Summary
Treyarnon Bay sits between Constantine Bay and Porthcothan on Cornwall’s exposed north coast, offering a mix of sandy surf and rocky headlands. It’s a versatile mark: bass in the breakers, wrasse and pollack off the rocks, plus the chance of summer mackerel and the odd ray after dark. Anglers come for the scenery and the variety—just pick your ground to match the conditions.
Location and Access
Getting there is straightforward from St Merryn, with clear signage to Treyarnon Bay and a pay-and-display car park close to the beach. The terrain ranges from level beach to uneven rocky headlands; plan your approach according to the tide and swell.
- Follow local signs from St Merryn to Treyarnon Bay; the access road ends at a clifftop/near-beach parking area (pay-and-display, seasonal attendants at busy times).
- Short, easy walk to the sand via paths and steps; rock marks lie on both the northern and southern headlands via the South West Coast Path.
- Terrain is mixed: compact sand, kelp-fringed ledges, and barnacle-covered slabs. Footing can be slick—use studded boots on the rocks.
- The northern side overlooks the famous tidal rock pool; the southern side offers lower ledges and gullies looking toward Porthcothan.
- Public access is good, but the best ledges require short scrambles. Travel light and keep hands free.
Seasons
A classic mixed-ground venue, Treyarnon produces surf bass, rough-ground wrasse and pollack, and seasonal pelagics. Expect different fishing depending on whether you’re on the beach or rocks.
- Spring (Apr–Jun):
- Bass (schoolies to better fish in onshore surf)
- Pollack (dawn/dusk, clear water)
- Ballan & corkwing wrasse (as seas warm)
- Garfish (late spring, calm bright days)
- Summer (Jul–Sep):
- Mackerel and garfish (evenings, rock points)
- Bass (lures in the surf or around reefs)
- Wrasse (crab baits in kelp gullies)
- Smoothhound (occasional, crab baits)
- Small-eyed ray/spotted ray (after dark on sandier patches)
- Gurnards and the odd turbot from the surf-line
- Autumn (Oct–Nov):
- Peak bass runs in lively seas
- Pollack (lures and float)
- Whiting, pouting (nights from beach)
- Bull huss/strap conger from rough ground after dark
- Winter (Dec–Feb):
- Whiting, pouting, dogfish on the beach
- Occasional storm-bass in big, coloured surf (pick windows carefully)
- Rock fishing is risky in winter swells—choose sheltered ledges or stand down
Methods
Choose your approach by ground and conditions: surf tactics for the beach, finesse or stout gear on the rocks. Lures score consistently for mobile anglers; bait excels in darkness or coloured water.
- Beach (surf and sandy patches):
- Bass on lures: 9–11 ft rod, 20–30 lb braid, 20–25 lb fluoro leader; shallow-divers, surface walkers, metal spoons, and 10–20 g soft plastics. Work the gutters and along the shore dump.
- Baiting the surf: 1–2 hook clipped-down or pulley rigs; 3–4 oz leads (rolling leads in smaller surf), baits of fresh peeler crab, sandeel, squid, or mackerel strip for bass and rays. Size 1/0–3/0 hooks.
- Whiting/pouting at night: 2-hook flappers with size 2–1 hooks, small mackerel or worm baits.
- Rocks (headlands north and south):
- Wrasse: simple running ledger or short pulley with rotten-bottom link; 30–40 lb mono trace, 2/0 strong hooks; crab or prawn baits dropped into gullies.
- Pollack: spinning or soft plastics (20–40 g metals, 12–20 g paddletails on 20–25 lb leaders). Best at first/last light and on a flooding tide.
- Float fishing: mackerel strip or ragworm for garfish and pollack; set depth to just above weed line.
- After dark: big fish baits (mackerel/squid cocktails) for bull huss/strap conger; 80–100 lb mono traces, strong 4/0 hooks, and a rotten-bottom system.
- General tips:
- Use rotten-bottom links over rough ground to save gear.
- Travel light and move to find fish; don’t plant a tripod where waves can reach it.
- Match lure colour to clarity: naturals in clear water, brighter profiles in fizz and colour.
