Summary
Priest’s Cove sits beneath Cape Cornwall near St Just, a small working cove backed by dramatic cliffs and facing the Brisons rocks offshore. It’s a classic West Penwith rock mark with deep kelpy gullies, fast-moving tide lines and access to clean ground pockets—great for wrasse, pollack, bass and night-time huss and conger. Expect memorable sunsets, clear Atlantic water, and proper Cornish character.
Location and Access
Priest’s Cove is reached via Cape Cornwall, just outside St Just. Anglers normally park at the National Trust car park and walk down the steep lane to the working cove—do not drive down unless you’re a local boat holder.
- From St Just, follow signs to Cape Cornwall; National Trust car park nearby (postcode: TR19 7NN).
- Steep tarmac lane descends to the cove; it’s a fairly short but calf-testing return climb.
- The cove itself is rocky with a small slipway and winches for the local boats; surrounding ledges are uneven, weedy and can be wave-washed.
- Please keep slipway space clear for fishermen and launching—anglers are guests here.
Seasons
The mark fishes year-round with a strong summer/autumn peak. Expect rough-ground specialists, summer visitors, and night-time predators.
- Spring (Mar–May): Pollack, ballan wrasse, occasional early mackerel, garfish late spring, bass building into May.
- Summer (Jun–Aug): Mackerel, garfish, scad (horse mackerel at dusk), pollack, ballan and corkwing wrasse, thick‑lipped mullet around the slip, occasional triggerfish in warm spells, bass on a bit of sea.
- Autumn (Sep–Nov): Bass at their best in lively water, pollack, scad, mackerel runs often to October, wrasse still good in clear water, conger and bull huss after dark.
- Winter (Dec–Feb): Conger, bull huss, rockling, pout/whiting in onshore blows; wrasse tail off in cold snaps but odd pollack remains.
Methods
Rock fishing tactics rule here: present baits tight to kelp gullies, work lures along the faces, and use rotten-bottoms over rough ground. Keep rigs simple and strong.
- Lure fishing: 20–40 g metals for mackerel/scad; 20–30 g weedless soft plastics or slim minnows for pollack and bass along drop-offs and tide lines.
- Float fishing: Ragworm or prawn for wrasse; sandeel or small strip for pollack/garfish. Set depth to just clear the weed.
- Bottom fishing: Pulley or pulley‑dropper with 4/0–5/0 hooks and 40–60 lb snoods for huss/conger after dark; use a weak-link (rotten bottom) to save leads.
- Scratching/LRF: Two‑hook flappers with size 2–6 for pout, poor cod, small wrasse; sabikis for scad at dusk into dark.
- Mullet: Bread flake or crust under a light float by the slip on calm, clear days—small size 6–8 hooks, stealthy approach.
- Baits: Ragworm, peeler crab, sandeel (fresh or frozen), mackerel strip, squid. For bass in a swell, peeler crab or whole sandeel is hard to beat.
- Hardware: Long-handled landing net is safer than a gaff; chest bag and minimal kit help on the boulders.
Tides and Conditions
Priest’s Cove responds well to movement in the water, but big Atlantic groundswells can make it unfishable. Work the flooding tide over mid-to-high, and dusk into dark is prime for predators.
- Best tide: Flooding tide into high for wrasse/pollack; first of the ebb can fish for bass if there’s surf.
- Springs vs neaps: Stronger run on springs around the headland—great for mackerel/pollack in the rips, but pick safe ledges.
- Sea state: Light W–NW swell with clear water for wrasse/pollack; mild colour and a bit of lift for bass. Avoid big westerly groundswells.
- Time of day: Dawn and dusk for bass, pollack and mackerel; after dark for huss and conger.
- Seasonality: Summer/autumn are most consistent; winter needs onshore weather for bites but watch the sea.
Safety
This is a rough, Atlantic-facing rock mark with a working slipway. Treat it with respect and fish within your limits.
- Steep, sometimes slippery lane to the cove; rocks are weeded and treacherous when damp—use grippy boots or rock spikes.
- Rogue waves occur—never fish low ledges in swell, and don’t turn your back on the sea.
- Keep clear of the slip, boats, and winch cables; do not fish when boats are launching or recovering.
- Some ledges cut off by tide—recon at low and set a safe retreat plan.
- Wear a PFD, carry a headtorch and spare light if staying late, and fish with a partner where possible.
- Mobility: Not suitable for wheelchairs; the descent/ascent is steep and the fishing ground is uneven.
- In an emergency call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Facilities
Facilities are limited at the cove itself; plan to be self‑sufficient. Nearby St Just covers most needs.
- Parking: National Trust car park at Cape Cornwall (pay-and-display for non-members).
- Toilets: Usually at/near the Cape Cornwall car park in season; not always open year‑round.
- Shops/food: St Just (5–10 minutes) has cafés, pubs, small supermarkets, and takeaways.
- Tackle/bait: Options in St Just and larger selections in Penzance (e.g., established angling shops for fresh/frozen bait).
- Phone signal: Generally decent on the headland; can dip in the cove—don’t rely on it.
- Lighting: None—bring headtorch if fishing evenings.
Tips
It’s a characterful, fish-rich spot with quirks. A bit of homework on ledges and tide lines pays off, and keeping out of the way of the boats keeps everyone happy.
- Use a rotten‑bottom link on any bait rig—there’s kelp and boulder snags everywhere.
- Work lures along the seam where the tide pushes past the Brisons line—pollack often sit on the lee edges.
- Bread mash brings mullet into range by the slip on calm, sunny tides—stay low and quiet.
- Scad pour through at dusk in late summer—small metals or sabikis under a sub‑float are deadly.
- After dark, scale up for huss/conger and keep baits just off the worst kelp to reduce snagging.
- Summer swimmers sometimes use the cove/rock pools—fish the outer ledges or time sessions for early/late to avoid crowds.
- Seals patrol the area; if one is persistent, move rather than feed it your fish.
Regulations
Priest’s Cove is a working fishery and part of National Trust land around Cape Cornwall. Angling is generally allowed, but be mindful of local operations and national rules.
- Working cove: Do not obstruct the slipway, winches, or boat spaces. Follow any on‑site signage—launch/recovery periods may temporarily preclude fishing on/near the slip.
- Bass (Area 7): Rules change—check MMO/IFCA updates before you go. Recent years allowed limited retention Mar–Nov (2 fish/day at 42 cm min), catch-and-release only in the closed months.
- Minimum sizes/byelaws: Observe Cornwall IFCA minimum conservation reference sizes for finfish and shellfish. Return all berried or V‑notched lobsters and soft/berried crabs.
- Marine designations: Cliffs and coastline have environmental protections; keep to paths, take litter home, and avoid disturbance to nesting birds and seals.
- National Trust: No fires or camping on the headland/cove; leave gates as found and respect the working nature of the site.
- If unsure: Check current regulations with the MMO and Cornwall IFCA before retaining any fish.
