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Cornwall

Whitsand Bay

6.9 · Beach · Cornwall

A long, exposed surf beach stretching between Rame Head and Portwrinkle, with clean sand, shifting bars and gutters, and occasional rocky fringes. Whitsand Bay excels for surf bass, rays and winter whiting. Best results come on a flooding tide at dawn or dusk, especially as a southwesterly swell eases and the water clears. Night fishing is productive. Access is via steep paths from cliff-top parking (Freathy, Tregonhawke, Tregantle), and the MOD range at Tregantle can restrict access when active. Strong rips, heavy surf and fast-flooding tides around rocky points demand care.

Should you fish Whitsand Bay?

58 Fair

Today · Best window

Best window: 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide

Most likely species: Ballan Wrasse and Mackerel

Fair conditions. Best around 06:00-09:00 around the rising tide. Good chance of Ballan Wrasse and Mackerel.

NW 4 mph Rain 0% High tide 11:29

Fishable, but pick your timing carefully.

Plan this mark

7-day fishing forecast for Whitsand Bay — 7-day forecast

Scores and best windows are weighted for .

Met Office Met Office · Open-Meteo

Where the data comes from. Weather and sea-state readings come from the Met Office and Open-Meteo forecast models, refreshed several times a day. High and low water are taken from tide-station predictions for this stretch of coast.

How the score works. Each window is scored 0–100 from the signals that most reliably move fish inshore: tide movement (a running tide carries food, so the last of the flood and first of the ebb are usually the prime spells), wind speed and direction (onshore wind stirs food into the surf — up to the point it makes fishing hard), sea state (a little wave and swell movement helps, heavy swell hurts), and weather — rain, temperature and light. Behind the headline number we score bite opportunity and comfort separately, and run a separate safety check on wind and swell. The size of the tide counts too: spring tides move more water than neaps, so the tidal range for this stretch of coast is weighed alongside the tide's direction, your target species and this mark — and unusually big springs strengthen the safety check, because the water rises faster and covers more ground.

Your target species counts. Pick a species below and the score also weights what we know about it — its season, preferred sea temperature, tide stage and sea state, and whether it feeds by day or night.

The rating is guidance, not a guarantee — conditions change fast on the coast, so always judge the sea in front of you before you fish.

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· windows & tide

Spring vs neap tides. Spring tides have a larger difference between high and low water, so more water moves on each tide — usually stronger flow that stirs up food and gets fish feeding. Neap tides have a smaller range and generally gentler movement. The range here is compared with what is normal for this stretch of coast, and the cycle swings between springs and neaps roughly every week, following the moon.

Big spring tides: the water rises faster and covers more ground than usual — double-check access routes and cut-off points before you fish.

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Whitsand Bay is a long, exposed Cornwall surf beach where results depend heavily on tide, sea state and reading the sand. It is strongest for surf bass, small-eyed rays, smoothhounds, dogfish and winter whiting, with rougher margins adding pollack, wrasse, huss and conger options. The key is to scout gutters and bars at low water, then fish the flood into dusk or darkness when the surf is manageable.

  • Know when the flood is worth the steep climb.
  • Pick the right Whitsand ground for bass, rays or hounds.
  • See when to fish close gutters instead of blasting distance.
  • Avoid the surf, rip and access traps that ruin sessions.
  • Use the right backup sector when weed or swell builds.

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Millbrook 2.7 mi Cawsand and Kingsand 3.1 mi St Germans 3.7 mi Torpoint 3.7 mi Downderry 4.7 mi

Explore nearby towns: Millbrook · Cawsand and Kingsand · St Germans · Torpoint · Downderry

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Forecast tuning currently supports Bass and Mackerel — more species are on the way.

Overall rating

6.9 /10

Blend of catch potential, access, safety, and overall experience.

