Vault Beach Fishing

Last updated: 2 days ago

Vault Beach Fishing Map

A long, secluded shingle-and-sand beach on the east side of Dodman Point (Roseland Peninsula). Clean sand in the middle with bouldery, kelpy ground and small ledges at either end gives a mix of surf and rough-ground fishing. Best in settled weather with a modest onshore ripple for bass; clear summer evenings bring mackerel, scad and garfish within range, while the rocky margins produce wrasse and pollack. After dark, simple bottom rigs turn up dogfish, small flatfish and the odd pout/conger. Access is via steep coast-path descents from National Trust car parks (Lamledra/Penare); there are no facilities, and the beach can dump at mid-to-high tide—take care with swell, slippery rocks and weever fish in summer.

Ratings

⭐ 7/10 Overall
Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 5/10
Accessibility 5/10

Fish You Can Catch at Vault Beach

🐟 Bass 8/10
🎯 Tip: Dawn/dusk on a flooding tide; work shallow diving lures in the surf or fish peeler crab/sandeel into the gutter. A southerly swell stirs it up.
🐟 Mackerel 7/10
🎯 Tip: Summer into early autumn; evenings with calm clear water. Feathering or small metals from mid-beach or near rocks. Look for birds/boils on a flooding tide.
🐟 Ballan Wrasse 7/10
🎯 Tip: Fish the rocky ends on a flooding tide; float or ledger hard crab or rag tight to kelp. Daytime, spring-autumn. Use strong tackle.
🐟 Pollack 6/10
🎯 Tip: From the rockier points at dusk into dark; cast soft plastics or metals along kelp lines on a flooding tide. Spring-autumn.
🐟 Lesser Spotted Dogfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Night over clean/mixed sand; small fish or squid baits, cast 30-60m. Best on neaps and a flooding tide.
🐟 Garfish 6/10
🎯 Tip: Late spring-autumn; float a sliver of mackerel or small sandeel 3-6ft under cork in clear water. Best on the last of the flood, calm seas.
🐟 Pouting 5/10
🎯 Tip: Dusk into dark around mixed ground; small fish/worm baits close to the rocky margins. Flooding tide.
🐟 Whiting 5/10
🎯 Tip: Winter nights; lug/squid cocktails on two-hook flappers over sand at 40-80m. Best on the flood and first of the ebb.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
🎯 Tip: Warm nights Aug-Oct; small sabikis or 10-20g metals worked mid-water under light. Best on the flood near rocky ends.
🐟 Plaice 4/10
🎯 Tip: Spring to early summer on bright days; long cast worm/razor baits over sandy patches with beads/bling. Works on a steady flood.
🐟 Dover Sole 4/10
🎯 Tip: Calm, warm nights May-Sept; small rag or lug on long snoods, cast short into the near sand. Gentle surf, last of the flood.
🐟 Conger Eel 4/10
🎯 Tip: After dark from rocky ends; big fish baits on strong gear dropped into gullies. Slack water to first of the flood.

Vault Beach Fishing

Summary

Vault Beach sits between Gorran Haven and Dodman Point on Cornwall’s Roseland Peninsula, a long, steep shingle strand facing into St Austell Bay. It’s a quietly productive mark with mixed ground: clean sand and gravel through the middle, with rougher, wrasse-friendly rock at the ends. Expect classic surf bass opportunities, summer mackerel and garfish, and after-dark ray fishing when the sea settles.

Location and Access

Getting to Vault Beach involves a scenic walk and a bit of a descent, which keeps crowds down and fishing pressure modest. Choose your approach depending on which end of the beach you want to fish.

Seasons

Vault produces a good cross-section of south-coast species. The clean-to-mixed ground and proximity to Dodman’s reefs give year-round interest.

Methods

Tactics hinge on where you set up: clean-middle for rays and general scratching, rocky ends for wrasse and conger, and mobile lure work for bass along the margins.

Tides and Conditions

Vault fishes best with movement but not mayhem. The steep shingle amplifies shore dump in swell, and the headland creates notable tide run at the ends.

Safety

This is a committing shingle beach with no lifeguard cover and limited exits; plan conservatively. Rock ends add slip, weed, and cut-off risk on a rising tide.

Facilities

There are no facilities on the beach itself, so arrive prepared. Nearby villages cover basics if you plan ahead.

Tips

Vault rewards stealth and timing. Treat it as a roaming mark rather than a pitch-and-wait beach in summer.

Regulations

Recreational sea angling is permitted at Vault Beach, but normal UK and local Cornwall IFCA byelaws apply. Regulations change, so always check the latest official sources before you go.