The Rumps Fishing

Last updated: 1 month ago

The Rumps Fishing Map

A dramatic twin-headed rock promontory on the Pentire Peninsula with very deep water close in and powerful tidal flow around The Mouls. Best fished in calm conditions with minimal swell. Productive for lure and float fishing along kelp-fringed ledges for wrasse and pollack, with mackerel and garfish in summer and conger/bull huss after dark. Long, uneven walk-in from the National Trust parking and exposed, committing ledges mean it’s for experienced rock anglers only; wear a PFD and avoid big seas.

Ratings

⭐ 6.8/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 4/10

Fish You Can Catch at The Rumps

🐟 Pollack 9/10
🎯 Tip: Work soft plastics or 20–60g metals along kelp edges from the points at dawn/dusk on the flood. Keep lures deep; watch the swell.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 8/10
🎯 Tip: Fish crab or rag on strong gear into kelp/rock gullies over the flood, late spring–autumn. Avoid slack water; steady swell helps. Lift fish before they dive.
🐟 Bass 7/10
🎯 Tip: Surface or subsurface lures in white water around the points on a rising tide with some surf. Best at first light, dusk or after a blow.
🐟 Mackerel 7/10
🎯 Tip: Summer shoals pass close; cast feathers/sabikis or 20–40g metals from the outer points. Evenings and the flooding tide are most consistent.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 6/10
🎯 Tip: Dusk into dark late summer–autumn; small sabikis or 10–20g metals worked midwater. Try the flood from the deeper side of the headland.
🐟 Conger Eel 6/10
🎯 Tip: Night sessions with big mackerel/squid baits lowered tight to rock faces and kelp gullies. Heavy tackle and rotten-bottom leads. Best on the first of the flood.
🐟 Garfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Float-fish slivers or worm 1–3 m deep over clear water on calm days, late spring to autumn. Cast from higher ledges on the flood.
🐟 Pouting 5/10
🎯 Tip: Small strips or worm baits into kelp gullies at night; keep baits just off bottom to reduce snags. More numerous in autumn–winter.
🐟 Bull Huss 5/10
🎯 Tip: Large fish or squid baits on 4/0s over rough ground at night; use strong traces and rotten-bottoms. Best on neaps and the first half of the flood.
🐟 Corkwing Wrasse 5/10
🎯 Tip: Small hooks baited with rag or prawn into kelp fringes; short casts on the flood in summer. Strike quickly to keep them out of snags.

The Rumps Fishing

Summary

The Rumps is a dramatic twin‐headed promontory on Cornwall’s north coast, just east of Pentire Point and north of Polzeath. Sheer cliffs, deep water close in, and powerful tide rips around The Mouls (Puffin Island) create classic rock fishing for lure and bait anglers alike. It’s a wild, exposed venue that rewards good planning with quality pollack, bass, wrasse, and summer pelagics.

Location and Access

Access is via the South West Coast Path across National Trust land; expect a fair hike and exposed cliff scenery. The final descent to fishing ledges involves uneven, sometimes steep ground and light scrambling in places.

  • Parking: National Trust car parks at Pentireglaze/Lead Mines and Pentire Farm (near Polzeath). Postcode area: PL27 6QY. Pay-and-display; NT members usually park free.
  • Walk-in: 25–45 minutes on rugged coastal path depending on car park and pace; add time for kit and careful footing.
  • Terrain: Short grass, rocky steps, and narrow paths with sheer drops; ledges are rough, kelpy, and snaggy.
  • Footwear: Grippy rock boots or studded soles strongly advised; trekking poles help on the return climb.
  • Public transport: Seasonal buses serve Polzeath; from there it’s a longer coastal walk.

Seasons

This is a classic north-coast rock mark with seasonal variety and some resident species year-round.

  • Spring (Mar–May): Pollack (increasing size), ballan and cuckoo wrasse, early bass on lures, garfish from late spring.
  • Summer (Jun–Aug): Mackerel, scad, garfish, pollack (all sizes), wrasse (ballan dominant), bass in the white water, occasional bull huss and conger after dark.
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov): Peak bass time, larger pollack, mackerel/tub gurnard occasional, scad at dusk/night, whiting and pouting after dark later in the season.
  • Winter (Dec–Feb): Pollack on settled days, conger and pouting at night, whiting during cold snaps; rare chance of a codling in strong northerlies but don’t bank on it.
  • Wildlife notes: Seals are common and may follow hooked fish; bird life is prolific around The Mouls.

Methods

The ground is rough and the tide runs hard. Fish strong but balanced gear, present baits cleanly, and use lure methods that cut through tide and kelp.

