Hundale Point

Hundale Point is a rugged, open North Yorkshire rock mark north of Scarborough, valued for its rough-ground fishing and its ability to produce codling in the colder months. It is a proper sea-angling venue rather than an easy promenade mark: rewarding in the right sea, but demanding of sensible tackle, tides and footwear.

• The point and adjoining scars offer kelp, boulders, gullies and broken ground rather than clean, sandy casting.
• It is best regarded as a mobile rough-ground venue, with different ledges and gullies fishing differently according to tide height and sea state.
• Autumn and winter are the traditional times to target cod and codling; calmer summer spells broaden the range of species available.
• Fresh or coloured water can improve the prospects for cod, although it also makes the ground harder and the access more hazardous.

Hundale Point lies on the coast in the Scarborough–Cloughton area of North Yorkshire, reached from the clifftop side rather than by a simple harbour or beach approach. Exact access arrangements can change, so treat the final approach as potentially sensitive private or farm land and use only clearly permitted routes.

• Expect a walk from nearby roadside or public parking, followed by uneven paths and a descent towards the shore.
• Do not block field entrances, passing places, gates or farm tracks; this is particularly important on the narrow roads around the coastal villages.
• Stay on signed public rights of way where applicable, close gates as found, and do not cut across crops or climb fences to shorten the route.
• The shore is generally less convenient at high water, when some routes and lower platforms may be cut off or awash.
• A first visit is best made in daylight and on a modest sea, so that the access, escape line and fishable ledges can be assessed without pressure.

The main attraction is rough-ground cod fishing, but Hundale Point can provide a useful mixed catch when conditions suit. Species vary sharply with season, water clarity and the amount of swell.

• Cod and codling are the principal autumn and winter targets, especially after a manageable northerly or north-easterly sea has coloured the water.
• Coalfish and occasional larger pollack can show around deeper kelpy water and the edges of gulls.
• Mackerel are possible in settled summer weather where there is sufficient depth and clear water.
• Ballan wrasse and smaller pollack are realistic summer quarry close to the rocks; handle wrasse carefully and return them promptly.
• Bass may occur in warmer months, particularly where moving water meets broken ground, though they should not be relied upon.
• Flatfish, especially dab or flounder, are more likely only where a cast can reach a cleaner patch among the rough ground.

A strong, simple rough-ground setup is the sensible starting point at Hundale Point. Tackle needs to land a fish promptly and survive kelp and rock, rather than merely achieve maximum distance.

• For cod, use a beachcaster or heavy rock rod with a robust multiplier or fixed-spool reel, suitably strong main line and a shockleader where required.
• A pulley rig, pennel pulley or similarly durable clipped rig helps lift fish above the snags; use a weak link below the lead if it is safe and appropriate to do so.
• Breakaway-style grip leads are useful when tide or swell is moving the tackle, but no lead will hold securely in every kelpy gully.
• Fresh crab is a prime rough-water bait; lugworm, mussel, squid, razorfish and mixed cocktail baits can also account for fish. Match bait size to the species and conditions.
• Cast into identifiable channels, darker water or the edge of kelp rather than blindly aiming for the roughest visible ground. A shorter, accurate cast is often more productive and easier to retrieve.
• In calm, clear conditions, spinning with metals, plugs or soft plastics can take mackerel and pollack, while a light float-fished bait can find wrasse around the near rocks.
• Carry spare rigs, leads and terminal tackle. Losing gear is part of rough-ground fishing, but careful placement and steady retrieval reduce unnecessary tackle loss.

The mark is most dependable when the state of sea matches the intended species. It can look inviting in calm weather yet fish poorly for cod, while a sea that improves fishing may make the rocks unsafe.

