Vic Fisher's sea angling journal

I was up early yesterday morning in order to be at Brighton Marina for first light so I could stock up on some fresh Mackerel for the evening’s planned assault on the Bass there. I was out on the East arm ready to start by 4.30am and like clockwork, the Mackerel appeared soon afterwards. Although there were no huge shoals, they were about in sufficient numbers that before too long, I had enough for bait plus a few for our lunch and some for Anna’s parents. Job done, I headed off home and prepared all my stuff for the evening.

I was back down at the marina for about 6pm and wandered out on to the East arm to find a decent spot. After two moves due to excessive (for me) noise and activity, I eventually started fishing seriously at bay 32, about an hour before low tide which was at 9pm. I fished two rods, both using a running ledger set up with 4/0 hooks baited with Mackerel head. Bass have become accustomed to feeding on the heads that are thrown back over the wall into the sea by people cleaning their catches  of Mackerel and so have become a top bait for the venue.

Two hours after low tide, I was busying myself re-baiting one of the rods when the reel on the other rod started to click a few times and then screamed as a Bass ran with the bait before stopping. I picked up the rod and lifted gently and watched as it arched over as the fish went off again, I struck and all hell broke loose. The fish ran right and then out before taking a left turn and running in the direction of  Beachy Head. After a short while, the fish was under control and ready for the net; this is always difficult at this venue as you are some distance up from the surface and there is no clear view from above as to what the net and fish are doing. Luckily, there was a couple of guys fishing just along from me (transpires both are WSF members, dannyc and mr codling), so I called out and both came over to assist to land it. Both of them did a sterling job, especially danny who clambered over the guard rails to net it. It weighed in at 9lbs on the dot; a lovely fish by any means but I was hoping (perhaps optimistically) that it might have nudged past my personal best of 9lbs 13oz. I will have that double figure fish by the end of this year!

I later missed another run which did appear less spirited and also landed another Bass, although a schooly of around the pound and a bit mark that took a very small joey head. Looks like the spider peelers are in too. I landed a small one that was divided up and used for a few casts as I thought there might be a Smooth Hound or two around. Each time I retrieved it, the crab was surprisingly untouched.

Quick report from East arm, Brighton Marina:

Fished bay 16 from 0800 – 1600. Sea was clear and the Mayrot seems to have gone now leaving the water its usual colour (hoo bloody ray). Weather wise, there was a gusting South Easterly breeze, cloudy overcast sky. Baits used were Ragworm, Lugworm and Mackerel (caught at the venue).

Tally for the day was one Dab, one Bream (on ledgered worm baits) and four Mackerel. Disappointing on the Mackerel front and the fishing for them was patchy with no great concentrations. I did have one rod out using Mackerel (fillets and heads) but no interest shown.

Just a quickie from last night at Brighton Marina. Despite the May rot, I felt that another dabble at the marina was due. Went to the East arm with some peeler crab and some ragworm. Fished in bay 32 from about 7pm through until 2am. A lovely evening to be out, absolutely no wind and stayed warm throughout.

Final tally for the night was one Smooth Hound pup, one palm sized Thornback Ray (taken on ledgered peeler crab) one 30cm Bass (taken on ragworm)  and the usual hoards of Pout (crab and worm).

Did notice a few Mackerel present but were in tiny shoals of just a few fish working the wall on the ebbing tide.

Many congratulations to Steve Cullen who has landed a huge, record breaking Smooth Hound of 28lbs 10oz from Sandy Point, Hayling Island, Hampshire. Full story here. This certainly breaks the current record, although it’s possible Steve won’t get to claim the record as he released the magnificent fish after weighing and photographing; the rules say, the fish should have been killed and submitted for examination.

Even if he is unable to claim this record, he will know he has beaten the existing one as will the rest of the sea angling community in the UK who regularly keep abreast of what’s happening. Steve is a contributing member of World Sea Fishing forums.

Well done mate on a fine achievement!

…… No it’s not the name of a local good time girl, mayrot (or mayweed) is the annual algae bloom that plagues the coast at this time every year. Unfortunately, these persistent East winds haven’t helped these keep the sea flat and the bloom doesn’t get broken up and dispersed. Local guide and guru, Fishyrob summed it up quite well with “It’s laying in the pools like decaying cotton buds that have been very heavily used”, when he described his encounter with the brown goo in the pools on the chalk reefs in our area.

Anyway, the consequence of this stuff, is that it puts the fishing right off and the fish seem to stay offshore. Hopefully we’ll get some Southerlies or South Westerlies soon to break the stuff and we can then get back to fishing.

