Port Isaac's small, picturesque working harbour is genuinely well suited to crabbing — sheltered water, an easy harbour wall to fish from, and a village-wide familiarity with the activity that means nobody looks twice at a family with a bucket and string.
Port Isaac Harbour itself is the natural spot — the harbour wall gives straightforward access, and the sheltered water here tends to hold crabs well throughout the day, not just at specific tide times.
A strip of bacon on a length of string, lowered to the harbour bed, is genuinely the best bait — crabs are drawn to it reliably, more so than most shop-bought bait alternatives. A simple net on a string, rather than a hooked crabbing line, is the best way to land them once hooked on, since it doesn't rely on the crab staying attached through the lift.
Patience matters more than technique here — lower the bacon and wait rather than jigging it around, since movement tends to put crabs off rather than attract them. Once you feel resistance, lift slowly and steadily with the net ready to scoop underneath for the final stretch out of the water.
Bacon, string, a net, and a bucket — Port Isaac's small gift shops occasionally stock basic crabbing kits if you've arrived without your own gear.
Given how steep Port Isaac's terrain is, it's worth carrying your crabbing kit down in a single trip rather than needing to go back up for forgotten items — plan what you need before you start the walk down.
Mid-tide tends to work best for crabbing here too — enough depth to keep bait submerged without the harbour bed being too far down to reach. Check tide times before you head down, given how steep the walk back up is if you've mistimed it.
Given how compact Port Isaac is, crabbing pairs naturally with a wander around the harbour and up to Castle Rock afterwards — a genuinely full, low-cost morning without needing to travel anywhere else.
See the full Port Isaac guide, filtered by who's with you.
Open the Port Isaac guide →