angling-school

Penberth Cove - rock fishing.

Sue catching mackerel aboard Sula
in Milford Haven.

Waiting for the tide and flounders in the Helford Estuary.

The Variety of Sea Angling

Cornwall has more coastline than any other county in Britain. It is said that wherever you are in Cornwall, you are never more than 17 miles from the sea. With two coastlines, it does not matter from which direction the wind is blowing, one coast is usually fishable and not far away.

There are tremendous surf beaches, up to three miles long, which present a contrast between the gold of the sand and the shades of blue as the sea reflects the changing light patterns of the sky.

The steeply shelving storm beaches allow the angler to reach deeper water with minimum effort, providing they are aware of the dangerous undertows as the sea reclaims the white water that just a few moments before it cast up the sand or shingle.

Cornwall has some magnificent estuaries, Hayle, Camel and Fowey. Carrick Roads at Falmouth and the Tamar at Plymouth offer very deep water at the mouths, but as you proceed up river, you discover a myriad of small, branching creeks, bare mud at low tide offering feeding grounds for a multitude of birds, from oyster catchers to curlews. As the tide floods, the bird life changes and herons and little egrets search the shallows for incoming fish.

There are many exposed rocky headlands jutting out into the sea, with the cliffs descending almost vertically to give deep water almost beneath your feet. These marks provide good fishing, but need great care to access them and a careful watch on the tide and waves. Each year the sea takes its toll of careless walkers and anglers.

Interspersed in this coastline are small pictur­esque harbours, the old focal point of small and often isolated communities. The strong granite walls of the small harbours provide welcome shelter to boats during ferocious winter storms and a focal point for the small communities as well as a stable platform for fishing from. Although many of these are only fishable around high water, they can present easier access to fish. But be aware of any working boats and other visitors to the harbour.

For those wishing to explore the offshore waters such as the Manacles, Eddystone Reef, the Runnelstone, deep water wrecks and shark fishing, there are charter boats operating from many harbours.


At Angling- School we can show you how to fish:

v piers and harbours for a wide range of fish;

v estuaries like the Fal and Helford with
       branching creeks, for  mullet, bream and
       flounder;

v steeply shelving beaches allowing anglers to 
       reach deep water for ray, plaice and garfish;

v exposed rocky headlands jutting out into the
       sea for mackerel, pollack and wrasse;

v offshore on charter boats for conger, ling and
       tope.