Rock Marks on the Pembrokeshire Coast
Famous for its bass fishing, the rocky shores of Pembrokeshire also offer outstanding opportunities for sea anglers interested in a wide range of other species. Bream, mullet, wrasse, conger, rockling, mullet, pollack, mackerel, sharks and rays are some of the more popular target species.
These rocky venues can be very dangerous places to fish, and so great care, appropriate footwear, a lifejacket and a knowledge of the tide times and expected heights are essential.
Among the many productive spots for rock fishing are the following:
|
 |
Monkston Point
Almost midway between Saundersfoot and Tenby, Monkston Point is a good rock mark for bass fishing. Like many headland venues, care is necessary because it is easy to get cut off by the rising tide.
All the usual bass baits are effective here, but peeler crabs or fresh sandeels are very hard to beat.
Location map for Monkston Point... |
Mackerel shoal off Monkston Point |
Manorbier
Manorbier, with its imposing castle just to the west of Tenby, is the reputed birthplace of Geraldus Cambrensis - Gerald of Wales (1145/6 to 1223) - one-time archdeacon of Brecon Cathedral and author of 17 books about British and Irish history.
The rocks around the headland provide good float fishing for wrasse, pouting, three-bearded rockling and, of course, garfish and mackerel.
Location map for Manorbier...
Giltar Point
At Giltar Point, on the southern end of Tenby South Beach, you cast into Caldy Sound, which separates Penaly, on the mainland of South Pembrokeshire, from Caldey Island. This mark fishes well for a couple of hours either side of low water, when bass can be caught on float tackle using sandeel or crab baits. The ground is quite rough and so rotten-bottom rigs are advisable. When the tide is ebbing or flowing the current through the Sound can be very strong, especially on spring tides; at such times spinning or lure fishing is more practicable than bottom fishing or float fishing.
Other species commonly caught at this attractive location include pollack, mackerel, garfish, wrasse, rockling and the occasional small conger eel.
Location map for Giltar Point... |
Bass, for which this area is renowned |
St Davids Head
This is a great place for pollack and mackerel on float tackle, and when these fish move in close to shore it's not uncommon to find that sharks have followed them in. It is rough ground for the most part with plenty of kelp, so you must expect to lose some terminal tackle when ledgering.
Conger eels lurk in the depths and they will take squid baits, as will bull huss and pollack. Ballan wrasse and cuckoo wrasse are plentiful close in to shore, and they will readily crab or limpet baits. But whether you want to or not, you can expect to catch lots of dogfish from late summer through autumn.
Location map for St Davids Head... |
St Davids Head is a great venue for pollack |
Strumble Head
Strumble Head is five miles from Fishguard, and a moderate cast takes your bait into very deep water, where some big conger lurk. The seabed is rocky, and so on spring tides you can lose a lot of tackle; then it is best to concentrate your efforts to the period around slack water.
This is very good venue for conger, huss, pollack andwrasse - and even the occasional ling in the early part of the year. For visual inspiration the lighthouse on the headland flashes sixteen times per minute, and in foggy weather your fishing efforts also receive an audio accompaniment of four booming blasts per minute, so at least you will know that you are still alive!
Sandeels or strips of mackerel are very effective baits for bull huss, while big conger will take large chunks of squid or whole mackerel. This is also a good venue for mackerel and garfish, and close in there are usually plenty of wrasse.
Strumble Head is signposted from Goodwick, on the north-west side of Fishguard Harbour.
Location map for Strumble Head...
Ceibwr Bay
The rocks on the southern side of this sheltered cove provide excellent float fishing and spinning over rock gulleys. Mackerel, pollack and wrasse are plentiful there for a few hours either side of high tide, while flounders can be caught on ragworm or lugworm baits if you cast further out onto the sandy bed. Bass move into the bay on spring tides and can be caught on spinning tackle or by float fishing or with peeler crab as bait.
Ceibwr Bay is near Moylegrove, some five miles south of Poppit Sands on the Teifi Estuary. In summer this is a popular area with walkers and birdwatchers and so, although there is plenty of room for a back cast, it is inadvisable to fish from the rocks using flyfishing gear.
Location map for Ceibwr Bay... |
The coast looking north across Ceibwr Bay |
Top of page...