St Loy Cove

St Loy Cove (often written St Loy’s) is a secluded, boulder-strewn cove on Cornwall’s far west south coast, tucked between Lamorna and Penberth. It’s a beautiful, wild mark with a sub‑tropical wooded valley and clear water, offering rewarding rough‑ground fishing for wrasse, pollack and bass, plus huss and conger after dark. The terrain is challenging but the fish respond well in the right tide and a bit of sea.

Reaching St Loy Cove involves quiet lanes and a walk; there is no formal car park right at the beach. Approach via the B3315 (St Buryan–Porthcurno road) and use signed footpaths to the cove or come in along the South West Coast Path from neighbouring coves.

• Limited roadside pull-ins near footpath signposts for St Loy; space is tight and quickly fills—do not block gateways or tracks.
• Alternative parking: Lamorna Cove car park (TR19 6XQ, pay-and-display) with a scenic 45–60 minute SW Coast Path walk; Penberth (TR19 6HJ, very limited) is a similar distance from the west.
• The final approach through St Loy Woods is steep, can be muddy after rain, and the beach itself is made up of large, rounded granite boulders.
• Usable fishing stances are found on both flanks of the cove; the eastern side (towards Tater‑du) gives marginally deeper water, while the western side has bassy gullies.

The mark fishes as a rough-ground, clear-water south coast venue with seasonal variety. Expect reef species by day and predators after dark, with pelagics in summer.

• Spring (Mar–May): Ballan wrasse, pollack, occasional bass; thick‑lipped mullet nosing around the stream mouth in calm, clear spells.
• Summer (Jun–Aug): Wrasse, pollack, mackerel, garfish, scad at dusk; bass on a push of tide or onshore breeze; occasional small-eyed ray on adjacent cleaner patches; mullet in the margins.
• Autumn (Sep–Nov): Peak bass time in lively seas; wrasse steady until the first big blows; huss and conger after dark; late mackerel/gar if the water stays warm; odd triggerfish some years in September.
• Winter (Dec–Feb): Bull huss, conger, dogfish, rockling; bass possible in coloured water during or just after storms; pollack on calmer, overcast days.

Rough ground dictates tackle choices: keep lines high, use abrasion-resistant leaders, and plan your landing before you cast.

• Lure fishing: Weedless soft plastics (15–30 g) on Texas/Cheb heads for wrasse and bass in the gullies; 20–40 g metal jigs or shore spoons for pollack and mackerel. A 9–10 ft rod helps steer fish over boulders.
• Float fishing: Set 12–18 ft for working ledges and drop-offs; baits such as sandeel, prawn or mackerel strip take pollack and gar; use 20–25 lb mono for resilience around kelp.
• Bottom fishing: Pulley or pulley‑dropper with a rotten‑bottom/weak‑link sinker; 60–80 lb rubbing leader. Baits: peeler or hardback crab for wrasse/bass; whole or flapper mackerel, squid or cocktail baits for huss and conger.
• Bass tactics: At dawn/dusk, work surface/subsurface plugs across the flooding tide; after a blow, fish big crab or sandeel baits into the white water on short lob casts.
• Mullet: Light float gear with bread flake or small rag where the stream meets the sea in calm, clear water.
• Night sessions: Keep gear simple and robust; clear a landing area, use a long-handled net, and fish big, oily baits for huss/conger on the top of the tide.

Tide run and water movement are key; the cove responds best to a building sea with some colour but not a heavy groundswell.

• Tide state: The last two hours of flood and the first hour of ebb are prime; wrasse/pollack also feed well on a mid-tide push.
• Springs vs neaps: Neaps reduce drag and snags in kelp for bottom fishing; springs can fire up bass when there’s surf.
• Sea state: Slight to moderate SW swell with a hint of colour suits bass; clear and calm favours mackerel/gar and lure fishing for pollack.
• Wind: Northerlies/NE flatten it and improve safety; strong SW can be dangerous on the boulders but may switch bass on—only fish if it’s safe.
• Time of day/season: Dawn and dusk are consistently best; after storms, give it 24–48 hours for the water to green up for bass and huss.

This is a serious boulder beach: footing is awkward, swells rebound unpredictably, and access is not suitable for limited mobility. Treat it with respect.

• Large, rounded boulders are slippery with weed—use studded boots or rock boots; tripods are awkward, consider a butt pad and rod rest improvised in rock cracks.
• Wear a lifejacket and avoid fishing in big swell; watch for surges that run far up the boulders.
• Use rotten-bottom links to reduce time retrieving snags; keep lines high to avoid kelp.
• Plan a safe landing spot and carry a long-handled net; headtorch and spare batteries essential for any dusk/night finish.
• Rockfall/landslip risk exists below the wooded cliffs after heavy rain—avoid sitting beneath overhangs.
• Phone signal is patchy to non-existent in the valley; tell someone your plan and expected return time.
• Stick to signed paths; parts of the approach pass close to private properties—respect signage and any temporary path diversions.

There are no facilities at the cove itself—come self-sufficient and pack out everything you bring.

• No toilets, bins, or lighting at St Loy; zero shelter on the beach.
• Nearest amenities: Lamorna Cove (toilets, seasonal café, pay parking), Porthcurno (seasonal facilities), and St Buryan (village shop, pub, limited parking).
• Tackle and bait: Available in Penzance/Newlyn; check opening times, especially off-season.
• Mobile coverage: Often poor at beach level; better on the cliff tops but not guaranteed.

Success here comes from travelling light, reading the water, and picking your windows.

• Carry spare leads and end gear; use 10–15 lb weak-link mono on your sinkers to save tackle in snags.
• A 30–50 lb leader and a tough rubbing trace protect against kelp and granite; lift and wind fish firmly to keep their heads up.
• Watch for baitfish dimpling or birds working tight to the rocks—short, accurate lure casts can be better than long chucks.
• Evening scad can be great fun on small metals or sabikis under a float; de-barb hooks for quick releases.
• After a SW blow, the eastern side often holds colour and kelp lines that draw bass on the flood.
• Treat big wrasse carefully—unhook in the water where possible and release quickly; they’re slow-growing and the reef benefits from C&R.

There is no general prohibition on angling at St Loy Cove, but normal national and local rules apply. Always verify the latest measures before your trip.

• Access is via public rights of way and the South West Coast Path; keep to marked paths and do not enter private gardens or fields.
• Cornwall IFCA byelaws and national minimum conservation reference sizes apply; know and measure your fish before retaining any.
• European sea bass rules change annually (size and bag limits, and closed periods)—check current MMO/IFCA guidance before keeping bass.
• Some local conservation initiatives encourage releasing larger wrasse; many anglers voluntarily practice catch-and-release for reef species here.
• Do not light fires or camp on the beach; remove all litter and waste line. Respect wildlife (seals, nesting birds) and keep a safe distance.
• If any temporary notices or restrictions are posted on-site (path works, safety closures), follow them—they may change seasonally.