• For cod and codling, look for coloured water and a fishable swell rather than a huge, dangerous sea. A recently settled sea can be especially worthwhile.
• The flooding tide and the period around high water are commonly productive, but the best usable platform depends on the individual ledge and the size of the sea.
• Low water can reveal the structure and cleaner channels, making it useful for reconnaissance; it can also leave long, awkward casts over rough ground.
• Clear, settled water favours summer mackerel, pollack and wrasse tactics.
• Avoid fishing in heavy surf, strong onshore wind, sea fog or conditions in which spray is reaching your intended stance. North Sea swells can build or arrive more strongly than they appear from the clifftop.
• Check the local tide forecast, swell forecast, wind direction and daylight before leaving home, and reassess the sea continuously once on the shore.

Hundale Point is not an accessible or forgiving mark. The combination of cliffs, uneven rock, slippery weed, rising water and exposed North Sea weather means it is unsuitable for anglers with limited mobility and should not be treated as a casual family venue.

• Wear studded rock boots or other footwear with dependable grip, plus warm waterproof clothing; algae-covered rock is slippery even in apparently calm weather.
• A buoyancy aid is strongly advisable when fishing exposed shore rocks, and a headtorch, fully charged phone, whistle and compact first-aid kit are sensible essentials.
• Never fish alone if conditions are lively, and tell somebody exactly where you are going and when you expect to return.
• Identify a safe retreat route before setting up. Do not allow a rising tide, increasing swell or darkness to remove the route behind you.
• Keep well back from cliff edges and avoid standing beneath unstable cliffs, especially after heavy rain or frost. Rockfall is a genuine coastal hazard.
• Do not attempt to cross wet gullies, surge channels or weed-covered shelves to reach a supposedly better ledge. No fish is worth being cut off or swept in.
• Mobile signal can be variable on this stretch of coast; do not assume a phone will provide an immediate rescue solution.

There are no dependable facilities on the point itself, so anglers should arrive self-sufficient and leave the shore exactly as they found it. The nearest services are in the surrounding villages and Scarborough rather than at the fishing ledges.

• Bring drinking water, food, a spare layer, a means of lighting, and enough tackle to deal with snaggy ground.
• Public toilets, shops and fuel should be sorted before heading to the coast; do not assume that seasonal facilities will be open.
• Parking availability and restrictions can vary locally, particularly in busy holiday periods. Use legitimate spaces only and observe all posted conditions.
• Take all litter, discarded line, bait packaging and damaged tackle home. Line left on the rocks is a serious danger to seabirds and other wildlife.
• If retaining fish, bring a suitable cool bag; otherwise carry a disgorger, pliers and landing equipment appropriate to the fish expected.

This mark rewards observation more than brute-force casting. Spend time watching the water and learning where the kelp ends, where the tide runs and which ledges remain safe through the session.

• Arrive early enough to inspect the shore in daylight, ideally around low water on a calm day before planning a serious session there.
• Keep your tackle compact and above the wash line; a tackle box, bucket or rod rest left too close to the edge can quickly be lost to a larger set of waves.
• Fish with the rod secure and close at hand. A cod bite in rough water may be a heavy, steady pull rather than a dramatic rattle.
• If a cast lands in solid kelp, do not repeatedly wrench at it. A controlled change of angle, a slack-line pause or moving along the ledge can sometimes free the rig.
• Fish within your casting and landing ability. A modest fish on a safely reachable ledge is preferable to a long cast that leaves no practical way to land the catch.
• Be considerate of walkers, local residents and other anglers. The coastal path and nearby access routes are shared spaces.

Fishing is not known to be universally prohibited at Hundale Point, but access and shore use must be checked on the day because local landownership, safety works, nesting-season measures or temporary restrictions can affect the approach. There may also be national or regional fisheries rules applying to particular species.

• Obey all official signs, gates, seasonal notices and instructions from landowners or authorised staff. If a route is signed as private or no access, do not use it.
• Check current official guidance for any applicable minimum sizes, catch limits, protected species rules and bass restrictions before taking fish; these rules can change.
• Return undersized, protected or unwanted fish with care, and avoid retaining more fish than you can use.
• Do not collect bait, shellfish or other marine life where notices prohibit it, and check any local restrictions before digging or gathering bait.
• If you intend to use a particular parking area or cross land to reach the shore, verify the permitted access with current signage or the relevant landowner/source rather than relying on old angling reports.