Summary
Trevellas Porth is a small, rugged cove between St Agnes and Perranporth on Cornwall’s north coast, backed by the historic Blue Hills valley. It’s a classic rough-ground rock and shingle mark offering wrasse, pollack and bass in clear conditions, with night options for conger and huss. The scenery is spectacular, but the mark is exposed to Atlantic swell and demands sensible tactics and safety.
Location and Access
Tucked below the Blue Hills tin-streaming valley, Trevellas Porth is reached via a narrow lane and a short but steep walk. It’s a wild, bouldery pocket-beach with fishable rock ledges on both sides of the cove.
- Drive down Trevellas Coombe from St Agnes; limited, informal roadside parking near the bottom by the valley (do not block gates or passing places).
- When spaces are full, use the larger car parks at Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes) and walk the coast path east to Trevellas (allow extra time and effort).
- Access is via uneven paths and boulder slopes; sturdy footwear is essential. The west and east side ledges require careful scrambling.
- Terrain is rough shingle, large boulders and weed-covered rock platforms; travel light and keep hands free.
Seasons
This is a mixed rough-ground mark with classic Cornish rock species. Expect summer sport in clear water and occasional winter visitors in blows.
- Spring: Ballan wrasse, cuckoo wrasse, pollack, bass on small sandeels/crab; early garfish in settled spells; thick‑lipped mullet nosing the stream outflow on calm days.
- Summer: Wrasse (prime), pollack, mackerel and garfish on lures/float, bass in a bit of surf or at dusk, scad after dark; mullet in the cove; occasional smoothhound on crab in settled seas.
- Autumn: Bass into lively water, pollack on lures, wrasse still strong until first big blows; scad and mackerel tail off with weather.
- Winter: Conger eel and bull huss after dark on big baits; odd whiting on calmer nights; rare codling in strong northerlies but not a banker here.
Methods
Rough-ground tactics shine here—fish tight, use abrasion-resistant gear and weak links. Lure and float fishing are superb in clear water.
- Lure fishing: 20–30 g metals, slim spoons and small sandeel-pattern hard lures for mackerel, gar and bass; 10–25 g weedless soft plastics (paddle/shad/slug) for pollack and bass around kelp fringes.
- Float fishing: Set 6–15 ft for wrasse, pollack and gar; baits include prawn, ragworm, strips of mackerel or sandeel. Use a cigar float and 12–15 lb fluoro trace.
- Bottom fishing: Pulley or pulley‑dropper with a rotten‑bottom/weak link lead for the snaggy seabed. 4–5/0 strong hooks for conger/huss; size 1–2 for mixed species. Cast only as far as needed—many fish patrol under the rod tip.
- Baits: Peeler or hardback crab (top for wrasse/bass), ragworm/lug, fresh mackerel or squid for eels/huss, sandeel (whole or fillet) for bass/pollack.
- Tackle: 9–10 ft bass rod or 10–11 ft lure rod for mobile work; 12–13 ft rock/rough‑ground rod for bottom fishing. 30–50 lb leader (or 40–60 lb mono trace at night for eels).
Tides and Conditions
Trevellas faces roughly NW and is exposed to swell—pick your days. Fish movement tracks the flooding tide and low-water gullies.
- Best tide: Mid-flood to high for bass moving into the cove; the last of the ebb and low water for wrasse and pollack in the fringes and gullies.
- Sea state: Small to moderate swell with clarity suits wrasse/pollack/lure work; a gentle roll and some colour is ideal for bass. Avoid big W–NW swells.
- Wind: Easterly to SE (offshore/side-off) gives calmer, clearer water; strong W–NW makes it dangerous and unfishable.
- Time of day: Dawn and dusk are prime for bass and pollack; wrasse feed well from mid-tide up in daylight; conger/huss after dark.
- Seasonality: May–October for topwater/lure and float action; winter reserved for the nocturnal bait game when conditions allow.
Safety
This is an exposed, uneven rock-and-boulder venue—treat it with respect. Not suitable for those with limited mobility.
- Steep, uneven access and boulder hopping; wear grippy boots (studs/felt) and consider a waist or automatic lifejacket on the ledges.
- Swell risk: Rogue waves can wash ledges—avoid big seas, keep low to the water but well back, and never turn your back on the Atlantic.
- Snags and weed: Use rotten-bottoms and keep rods high to plane fish over kelp; expect gear losses.
- Cut-off risk: Some ledges flood—recon at low water and keep an exit plan; don’t fish isolated platforms with rising tide.
- Rockfall/cliff edges: Stay clear of overhangs and soft cliff faces; keep dogs and kids away from edges.
- Lighting/communication: Bring spare headtorches and fully charged phone; signal can be patchy in the coombe but improves on higher ground.
- If there are any local “no access” or conservation notices on the day, follow signage and relocate.
Facilities
There are no facilities on the beach—plan to be self-sufficient. Nearby St Agnes and Perranporth have full amenities.
- No toilets, water or bins at Trevellas; pack out all litter and line.
- Closest public toilets, cafés and pubs at Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes) and in St Agnes village; Perranporth also has multiple options.
- Tackle/bait: Bait and tackle available in Perranporth and Truro; some seasonal bait from Newquay. Check opening hours outside summer.
- Parking is limited at the bottom of Trevellas Coombe; alternative parking at St Agnes (pay-and-display) with a coast-path walk.
- No lifeguard cover at Trevellas; seasonal lifeguards operate at nearby popular beaches only.
Tips
Think stealth and precision—most fish are tight to structure. Work the edges before you cast to the horizon.
- Lure first: Fan-cast metals or soft plastics from the ledges before setting up bait; moving baits often find fish quickly.
- Keep baits small in daylight: Coin-sized crab/prawn for wrasse; scale up after dark for huss/conger.
- Weedless wins: Rig soft plastics Texas-style to glide through kelp and avoid constant re-rigging.
- Mullet patrol the stream: On calm, sunny days, fish bread flake or tiny Isome under a light float near the outflow.
- Colour cues: Crystal water = wrasse/pollack/gar; mild colour and a push = bass. After heavy swell, give it a tide or two to settle.
- Quiet counts: The cove is small—avoid heavy footfall and clattering boulders right over the fish’s heads.
- Photography bonus: Sunset over the headlands can be stunning—pack a lens cloth; salt spray gets everywhere.
Regulations
Sea angling from the shore is generally permitted at Trevellas Porth. There is no general recreational sea angling licence requirement in England for saltwater species (a licence is required for salmon/seatrout in inland waters only).
- Bass measures change periodically. Check current MMO/DEFRA rules before you go (bag limits, minimum size and any closed retention months often apply). Do not assume last year’s limits.
- Cornwall IFCA byelaws apply locally. These set minimum conservation reference sizes for various species and protect certain habitats and shellfish—consult Cornwall IFCA for up-to-date sizes and any local restrictions.
- Marine Protected Areas: The coastline around St Agnes sits within designated conservation areas offshore. Shore angling for finfish by rod and line is generally allowed, but observe any site signage and avoid damaging intertidal habitats.
- Foraging/bait: Follow local guidance for sustainable collection; some areas may restrict the removal of certain species or require permission on private land.
- Always respect private property, gateways and working access in the Blue Hills valley, and comply with any temporary notices or closures.