Talking of fishing, I headed off to the East arm at Brighton Marina yesterday for an afternoon and evening session. Although I knew the mayrot was there, I thought I’d chance it anyway and see what was about. I arrived at around 4pm with the aim of fishing the 6pm high water down – not ideal times at least I was out. It was pretty busy there with the usual part time chuckers in amongst more dedicated souls. Got myself settled in bay 12 and sent a crab baited ledger into the briny. While that was cooking, I had a few chucks with some feathers to try and entice some Mackerel out. This proved hard work and in all the chucks I had, I only managed one to put in the bucket. I swapped the feathers for a lugworm baited two hook flapper and sent that out too.

For some reason, I was not happy with pitch, so when the folks along from me packed up, I jumped into their place in bay 14. After casting out the flapper, I was immediately rewarded with a nice little Bream which was lucky to be small enough not to warrant being taken for the pot. As the tide dropped, I resigned myself to the fact that no records were going tgo be broken that day and just settled back and enjoyed the sunshine; could have done without that bloody East wind though – so annoying.

By the time came to pack up (about midnight), I’d only added Pout to the tally. Looks like this weather is set for at least this week, I’m just praying that the wind will swing around at some point soon to stir things up a bit.

After yesterday afternoons dismal failure at trying to get some fresh Mackerel at Seaford beach, I decided to return during the evening and have a go at trying to get something for the table. Only trouble was, the forecast gave Force 4 gusting Easterly winds and low water was at 10pm which would mean fishing into the early hours to make high water . Not ideal conditions but I did have some peeler crab that needed using up along with some lugworm that was getting a bit high. I had toyed with the idea of maybe going somewhere different but in the end, convenience won, which means my heart wasn’t really in it. Sometimes I’m so eager to get out and get stuck in, sometimes I’m a bit indifferent – last night was the latter.

8pm saw me set up on the beach near the Beachcomber pub in not too unpleasant conditions, with just a slight breeze and not the predicted F4. Usual tactics – one rod with two a hook flapper and baited with the fragrant lugworm. The other rod had a running ledger ending in a 3/0 baited with the peeler crab. Once both rods were out, I sat and had a coffee and watched as the sun began to set. Considering the weather, there wasn’t that many people on the beach, although there was obviously some sort of ‘bash’ going on up near the Martello as the thudding music drifted down towards me.

It wasn’t long before the flapper was doing it’s business and the rod tip was rattling to the in the familiar bite of the often too numerous Pout. Soon, the routine became cast, rattle, retrieve, unhook Pout, re-cast, rattle and so on; the only break in the procession being the retrieval of one small Dab. At least it was something to do. Then the other rod joined in, only this time with a small knock which resulted in a palm sized Thornback Ray. It wasn’t long though, before the crab succumbed to the Pout as well.

As darkness fell, the bites increased, the crab ran out and I started using whole small squid on a 4/0 pennel rig cast out only a short distance. I hoped that this would entice any Bass that may be lurking just off the beach scooping up prey as the tide rose. Alas, it appeared that nobody had told the spikey one that there was free food on offer and the only action on that rod for the rest of night was the rattling as tiny Pout mouths did their best to scoff the offering.

By 4am, I’d had enough, my back was screaming, the fish weren’t feeding, my coffee had gone, the sun was coming up and bed beckoned.

For his birthday, our son Alex, was given a new rod and reel, paid for by my mother and obtained by me from The Tackle Box at Brighton Marina. As his birthday was in February, when fishing is generally pants, we waited until now to give to him so that there was a fair chance he would catch something on his first outing with it. So yesterday was the day, we thought that Mackerel would be the obvious species to target and Seaford beach is a safe and accessible venue and there have been reports of Mackerel there.

After parking near Claremont Road, we eventually found some beach space down towards the Buckle and settled ourselves there. We hit our first snag, he was torn between learning how to set up and pebble shifting and conquering the steep shingle bank. We managed it without any mishaps and after setting up the kit and attaching a small Dexter, we set about the dark art of casting. Now my style of casting resembles a cross between a Morris dancer and a drunk hammer thrower, so perhaps I am not the best one to try and teach him. Anyway, he soon got to grips with the priciple of it and before long he was managing to get it in the water (as well as his feet) and retrieving. Pity the water quality was crap, with it being brown stained (snort) with May rot (an algae bloom present at this time of year). Unless the water cleared or the fish had x-ray specs, it was going to be hard going.

As predicted, we left with nothing but a great afternoon out. Alex is quite philosophical about it and it doesn’t seem to have dampened his enthusiasm and is now asking when the next fishing day is.