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By Vic, 20 July, 2007 16:13

Yesterday, I looked at the weather forecast and it didn’t look good for the evening tide (early hours of today actually). Storms were predicted with heavy, thundery showers. I was determined that I would fish and this instinct overtook the logic part of my brain, which suggested an evening in front of the telly.

Armed with a bucket of prawns, some lugworm and mackerel, I headed off to Brighton Marina (creature of habit, me). I arrived at around 6.30pm with the tide dropping away and about half way through the ebb. I settled myself in bay18 and looked at the horizon, from where the storms were supposed to be coming. Didn’t look too bad, heavy, grey and low cloud looked dramatic in the evening sun.

I cast out one rod using one hook ledger baited with lugworm and then set about float fishing with the prawn. I had a few takes on the prawn which I suspected were small wrasse but failed to land any. I did have one small bass but nothing spectacular. My meagre eyesight and falling light stopped play.

I had one small bream on the lugworm but nothing else.

Couple of blokes fishing up from me in the 20’s had a smooth Hound (Smut or Smoothie) using frozen Hermit crab. Looked to be in the 4lb range.

They kindly gave me the last of their Hermit crab before they left, for which I am grateful (for the crab – not for leaving). By now it was raining heavily and I was beginning to get a bit damp – even through a so called ‘water proof’ jacket.

The donated crab bagged the first smooth Hound within seconds of being cast about 20 yards out. It was only a pup weighing around a couple of pounds or so but it was a Smut. This was later followed up by another four of roughly around the same weight, although the largest was probably nearer four pounds.

I was amazed at the light show provided by the lightning, which seemed to be going no-stop. At times, it just seemed to be all around, which was a bit unnerving considering the carbon rods I was using.

Once the crab had gone so did the bites and my enthusiasm, as more rain began to fall and top up my already soaked clothes. I trudged back to the car, emptied my shoes and headed for home.

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By Vic, 16 July, 2007 12:15

After many reports of smooth Hounds being caught along the South coast, it was a toss up as top whether I went to Goring beaches or fished at Brighton Marina. High water was due to be at around 1130 pm. and the weather looked promising.

I popped in to ‘The tackle box’ at Brighton Marina to pick up some fresh bait and some odds ‘n ends. Dave, who owns the place reported that plenty of ‘Smoothies’ were being caught on the East arm. Hmmm. I was still undecided.

In the end, convenience won. That evening, armed with plenty of peeler crab, I headed off to the East arm. Looked like quite a few people also had ideas about fishing that evening. Found my self a spot at bay 17 and started to set up.

First rod set up with simple running ledger ending in a single 1/0 baited with peeler crab and cast about 80 yards or so out. Clutch was slackened off and rod placed in tripod.

Second rod also set up with simple ledger ending in single 2/0 baited with mackerel chunk and lobbed just a few yards out from the base.

Hours passed with not a sniff from a Smoothie, in fact no sniff from anything on the crab bait. From what I could see, no one else was having any either – it looked like the Smoothies had gone.

My baited drop net produced some small Prawns which were lobbed out on the second rod as livebait. Nothing there either except one savage take which produced a large Common eel which was immediately returned.

By around 1am, I decided that enough was enough and that it was unlikely that anything else was going to be caught. So, disappointingly, I packed up my gear and headed home.