In a warm South West wind, fish into the wind. It pushes the warmer water and food right to your feet. In a cold North East wind, make sure the wind is on your back to find the settled, slightly warmer water.
Cornwall’s coarse fishing landscape is distinct from the rest of the UK, trading sprawling river systems for deep-water reservoirs and industrial heritage pits. Because the county lacks the slow-flowing lowland rivers found upcountry, the focus is almost entirely on stillwater management and adapting to extreme depths.
The "natural" coarse scene is dominated by massive upland reservoirs like Porth and Upper Tamar. These are windswept, high-capacity waters where the fish—predominantly bream, roach, and perch—are nomadic and rely on finding sheltered bays or following the wind. In 2026, these venues are managed with a focus on "wild" sport, offering a stark contrast to the high-density stocking found in other counties.
Parallel to this are the China Clay pits around the St Austell area. These former mining excavations provide some of the deepest coarse water in the country, with some reaching depths of 30–60ft. This industrial legacy has created a unique "sink-hole" style of fishing where water temperature remains cold year-round and fish often suspend in the middle of the water column rather than feeding on the bottom.