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By Vic, 8 July, 2009 18:46

Fished the  ‘Paddle Round the Pier‘ competition on the 4th July. This annual charity event is held on the East arm of Brighton Marina and is in aid of the RNLI, Rocking Horse Appeal and Surfaid International. Quite a few turned up and braved the sunshie, heat and crowds to do their bit.

After the book in, draw for walk off places and raffle, we headed off towards the end of the arm where it would be less crowded and should have been cordoned off for the event. I finally settled in bay 45 and started fishing.

Now I’m not really into the match scene and am not used to targetting small fish to build up a score, so I decided to fish as nornal and hope I got enough to get a good result. I stuck to my usual tactics of  one rod with a two hook flapper baited with worm and mackerel strip which I hoped would get me some bream and the second rod with a large bait of mackerel fillet or head in the hope of a bass.

To cut a long story short, I should have done what the match regulars were doing and gone for quantity as my tactics resulted in an astounding catch of zero!

Anyway, it was a decent day out – sunshine, good company and a few quid for charity.

Full report can be read here Results from bottom of page 9 onwards (Opens in new window).

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By Vic,

I have been rather lax over the last week or so and haven’t added any new posts on my fishy adventures, could be because the results haven’t been too good. Anyway, to summarise, here’s how it went:

14.6.09: Fished the East arm of Brighton Marina yesterday from about 5pm through until midnight. Couldn’t catch any fresh mackerel (well one actually but that was a stray). Had to make do with that and some frozen stuff that I got from The tackle Box. No bass runs at all but did get a large spider crab that absolutely destroyed my rig and didn’t even have the good grace to be peeling.

18.6.09: East arm of Brighton Marina. Fished in bay 1 as there was a strong SW wind that made fishing further round a tad wet with water being pushed up the wall.

22.6.09: East arm at the marina again but further round the wall at bay 57. Very little caught apart from Pout. No sign of any bass.

23.6.09: A planned session on the chalk reef just West of Saltdean but had to go to the marina first to catch some mackerel first. There was a n evil Easterly wind that made things quite uncomfortable (I get sort of cranky and cross with these winds). Anyway, managed a few mackerel just as the light faded with the sun setting at about 9.45pm. Drove straight over to Saltdean and was on the reefs by 10.15 and onto the areas I’d previously researched. I surprised that there was no interest at all from the bass and try as I may, just couldn’t tempt a fish out.

25.6.09: Went for a session down on the East arm last night from 8pm through until 3am. Only had a few peeler crabs, so needed to stock up with fresh mackerel which was hard work, the first not coming until about 9.45pm. Only managed three in total which at least gave me nine bass baits.

First fish to came about 10.30 which was a very small smooth Hound pup that took a crab. Then at about 11pm, I was talking to a couple who had arrived, when suddenly I had a tremendous take on a mackerel head that had line stripping off the reel at a rate of knots but stopped just as I got to it, I hoped it would return to finish what it started but it was not to be and the head was untouched after that.

Straight after this, the other rod pulled round and within short time, a small smooth Hound of about 4lbs was safely on the deck. That was the last fish of the night apart from the continual bait robbing Pout that destroyed everything that was put in the water.

There was a switch from the original Easterly breeze to a lull with no wind and then a bit of a South Westerly. The only other thing of note was a fantastic light show as thunderstorms rumbled on the horizon.

Not that productive but a pleasant evening all in all.

28.6.09: Another early start at the marina to gather bait. Got there at about 4am after an awful drive there in some really dense fog. On arrival, I could see that fog was beginning to burn off as the sun rose. The mackerel duly arrived and in short time, I had enough for bait, for lunch and a few to give to my in-laws. It was then home and return to the marina later that afternoon for an evening session.

On returning I eventually managed to get some room at bay 32. It was a case of bream and more bream. They took the baits as soon as they hit the sea bed and nothing else could get a look in. Most were quite small, some were reasonable but none were table sized.

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By Vic, 13 June, 2009 12:34

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.

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By Vic, 5 June, 2009 22:35

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.

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By Vic, 3 June, 2009 18:46

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.