Sharrow Beach Fishing

Last updated: 6 days ago

Sharrow Beach Fishing Map

Part of Whitsand Bay on the Rame Peninsula, Sharrow Beach is a long, exposed sand beach with patches of reef and gullies around Sharrow Point. It fishes best on a flooding tide through dusk into night, especially with a mild onshore wind that forms surf gutters for bass. Clean sand produces rays and flatfish; the rocky fringes can throw up the odd pollack on lures in clear water. Summer brings mackerel and scad at dusk; autumn–winter sees whiting and dabs. Access is via steep paths/steps from the Military Road lay-bys; expect a demanding climb and limited facilities. Hazards include powerful surf, rips, large tide range, and cut-off risk near the point—plan for the tide and avoid heavy swell.

Ratings

⭐ 6.5/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 4/10

Fish You Can Catch at Sharrow Beach

🐟 Bass 9/10
🎯 Tip: Surf beach; fish a flooding tide at dawn/dusk. Pulley rigs with sandeel or peeler in the gutters, or metals/surface lures when the surf is small.
🐟 Small-eyed Ray 8/10
🎯 Tip: Best May–Oct. Night over clean sand; sandeel or bluey wraps on a pulley. Aim just beyond the first breaker; neap to mid tides fish well.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 7/10
🎯 Tip: After dark year-round; small fish or squid baits on two-hook flappers, 30–60 yd onto clean sand.
🐟 Mackerel 6/10
🎯 Tip: Jun–Sep; feathering or small metals from the rocky points at high water or dusk. Watch for birds and keep retrieves brisk.
🐟 Plaice 5/10
🎯 Tip: Spring–early summer; daylight long casts onto clean sand. Rag/lug tipped with squid on long snoods; add beads to draw takes.
🐟 Dover Sole 5/10
🎯 Tip: Warm nights Jun–Sep; short lobs 10–30 yd onto sand. Small hooks with rag/lug or sandeel strips; use light leads to slowly trundle with the tide.
🐟 Thornback Ray 5/10
🎯 Tip: Occasional; calm nights in spring/autumn. Sandeel or crab on a pulley, medium range over sand.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
🎯 Tip: Aug–Oct after dark; small metals or Sabiki under a float from rocky edges. Keep lures midwater with a steady retrieve.
🐟 Garfish 5/10
🎯 Tip: May–Sep; float fish mackerel strip or small lures near the surface at dawn/dusk from the rocks at either end of the beach.
🐟 Flounder 4/10
🎯 Tip: Winter–spring; short casts with rag/lug just behind the surf line on the flood. Coloured water helps.
🐟 Spotted Ray 4/10
🎯 Tip: Summer; odd fish where sand meets rock. Night, calm seas. Sandeel or squid at medium range.
🐟 Starry Smoothhound 4/10
🎯 Tip: Jun–Sep evenings; peeler or hardback crab on a pulley over sand/patchy ground, medium range. Neap tides often best.

Sharrow Beach Fishing

Summary

Sharrow Beach (Whitsand Bay, SE Cornwall) is a broad, surf-washed sand backed by high cliffs and broken by the rocky spur of Sharrow Point. It offers classic surf bassing, summer ray fishing on clean sand, and wrasse around the point’s rough ground. Anglers come for the mix of beach and rock options, the dramatic setting, and productive dusk and night tides.

Location and Access

Sharrow sits between Freathy and Tregonhawke on the Rame Peninsula, within the long arc of Whitsand Bay. Access is via steep cliff paths and steps from the clifftop lay-bys, making it a committing venue in poor weather or on big tides.

Seasons

The mark produces surf and rough-ground species with a strong summer/autumn bass and ray reputation. Expect different fishing on the clean sand versus the rocky point and gullies.

Methods

Both surfcasting over clean sand and rock fishing around Sharrow Point are viable; pick your ground to match species and conditions.

Tides and Conditions

Sharrow rewards reading the sand: look for gutters, bars and rips formed by the Atlantic swell. The rocky point offers options when the surf is too boisterous for the open beach.

Safety

This is a serious cliff-and-beach venue with powerful surf and tidal movement. Plan your exit route, watch the sea continuously, and avoid pushing ranges in swell.

Facilities

Facilities are limited at clifftop lay-bys; plan to be self-sufficient for long sessions. Seasonal amenities operate along the bay.

Tips

Sharrow rewards mobile fishing and careful water-reading; an extra 20 minutes scouting gutters can be worth more than another 20 yards of casting distance.

Regulations

Sea angling is generally permitted at Sharrow Beach; there is no specific local fishing ban. However, the area lies within wider conservation and seasonal management frameworks—check before you go.