Summary
Elphinstone Pier sits below Plymouth Hoe on the eastern side of the waterfront, looking out over the sheltered waters of Plymouth Sound. It’s an easy, urban mark with deep water close in, making it a dependable spot for mackerel, garfish, pollack, wrasse and winter whiting. Convenient parking, railings and year‑round access make it popular with both casual and specialist anglers.
Location and Access
Set beneath the Hoe and the old fortifications, the Elphinstone waterfront is reached via the Hoe promenade and Elphinstone car park. The mark covers the small pier/landing and the adjacent rail‑railed sea wall and platforms near the Pier Master’s House.
- Drive to the Hoe and use Elphinstone pay‑and‑display car park (signposted from Hoe Road; typical postcode area PL1). It’s a short walk down steps/ramps to the water.
- Access is straightforward on paved paths; expect a couple of flights of steps to the lower level by the pier/landing stage.
- Fishing positions include: the end and sides of the small pier/landing, the railings along the wall towards Tinside, and raised platforms with ladders to the water.
- Terrain is concrete with railings; depth drops away quickly and there’s kelp‑covered rock and harbour wall structure.
- The waterfront road can be closed or restricted during major events (e.g. British Firework Championships, Armed Forces Day) — plan parking and arrival accordingly.
- Parts of the landing stages may be signed for vessels only; obey any local No Fishing signs and keep clear of active berths.
Seasons
A mixed, year‑round venue with classic summer pelagics and winter mini‑species and whiting. Expect harbour‑wall regulars plus the odd surprise.
- Spring (Mar–May): pollack (school fish), ballan and corkwing wrasse, flounder/plaice oddities, early garfish on warm spells, thick‑lipped mullet mooching the wall.
- Summer (Jun–Aug): mackerel, garfish, scad (horse mackerel, often at dusk), pollack, wrasse, bass on lures, mullet (thick‑ and thin‑lipped), sand smelt, gobies/blennies for LRF.
- Autumn (Sep–Nov): mackerel (tail‑end runs), scad in numbers after dark, pollack, bass on onshore blows, wrasse until the first frosts.
- Winter (Dec–Feb): whiting, pouting, poor cod, rockling, occasional conger after dark; school pollack on small lures; mullet linger in mild spells.
- Occasional: squid on calm, clear autumn nights; small gurnard/plaice inside the Sound; dogfish on baits kicked into the tide run.
Methods
Deep water tight to structure lends itself to floats, metals and LRF, while simple bottom rigs pick up winter fish. Travel light so you can move with the shoals.
- Lures: 20–40 g slim metals and casting jigs for mackerel/scad; small paddle‑tails or dart jigs (5–12 g) for pollack; surface/pencil lures at dawn/dusk for bass in a chop.
- Float fishing: 6–10 ft below a sliding float with mackerel strip, sandeel or prawn for garfish and pollack; ragworm or prawn tight to the wall for wrasse.
- Bottom tactics: 1–2 hook flappers (size 2–4) with ragworm, lug, squid or mackerel strips for whiting/pout/flatfish; a simple running ledger with whole squid/mackerel head for conger after dark.
- LRF/HRF: isome/Gulp worms on size 8–12 hooks or 1–3 g jig heads for gobies, blennies, mini‑wrasse and bonus scad; step up to weedless 7–10 g Texas rigs for wrasse in kelp pockets.
- Rigs and leads: short snoods near the wall reduce tangles; 2–3 oz usually holds unless tide rips; use a weak link/rotten‑bottom if casting beyond the wall into rough ground.
- Hardware: a drop net is highly recommended for safe landing from height; replace multi‑hook sabikis with single hooks when crowded for safety.
Tides and Conditions
Plymouth Breakwater knocks down swell, so Elphinstone often fishes in conditions that would shut other marks; tide flow and light become your main triggers.
- Tide state: the last two hours of flood and first of the ebb are productive, pushing bait along the wall; neaps suit wrasse/LRF, springs help pelagics and bass.
- Time of day: dawn for bass/pollack; late afternoon to two hours after dusk for scad, mackerel (on some tides) and whiting.