Category scores

Catch Potential 7/10
Species Variety 8/10
Scenery & Comfort 9/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 5/10

Bass 9/10
Tip: Surf beaches fish best at dusk/dawn on a flooding tide with a bit of chop. Lugworm, peeler or sandeel; shallow-diving plugs or surf lures in calmer water.
Small-eyed Ray 8/10
Tip: Clean sand at range; best after dusk on neap floods May-Oct. Fresh sandeel or bluey. Use pulley rigs with 4/0 hooks and grip leads to hold in surf.
Lesser Spotted Dogfish 8/10
Tip: Very common after dark over sand. Small mackerel or squid baits on a simple ledger; bites year-round, more in summer-autumn. Keep baits static.
Starry Smoothhound 7/10
Tip: Late May-Sep; peeler crab is key. Fish the flood to high from guttered sand or near rocky margins. 2/0-3/0 hooks, 20-60 m casts.
Pollack 6/10
Tip: From rocky headlands at dusk on a flooding tide. Spin metals/soft plastics or float-fish sandeel tight to kelp lines.
Whiting 6/10
Tip: Nov-Feb over clean sand after dark. Long casts with lug or lug/squid cocktails; clip-down rigs for distance.
Mackerel 6/10
Tip: Jun-Sep from rocky points in calm seas, especially evenings on the flood. Small metals or 3-4 hook feather rigs.
Ballan Wrasse 6/10
Tip: Rocky margins and kelp at mid-tide up. Daylight fishing with hardback crab or rag; use strong gear and keep pressure to turn fish from the reef.
Spotted Ray 5/10
Tip: Mixed sand with shell at medium range; fish dusk into night. Sandeel or small squid; neap tides make holding bottom easier.
Bull Huss 5/10
Tip: Rocky gullies after dark near Portwrinkle/Rame. Big mackerel or squid baits on a pulley pennel; use heavy rubbing leaders over rough ground.
Conger Eel 5/10
Tip: From rough ground platforms at night on the flood. Whole mackerel or large squid; heavy gear and lift fish clear of kelp.
Dab 4/10
Tip: Winter-spring on clean sand in calm or light surf. Small lugworm or tipped rag baits, short to medium range; use light grip leads to keep rigs pinned.

Local knowledge

Whitsand Bay fishing guide

Practical access, seasons, methods, tides, safety and facilities for this mark.

Whitsand Bay stretches in a wide arc between Rame Head and Portwrinkle on Cornwall’s south coast, offering miles of surf beaches with pockets of rough ground and rocky headlands. It’s a classic venue for bass and small-eyed rays, with summer smoothhounds and winter whiting keeping the rods nodding. The scenery is spectacular, but the descents are steep and the sea can be unforgiving.

Access is from the cliff-top Military Road (B3247) between Rame Head and Portwrinkle, with multiple signed paths down to the sands. Expect steep paths or steps and allow extra time for the return climb, especially with gear. Check for live-firing closures around Tregantle Fort (red flags/lamps) which temporarily restrict beach access in that sector.

  • Approach from Torpoint via the A374/B3247, or from the A38 at Trerulefoot towards Portwrinkle and along the coast road.
  • Parking is in cliff-top lay-bys and small car parks at Tregantle/Sharrow, Freathy, Tregonhawke, Treninnow and near Portwrinkle; most are pay-and-display. Postcodes in the area include PL10 1 (Rame–Freathy/Tregonhawke) and PL11 3 (Tregantle–Portwrinkle).
  • Paths are steep, sometimes uneven, and can be slippery when wet; not trolley-friendly. Allow 5–20 minutes down, longer coming back.
  • Public transport: seasonal bus services run along the coast road with stops near Freathy/Tregonhawke; useful for one-way wanders.
  • Access during MOD range firing: when red flags/lamps fly at Tregantle, do not descend or cross that section of beach. Closures are usually posted online and on local signs.

Whitsand Bay produces a mix of surf and rough-ground species. Bass and small-eyed rays headline, with seasonal visitors rounding things out.