  • Lure fishing (daylight, clear to lightly coloured water):
    • Medium–heavy lure rods (20–60 g) with 30–40 lb braid and 40–60 lb abrasion leaders.
    • Metals 30–60 g (slim profiles) for mackerel, scad, and searching for pollack; let them sink and work the water column.
    • Soft plastics (paddle tails/straight tails) rigged weedless on 10–30 g Texas/Cheburashka heads for pollack and bass along kelp edges.
    • Hard plugs and surface lures for bass over foamy seams at first/last light when swell allows.
  • Float fishing (settled seas, midwater):
    • Sliding float with 6–10 ft fluoro trace, size 1–1/0 hooks. Baits: sandeel, mackerel strip, prawn. Great for garfish, mackerel, pollack, and wrasse just off the kelp line.
  • Bottom fishing (rough ground specialists):
    • 12–13 ft rock rods, 25–30 lb mono or 40–50 lb braid, strong 60 lb leaders.
    • Rigs: pulley/pulley-pennel with a weak-link/rotten-bottom to save leads. 3/0–5/0 hooks for conger/huss; 1/0–2/0 for mixed fish.
    • Baits: mackerel/squid cocktails for conger/huss; hardback crab, peeler, or big prawn for wrasse and bass; sandeel for bass/pollack.
  • Timing:
    • Dawn and dusk are prime for bass and pollack. Night fishing targets conger/huss; keep it simple and safe.
  • Landing and release:
    • Plan a landing spot before casting. A long-handled net is useful on lower ledges; avoid cliff gaffs and practice quick, careful release.

Tides and Conditions

The headland funnels tide and swell; choose windows that balance movement and safety.

  • Tide: The middle of the flood to high water often fishes well for pollack and bass; ebb can be productive where the rip forms tidy seams. Slack periods can be slow.
  • Sea state: Light to moderate swell with foam lines is ideal; avoid big Atlantic groundswells. Water clarity helps lures; a slight colour suits bait.
  • Wind: Offshore or cross-off (E/SE/NE) gives cleaner water and safer conditions; strong W/NW winds pile in swell and make it dangerous and unproductive.
  • Seasonality: Late spring through autumn is prime for variety; winter windows exist after calm spells for pollack and at night for conger/pouting.
  • Time of day: First and last light for bass/pollack; mackerel/scad often stack up at dusk on neaps.

Safety

This is an exposed cliff mark with committing ledges and no easy exits in a swell. Treat it as a serious rock session, not a casual cast.

  • Wear a well-fitted marine lifejacket/PFD, grippy boots, and carry a headtorch and spare light if there’s any chance of finishing in dusk/dark.
  • Reccy in daylight; identify safe routes, ledges, and a landing gully before rigging up.
  • Avoid low ledges in any swell; rogue waves and rebound are common around The Rumps and The Mouls rip.
  • Use a buddy system and carry a throw line; tell someone your plan and return time. Mobile signal can be patchy.
  • Keep well clear of cliff edges and unstable faces; rockfall is possible. Helmets are sensible on steep scrambles.
  • Some lower platforms can become cut off at higher states of tide and swell—maintain an escape route.
  • Bird nesting season (spring/early summer): give space to cliff-nesting birds and keep noise down.
  • Accessibility: Not suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility; the approach is long, uneven, and exposed.

Facilities

There are no facilities at the mark itself—this is a wild headland. Plan to be self-sufficient.

  • Toilets: Seasonal facilities at National Trust Pentireglaze/Lead Mines car park; additional public toilets in Polzeath.
  • Food and drink: Cafés, pubs, and shops in Polzeath and Rock; none on the headland.
  • Tackle and bait: Wadebridge has a well-stocked tackle shop; limited seasonal bait in Polzeath. Bring bait—don’t rely on foraging on site.
  • Mobile signal: Variable; some networks drop out on the seaward side of the headland.
  • Water and shelter: No shelter or taps—carry enough water and weatherproofs.

Tips

Small details and reading the water make a big difference at this exposed mark.

  • Watch the tide rip off The Mouls: work lures along the calmer edges where baitfish push—pollack patrol these seams.
  • If seals move in, go lighter/faster with lures or relocate; they’ll harry hooked fish and spook shoals.
  • For wrasse, present crab or prawn right in the kelp pockets; lift into fish quickly and keep steady pressure to avoid snags.
  • Metals that cast like bullets let you reach fish when the wind is across you; count them down to different depths until you find the level.
  • A weak-link/rotten-bottom set just lighter than your main leader saves leads over the gnarly bottom.
  • Dawn after a blowing northerly that’s just eased can produce superb bass in the foam—only if it’s safely fishable from high, dry ledges.
  • Keep noise and headlamp use to a minimum at dusk; garfish, scad, and bass push tighter to the rocks when it’s quiet.
  • Pack light but take spares: extra leaders, clips, and a few pre-tied rigs speed up turnarounds in the wind.

Regulations

Angling is generally permitted from the shore here, but the headland sits within protected landscapes and sensitive wildlife areas.

  • Site designations: The Rumps–Pentire Point area includes National Trust land and SSSI features protecting geology and nesting birds. Stay on paths, don’t remove rocks/plants, and avoid disturbing wildlife, especially during nesting season.
  • Bass (recreational): Check current UK/EU bass regulations with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). Recent rules have set a minimum size of 42 cm and strict open seasons/bag limits; outside the open season it’s catch-and-release only.
  • Minimum sizes: Observe UK/Cornwall IFCA minimum conservation reference sizes for any fish or shellfish you intend to keep (e.g., lobster and crab sizes; release any berried or V-notched lobsters).
  • Protected species: Do not target or retain basking sharks, marine mammals, or any protected species. Tope are protected from commercial sale in England; best practice is careful release.
  • Foraging and bait: On protected/NT land, collecting bait or removing natural materials may be restricted or signed against—bring bait with you and follow any onsite notices.
  • Litter and lost tackle: Pack out all waste and cut back snagged line to protect seabirds and seals. No fires or camping on the headland.
  • If in doubt: Consult Cornwall IFCA and MMO websites for the latest byelaws and seasonal updates before your trip.