- Sea state: calm to slight with clear water favours lures/float and mackerel/gar; a bit of colour after an easterly blow can switch on bass.
- Seasonality: peak pelagic action Jun–Sep; scad best Aug–Oct nights; wrasse April–Oct; winter species arrive with the first frosts.
- Wind: sheltered in prevailing SW; strong easterlies can push chop onto the wall and make it unfishable at high water.
Safety
This is an urban, railed venue, but it’s still a high, vertical wall with ladders, boat wash and slippery weed. Treat it like any harbour wall.
- Stay behind railings; avoid leaning over ladders and never descend to weeded steps in swell.
- Height to water can be significant at low tide — use a drop net, not hand‑lining.
- Beware boat wash from ferries and RIBs; never fish from marked landing stages or obstruct access.
- In summer there may be designated bathing areas near Tinside and swimmer traffic along the waterfront — if lifeguards or signage indicate no fishing, move.
- Footing: algae and fish slime make surfaces slick; wear grippy footwear. Headtorch and PFD recommended for night sessions.
- Accessibility: promenade level is wheelchair‑friendly; some rail‑side spots are accessible, but the lower platforms/pier require steps.
Facilities
Elphinstone is one of the most convenient sea marks in Devon, with city amenities a short walk away and seasonal facilities on the Hoe.
- Toilets: public facilities on the Hoe and at/near Tinside Lido (seasonal opening hours).
- Food and drink: cafés and kiosks along the Hoe; the Pier Master’s House and other eateries nearby.
- Tackle/bait: several tackle shops within a 5–15 minute drive in Plymouth for bait and end‑gear; some sell fresh/frozen baits daily.
- Parking: pay‑and‑display at Elphinstone and along Hoe Road; check event closures.
- Mobile signal: generally strong 4G/5G along the waterfront.
- Lighting: promenade lighting, but bring a headtorch after dark.
Tips
Shoals move quickly; mobility and timing beat camping on one spot. Think small, neat presentations and use the structure to your advantage.
- For scad at dusk, switch to tiny metals or size 6–8 single hooks tipped with slivers of mackerel under a light stick float.
- Drop bread mash along the wall and sight‑fish mullet with small bread flake on size 10–12 hooks.
- Work lures parallel to the wall on the flood for pollack; count them down and keep them moving just off the kelp.
- Wrasse hug the steps and ladders at high water — present prawn or rag tight in and hold on.
- Carry spare traces; the wall and kelp abrade leaders fast. 20–25 lb fluorocarbon helps around structure.
- Summer evenings can be very busy with walkers and swimmers; fish earlier/later, or pick overcast days for more elbow room.
- During major Hoe events, arrive early, park higher up, or pick another Sound mark to avoid closures.
Regulations
Rules here are a mix of national angling regulations and local waterfront restrictions. Always check on‑site signage and Devon & Severn IFCA updates before you fish.
- Pier/landing use: some sections are active landing stages — where signed No Fishing or reserved for vessels, fishing is prohibited. Do not obstruct ladders or emergency access.
- Bathing zones: in summer, lifeguarded bathing areas near Tinside may exclude fishing; comply with any seasonal restrictions and lifeguard directions.
- European seabass (England, 2024): recreational anglers may retain up to 2 bass per person per day from 1 March–30 November; minimum size 42 cm; catch‑and‑release only in December–February.
- Pollack (2024 advisory): due to stock concerns, DEFRA asked recreational anglers to release all pollack in 2024 — consider practicing catch‑and‑release until official guidance changes.
- Bluefin tuna: if encountered, they are strictly catch‑and‑release only and may not be targeted without an authorised permit; not a realistic target from this mark.
- General: observe minimum conservation reference sizes, no retention of berried crabs/lobsters, and local byelaws under Devon & Severn IFCA. Plymouth Sound and Estuaries is a protected area, but shore angling is generally permitted.
- Waste and conduct: take all litter and line home; avoid foul‑hooking shoals with multi‑hook feathers in crowded conditions — single hooks are safer.
If in doubt, consult current DEFRA/MMO notices and Devon & Severn IFCA byelaws before your trip, as rules can change season‑to‑season.