  • Spring (Mar–May):
    • Bass (increasing from April, especially after a blow)
    • Small-eyed ray (late spring arrival; picks up fast on settled seas)
    • Plaice/sole oddities on clean patches
    • Wrasse from rocky fringes (Polhawn/Portwrinkle)
  • Summer (Jun–Aug):
    • Small-eyed ray (prime time, evenings and after dark)
    • Smoothhound (peeler crab, dusk/night)
    • Bass (dawn/dusk, surf or lures in calmer water)
    • Mackerel/garfish from rocky ends in clear, settled weather
    • Dogfish and occasional bull huss on rougher ground
  • Autumn (Sep–Nov):
    • Bass (storm surfs and coloured water can be excellent)
    • Small-eyed ray (hangs on until the first big autumn blows)
    • Whiting increasing into late autumn nights
    • Conger from rockier ends after dark
  • Winter (Dec–Feb):
    • Whiting, pout, dogfish on night tides
    • Codling are occasional visitors in prolonged cold snaps
    • Ray very occasional in settled spells; expect quieter fishing overall

Match your approach to ground type and conditions. Clean sand favors clipped-down distance rigs; mixed/rough patches call for strong, simple gear.

  • Surf/bottom fishing:
    • Rigs: pulley pennel (4–5 oz leads), long pulley or up-and-over for rays/flatfish; 2–3 hook flappers for whiting and general scratching.
    • Baits: sandeel (fresh/frozen) is king for small-eyed rays; squid/sandeel cocktails, mackerel strips, and bluey. Peeler or soft crab for bass/smoothhound; lug/rag for flatties/whiting.
    • Hooks: 3/0–5/0 for rays/bass on pennels; size 1–2 for whiting/flatfish.
    • Casting: clipped-down or pulley rigs to reach outer bars on medium surf; keep rigs streamlined and bait elastic tight.
  • Lure fishing (calmer, clearer water):
    • Bass: surface walkers and shallow divers at first/last light; 20–40 g metals/soft plastics along gutters and around Polhawn/Portwrinkle rocks.
    • Garfish/mackerel: small metals and floats with strips in summer.
  • Rough-ground/rocky fringes:
    • Heavy mono/fluoro rubbing leaders (60–80 lb) and strong hooks for huss/conger after dark; keep rigs simple (pulley dropper) to reduce snagging.
  • Timing:
    • Dusk into night boosts ray, hound, and whiting catches; bass bite windows around dawn/dusk and on a building surf.
    • Fish the flood to high for rays; first push and last hour of flood are often best.

Tide and sea state make or break Whitsand Bay. Read the bars and gutters at low water and plan sessions around them.

  • Tides:
    • Flood to high water is prime for small-eyed rays (often 2–3 hours up and 1–2 down).
    • Bass favor the first push and the last hour of ebb on a lively surf; neaps can be kinder for presentation, springs help with movement.
  • Sea conditions:
    • Rays prefer settled or moderate surf with clear-to-tinged water; bass switch on in coloured water after a south-westerly blow as it eases.
    • Onshore SW winds raise heavy surf and rips; NE/E winds flatten the sea and improve lure sport but can reduce bass in the surf.
  • Time of day/season:
    • Dusk-through-dark markedly improves ray, hound and whiting; hot, bright afternoons are slower.
    • Summer–early autumn is peak for rays/hounds; late autumn–winter for whiting.
  • Reading the beach:
    • Look for defined gutters and outer sandbars at low tide; set up opposite deeper runs rather than uniform shallows.

This is a committing surf beach under tall cliffs. Steep paths, powerful surf, rips and changing sandbanks demand caution.

