Porthcurno, Cornwall

SPECIES
This is an all year round venue capable of giving mackerel, garfish, scad, bass, small-eyed ray and wrasse in the summer and autumn, with a few cod, but mainly coalfish, whiting and dabs in the winter.

BAITS
The mackerel, scad and garfish can be caught on mackerel strip or by spinning. The bass take lug, rag or crab, but autumnal bass also favour a squid bait. The small-eyed ray prefer sandeel or squid. For the wrasse fish lug for the smaller ones and crab for the biggies.

TACKLE & TACTICS
The beach is flanked by cliffs but has a good depth of water close in at low water as it shelves steeply. The ground out from the beach is a mix of clean sand and weed covered rock, so some tackle losses can be expected.

It fishes best from low water right up the flood and for the first hour back at night for the bass and rays off the beach, though some anglers prefer to walk the rocks either side and fish of these for a greater variety of species.

A 5-6oz beachcaster and a Penn 525 or ABU 7000 sized reel loaded with 20lb line and 60lb shock leader is the best option and helps minimise tackle losses to the snags.

Most angler fish pulley rigs or clipped down one-hook rigs for the bass and rays using size 3/0 hooks. For the whiting and dabs a three-hook flapper rig is best with Aberdeen hooks.

A 2oz spinning rod and reel with 12lb line give great fun in the summer and autumn evenings with the mackerel, scad and garfish using small chrome flashing spinners or feathers.

LOCATION
Follow the A30 out of Penzance heading for Lands End. At Catchall take the B3283 and follow the signs for the Minack Theatre. There is a large car park with a path leading down to the beach.