood. Keep baits shallow.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
🎯 Tip: Late summer evenings into dark; small metals or Sabikis worked mid-water from the rocks on the flood.
🐟 Golden-grey Mullet 5/10
🎯 Tip: Work the surf line with tiny rag or sandeel slivers on size 8s; best with a gentle swell on a flooding tide, summer to early autumn.
🐟 Flounder 4/10
🎯 Tip: Occasional on worm baits at night; cast short over clean sand on the flood and first of the ebb.
🐟 Mullet (Thick-lipped) 4/10
🎯 Tip: Stalk calm corners with bread flake under a light float; neap tides and settled seas offer the best chance.

Porthbeor Beach Fishing

Summary

Porthbeor Beach (Roseland Peninsula, Cornwall) is a secluded, east-facing sand and mixed-ground cove a short walk from St Anthony Head. Sheltered from dominant westerlies yet lively in an easterly push, it offers versatile shore fishing for bass, wrasse, and summer pelagics with the chance of rays after dark. Its remoteness keeps pressure light, rewarding tidy tactics and good tide timing.

Location and Access

Tucked between Towan Beach and St Anthony Head, Porthbeor is reached via the South West Coast Path and a steep flight of steps. Plan to travel light; this is a walk-in mark with no roadside casting.

  • Nearest area: Roseland Peninsula, south of Portscatho and near St Anthony Head
  • Parking: National Trust car parks around St Anthony Head/Towan; closest SATNAV reference TR2 5HA (charges/seasonal). Arrive early in summer
  • Approach: 10–20 minutes on the Coast Path, then a long, steep staircase to the sand; not suitable for barrows or heavy kit
  • Access points: Usually two stair/paths down; storm damage can close one—check and obey any onsite notices
  • Terrain: Broad sand at low water with rock and kelp fringes both ends; patches of boulders and gullies mid-beach on bigger ebbs
  • Night access: Reccy in daylight and mark the return path; take a spare headtorch and keep hands free

Seasons

This is a mixed beach/rock venue with seasonal variety. Expect surf species over the sand and wrasse/pollack from the ends.

  • Spring (Mar–May):
    • Bass (schoolies, with better fish after blows)
    • Garfish on brighter days from late spring
    • Wrasse from the rocky ends as the water warms
  • Summer (Jun–Aug):
    • Bass (lure and bait), often close in at dawn/dusk or in a modest surf
    • Mackerel and scad (horse mackerel) on calm evenings
    • Garfish and pollack from the rocks
    • Ballan and corkwing wrasse (catch-and-release recommended)
    • Spotted ray and occasional small-eyed ray after dark over clean sand
    • Gilthead bream possible in settled spells (occasional)
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov):
    • Bass peak period, especially on a coloured sea
    • Scad/mackerel linger into October; pouting and poor cod at night
    • Rays on the flood after dark
  • Winter (Dec–Feb):
    • Whiting, pouting, dogfish on small baits
    • Dab on the cleaner patches
    • Conger (small to mid) from the rough ground after dark (rock ends)

Methods

Fish it like two venues in one: a surf beach through the middle and rocky headlands at either end. Mobility and timing beat brute casting power here.

  • Beach ledgering (sand):
    • Pulley or pulley‑dropper with a weak-link (rotten-bottom) if casting near rough patches
    • Two-hook clipped or flapper with size 2–1/0 hooks for whiting/pouting/dab
    • Baits: sandeel (whole/half), squid, mackerel strip; peeler crab for bass/gilthead
    • 3–5 oz leads cover most days; use grip leads if there’s a push on
  • Bass on lures:
    • Dawn/dusk and a modest easterly swell: shallow hard minnows, surface walkers, or 10–20 g weedless paddletails
    • Calm/clear: long-casting subsurface lures; scale down leaders for wary fish
  • Rock ends (wrasse/pollack/gar):
    • Float fish prawn, crab, or rag over kelp edges for wrasse
    • Soft plastics or metals for pollack and mackerel/scad at dusk
    • Keep tackle strong (30 lb leader) and use abrasion-resistant knots
  • Rays and bigger targets at night:
    • Large sandeel, squid or bluey/squid cocktails on a pulley pennel (3/0)
    • Fish the low to first half of the flood when you still have beach to work with
  • Scratch sessions:
    • Small strips of mackerel/squid/rag on size 4–2 hooks pick off bites when it’s gin-clear

Tides and Conditions

Tide height determines how much beach you have; plan sessions around space and safety. Clarity and wind direction dictate whether you lure or bait fish.