  • Steep access: long climbs with uneven steps/paths; unsuitable for those with limited mobility. Descend in good footwear and travel light.
  • Surf and rips: powerful rips form around bar ends—avoid wading beyond knee-thigh depth, especially at night; never turn your back on the sea.
  • Cut-off risk: some coves pinch out at high water against the cliff. Note your escape route and avoid being trapped.
  • Falling/landslips: cliffs are actively eroding; keep clear of the base and avoid sitting under overhangs.
  • Weed and snags: floating kelp can swamp lines in summer; mixed ground at either end can cost gear—use rotten-bottoms where sensible.
  • Night fishing: carry spare lights and a whistle; fish with a partner where possible.
  • Lifejackets: recommended on rocky ledges and if wading in surf; use a stable, well-buried tripod on soft sand.
  • MOD range: when red flags/lamps display at Tregantle, do not access that beach sector; obey wardens and signage.
  • Phone signal is patchy in places; pre-plan tide times and firing schedules before you descend.

Facilities are scattered along the cliff road with limited provision on the beach itself. Plan to be self-sufficient.

  • Parking: multiple cliff-top car parks/lay-bys at Freathy, Tregonhawke, Sharrow/Tregantle and near Portwrinkle; mostly pay-and-display.
  • Toilets: seasonal/public toilets near popular access points such as Tregonhawke and Portwrinkle; none on the sands.
  • Food/drink: beach cafes operate seasonally (e.g., Tregonhawke area) and there’s a well-known restaurant on the cliff road; hours vary.
  • Lifeguards: RNLI lifeguards typically cover selected beaches (e.g., Tregonhawke/Sharrow) in summer—observe swimming flags and avoid casting in guarded swim zones.
  • Tackle/bait: nearest shops are in Torpoint and Plymouth; additional options inland (Liskeard). Limited or no bait sales on the beach.
  • Connectivity: mobile signal can be inconsistent under the cliffs; better on the road tops.
  • Bins: take litter home; facilities are limited and wind scatters waste.

Local knowledge pays at Whitsand. A little scouting at low water and the right bait choice can transform results.

  • For small-eyed rays, sandeel is number one. Fresh launce from local beaches is gold; otherwise quality frozen sandeel tightly whipped to a 3/0–4/0 pennel.
  • Mark gutters at low water with visible landmarks so you can line up after dark on the flood.
  • Bass often patrol the first breaker line—fish a single large crab or squid bait on a long flowing trace, or work surface lures at grey light.
  • Use a rotten-bottom link if you’re near rough patches or the rockier ends; it saves leads and fish.
  • Bury tripod legs deep and angle the rod high to keep line clear of backwash and floating weed.
  • In summer, avoid lifeguarded swim zones and busy bathing times; evening into night is quieter and fishes better.
  • Check MOD Tregantle firing times before you set out; closures can shift and are enforced.
  • Carry spare clipped-down rigs—weed and whiting can chew through delicate snoods quickly on lively nights.
  • After a big blow, give it 24–36 hours for the swell to drop and colour to remain; that’s often the bass sweet spot.

Most of Whitsand Bay lies within the Whitsand and Looe Bay Marine Conservation Zone, but rod-and-line angling is generally allowed. Know current fishery rules before you keep fish.

  • Bass (as of 2024): minimum size 42 cm; recreational bag limit two fish per angler per day from 1 March to 30 November; catch-and-release only in December–February. Always check for updates before your trip.
  • Pollack (2024): recreational catch-and-release only in SW waters under UK measures—no retention. Verify current status for your visit.
  • Tope: it is illegal for recreational anglers to retain tope or any part thereof; release safely.
  • MCZ: no blanket ban on rod angling, but avoid damaging sensitive habitats (e.g., seagrass) and follow any local voluntary codes.
  • Cornwall IFCA byelaws: apply to the area, including minimum sizes and protections for certain species (e.g., berried lobsters/spider crabs must be returned). Consult Cornwall IFCA and the MMO for the latest rules.
  • MOD Tregantle Byelaws: beach access is prohibited during live firing (red flags/lamps); obey signage and directions from range staff.
  • General: observe size/bag limits, only keep what you need, and respect lifeguarded swim zones and private property on access paths.