Tides and Conditions
Treyarnon is highly state- and swell-dependent. Read the beach and headlands before committing, and avoid exposed ledges in big Atlantic swell.
- Tide: Middle of the flood into the first of the ebb often fishes best. Low-to-mid water opens rock gullies; be sure you have a safe exit before the flood.
- Surf bass: 1–4 ft onshore swell with building or steady bar pressure is ideal; a milky tinge is fine, heavy chocolate soup is not.
- Lure clarity: Clear to lightly tinted water for pollack and surface bass; overcast dawn/dusk windows are prime.
- Wrasse: Moderate swell that stirs kelp without smashing the ledges; too much swell turns them off and endangers you.
- Night sessions: Calm-to-moderate seas for rays, huss, and conger; fish the first push of the flood or the top of the tide.
- Springs vs neaps: Springs increase movement for surf species and rays; neaps can be excellent for wrasse where presentation matters.
Safety
This is an exposed Atlantic venue with real hazards. Respect the sea, the tide, and the lifeguarded swimming zones.
- Never fish within the RNLI red/yellow flagged bathing area (typically in summer). Move well away from swimmers and surfers.
- Atlantic swell and surges: set up well back; avoid low, wave-washed ledges. If in doubt, don’t go out.
- Cut-off risk: Many ledges flood quickly. Plan your route, note your time limits, and carry a headtorch and spare light.
- Slippery weed/barnacles: Wear studded boots and consider a buoyancy aid/lifejacket on the rocks.
- Rips on the beach: Don’t wade deep while casting; use longer rods/leads to reach gutters from dry sand.
- Accessibility: The beach path is manageable, but rock marks involve uneven ground and short scrambles—not suitable for wheelchairs or very limited mobility.
- Fish with a buddy where possible and tell someone your plan; carry a charged phone in a waterproof pouch.
Facilities
Facilities are better than many wild marks, especially in summer. Expect seasonal services and plan outside peak months.
- Parking: Pay-and-display close to the beach; can fill quickly in peak season.
- Toilets: Usually available near the beach (seasonal opening hours).
- Food & drink: Seasonal café/kiosk; YHA Treyarnon Bay typically offers refreshments. More options in St Merryn and Padstow.
- Tackle/bait: Head to Padstow or Newquay for shops; book bait ahead in summer.
- Lifeguards: RNLI lifeguard patrols on the main beach in season—observe flagged zones.
- Mobile signal: Generally fair on headlands; can dip in coves.
Tips
A little local knowledge goes a long way at Treyarnon. Use the tide to reveal structure and plan your return.
- At low tide, scout gutters and kelp lines; mark features to fish on the flooding tide.
- On a small swell, work surface lures along the edges of the breaking bar—bass often patrol the whitewater seams.
- For wrasse, bring peeler or hardback crab in summer; fish tight to the structure and hold on.
- The northern rock pool is a bathing hotspot—give it a wide berth with hooks and lures when people are around.
- Evening sea breezes can kill the surface bite; switch to subsurface soft plastics or metals.
- If the bay is too busy or the swell is awkward, hop the path to the next headland for cleaner water and less footfall.
Regulations
Rod-and-line sea angling is permitted at Treyarnon Bay. There are no local byelaws banning fishing from the beach or rocks, but a few key rules and good practices apply.
- Do not fish within the RNLI flagged bathing/surfing areas when lifeguards are on duty; follow any on-site signage from the council or RNLI.
- European seabass: Rules (bag limits/season) change year to year. The current minimum size is 42 cm; check the UK Government/MMO “Recreational bass fishing” page before you retain any fish.
- Tope: It is illegal to retain or sell rod-caught tope in England and Wales (Tope (Prohibition of Fishing) Order 2008). Release alive.
- Conservation areas: This coastline is within/near designated conservation sites. Rod-and-line angling is allowed, but do not damage reefs, seagrass, or rock pools; avoid collecting live bait from protected features.
- If you cannot confidently identify a ray or skate (e.g., common skate), release it. When in doubt, return fish.
- Cornwall IFCA and national minimum conservation reference sizes apply to many species—check the latest sizes and seasonal restrictions before keeping catch.