  • Tide states:
    • Best from low water into the first half of the flood; springs expose more gullies but the top of a big tide can crowd you under the cliff
    • Over low at night is excellent for rays and bass mooching the gutters
  • Wind/sea:
    • Light–moderate westerlies = calmer water: good for wrasse, pollack and scratching
    • Gentle to moderate easterly/SE = lift and colour: prime for bass; heavy easterlies bring weed and dumpers
  • Water clarity/time:
    • Clear water: lures and finer end-tackle at dawn/dusk
    • Coloured water after a blow: fish bigger, scent-rich baits
  • Seasonality:
    • Summer evenings and mild, overcast days are consistent for bass and pelagics
    • Winter nights favour whiting/pouting on small baits

Safety

This is a beautiful but committing beach with steep access and no lifeguard cover. Treat the ends as rock marks with the usual Atlantic caveats.

  • Steep, long steps: not suitable for those with limited mobility; carry a light kit and keep hands free
  • Tide cut-off: both ends can isolate you—fish the central sands on rising water and track the tide line
  • Cliffs/rockfall: avoid sitting under crumbly faces; keep gear well back
  • Slippery weeded rocks and hidden boulders: stout footwear; test your footing before committing
  • Rips in a surf: do not wade deep; avoid chest waders in swell
  • Night fishing: two headtorches, spare batteries, and a pre-walked exit route
  • Communications: mobile signal can be patchy; tell someone your plan and ETA
  • Lifejacket strongly recommended if you step onto the rocks; never turn your back on the sea
  • Access may change after storms—respect any temporary closures or National Trust signage

Facilities

There are no facilities on the beach itself—plan to be self-sufficient. Nearby provisions are a drive away on the Roseland.

  • Toilets: seasonal facilities at/near St Anthony Head car park; additional public toilets in Portscatho and St Mawes
  • Parking: National Trust car parks (charges/seasonal); no parking at the beach
  • Food/drink: cafés, pubs and shops in Portscatho and St Mawes; bring water for the walk-in
  • Tackle/bait: limited on the peninsula; full-service shops in Truro and Falmouth; some local stores may carry frozen bait
  • Bins: pack out all litter and waste line—no beach bins
  • Phone signal: variable; some networks drop in the combe

Tips

Subtle adjustments make a big difference at this lightly pressured mark. Travel light and be ready to switch between beach and rock tactics.

  • Watch the birds: gannets or terns working off the headland often precede mackerel/scad moving tight to the beach at dusk
  • Weed strategy: after easterlies, expect kelp—carry weedless soft plastics and a bait rod to keep options open
  • Bass windows: muggy, overcast evenings with a 1–3 ft easterly push are golden; fish the first foam lines and gutter mouths
  • Rays: find the firmer, ripple-marked sand in the middle third; fish big sandeel baits an hour either side of low into the first of the flood
  • Wrasse etiquette: barbless or crushed barbs and quick release over the rocks protect a slow-growing resource
  • Tackle losses: a short rotten-bottom saves leads when you flirt with the edges; keep hooks just off the deck in kelp
  • Bioluminescence: late-summer nights sometimes glow—spectacular, but it can make lure hooks visible; switch to bait if follows don’t convert
  • Peak times: school holidays see beachgoers—early/late sessions secure space and calmer water
  • Leave early on big springs: the top of the tide can push right to the cliff, reducing safe casting room

Regulations

Shore angling is generally permitted at Porthbeor Beach; there are no site-specific bans for line fishing. Always follow national and Cornwall IFCA byelaws and any onsite National Trust guidance.

  • European sea bass (recreational): as of 2025, a daily bag limit of two fish per angler at a 42 cm minimum size; retention typically permitted 1 March–30 November, with catch-and-release only outside those dates. Check the latest MMO/IFCA notice before you go
  • Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes (MCRS): Cornwall IFCA sizes apply for finfish and shellfish (e.g., plaice, gilt-head bream, crabs, lobsters). Do not retain undersized fish
  • Shellfish protection: never take egg-bearing (berried) or v‑notched lobsters; observe local shellfish byelaws if foraging
  • Protected areas: the wider Fal/Roseland coastline includes designated conservation sites; shore angling is allowed, but stay to established paths, avoid disturbing nesting birds, and do not damage or remove features
  • Tackle care: recover lost line/terminal gear where safe; disposing of waste line responsibly is a legal and environmental duty
  • Always confirm up-to-date rules via Cornwall IFCA and the UK Government/MMO before your session