Padstow is primarily known a a shark fishing port and probably was the birthplace of British shark fishing as we know during the early post war period when Group captain Pat Lombard in the "Bounty" and Tommy Morrisey in the "Girl Maureen" realised the potential. They caught blues mainly, but also porbeagles. The second biggest ever porgie at 465lbs was taken here back in 1976 by Jorge Potier.

Over the past decade, the packs of porbeagles have pretty much disappeared from the region, like in so many other areas, probably victims of indiscriminate commercial fishing elsewhere. That said, there are signs in other areas that porbeagle numbers are on the increase again giving the likleyhood that some sharks will filter back here in the near future. There's always the chance that somebody will latch in to another monster.

WHERE TO FISH
Good ground fishing over rocky pinnacles exists over the Quies and Gulland Rock areas, off Trevose, only 5 miles to the south, where there is a mix of rough and clean ground, and off Rumps Point. Tintagel Head is another good area and lays 10 miles to the north.

The famous sharking grounds are over the reefs off the headland at Cambeak. Here the water is shallow. Often sharks are hooked in 30 feet of water only a half mile offshore. These reefs are made up of rising rock pinnacles and shelves that fall vertically down.

SPECIES
April sees the pollack start to filter back in onto the reefs and with them come the shark. Porbeagles first with the April and May period excellent for the bigger fish, though porbeagles are present right through the year with several commercially caught shark being reported on the pre and post Christmas period.

Mackerel start to show from mid April, with the best numbers from late May which is when the blue shark start to appear some 25 miles offshore, but moving closer by the day. The high summer and autumn period sees good ground fishing for pollack, ling, coalfish, conger, gurnards, mackerel, tope, bass, rays and huss.

Dinghies and smaller vessels spend time close inshore over rough ground taking out some large ballan wrasse and bass, as well as pollack to double figures.

By late September a change to winter sees whiting moving in, and during the past decade more and more cod have begun to inhabit the reefs and inshore rough. Small eyed rays feed well during October and November, as do the conger just prior to the first frosts. There used to be some large turbot show here during the autumn, but these and the porbeagle sharks are now in fewer numbers for a variety of reasons. Big female tope can show during October and November as they drop back from more northern waters.

TACKLE
For general ground fishing inshore a 20lb class rod and reel are okay for ledgering, but for sport with the pollack, then go for a lighter uptider and 15lb. Deeper water over the reefs etc, and bigger fish requires stepping up to 30lb class tackle which takes on the conger, rays and tope. The experienced shark angler would also choose this tackle for the blue shark and for light line thrills with porbeagles. Serious porbeagle men would prefer the 50lb class outfit, given the size of shark that the areas has produced in the past.

Choose the uptide rod for fishing sandeel for the bass, but take heed and go for the 30lb class boat rod when fishing for the wrasse. The fish round here are very big, very powerful, and surrounded by snags.

No special rigs are needed here, but do fish with a weak link to the lead weight as snagging is frequent over the best ground.

TIDES
There is a fair run of tide over the tops of the reefs on the biggest spring tides, but drift fishing takes the work out of this. You should carry leads from a few ounces up to 1lbs which will cover you for all eventualities. The best of the ground fishing tends to come on the average sized tides, but sharking is best centred on the bigger tides of the cycle, especially if you have porbeagle in mind, though it depends how far offshore you are. Ling over rough ground seem to feed best here during the neap tides.

BAITS
For general ground fishing you'd be wise to stick with fresh mackerel, though the small eyed ray are just as partial to frozen sandeel offered from a boat as they are from the shore. Blue shark need to be presented with a whole mackerel between 8ozs and a pound. The porbeagle though, wants a pollack, and this should weigh about 2-3lbs ideally. Bass are keen on live sandeel or trolled redgills and the pollack also will hit the 'gills worked on a flying collar rig. The wrasse are big and powerful and will take crab or lug baits lowered into the most inaccessible holes.

Comment...