Hadn’t been out for an evening session for a while so thought it was about time to cure that. First attempt was trying to fish at Seaford but the brisk SW made it a bit uncomfortable as it was straight into the face. Couldn’t decide where else to try but finally decided on Tidemills as it’s at least a little sheltered from SW.
Set up at about 9pm with high water predicted at 2am. Decided to fish with only one rod and used lugworm and Peeler Crab on a running ledger in conjunction with one of Fishyrob’s ingenious ‘Dvices’. This an excellent bit of kit that let me punch out a fragile peeler bait into a brisk headwind and without having to rely on bait elastic to keep it intact.
There was a heavy surf running with largish breakers in the shallow water at the bottom of the tide. Bite detection was all but impossible. I did have a few knocks but nothing connected.
At around 1130pm, the wind just dropped completely and as the water deepened, the large breakers subsided and left just a decent fishable surf.
First fish came at midnight, when after a stonking bite, a bass of around 2lb came to the beach. This was followed by another two, slightly smaller in size.
The next bite was a cracker, yanking the rod down hard, there was a spirited tussle followed by the sight of a squirming eel being thrown up by the surf. Bloody thing contorted and wrapped up the trace until it was just a ball of snot. Having cut the creature loose, I set up another trace, re-baited and cast again.
Another bloody eel followed, which did exactly the same thing. Same routine, re-cast and waited.
A few more bites and another three bass landed and returned.
The last fish to be landed before all went quiet at 2.30am was a rockling. This was my cue to pack up and face the walk back to the car.
I have to say that it is strangely eerie walking through that deserted village at that time in the morning. All manner of strange noises from the unseen scurrying wild life. Mind you not as unnerving as the sound of an unseen cow coughing at close range.
Yesterday, I decided to try a bit of spinning down at Tidemills beach . Got there at about 3.30pm as the tide was rising. Fished straight ahead from where the access path comes out. Nice beach weather, no wind, dead flat and clear.
First few casts with a Toby resulted in a few takes but nothing connected. Then as I was retrieving, the lure was just coming up to the waters edge when it was savagely taken by a Gar in just a few inches of water. The fish was landed and returned and I carried on casting away. Again a few takes but just could not connect.
I swapped the Toby for a Dexter wedge but the same thing was happening, just not being able to hook anything on the take.
I swapped the Dexter for a single medium sized Hokkai. The second cast produced a really savage take that almost had the carp rod out of my hand, as it arched over and line started streaming off the reel. As I leant into it, there was an almighty surge and then…… slack. Swearing loudly, I retrieved the Hokkai and recast several times but nothing else came.
High water arrived and went with no other fish being landed. Still thinking of ‘the one that got away’ I packed up and set off home.
Next trip, I’ll be armed with another selection of lures but will also try fish strip on a float.
Decided on the spur of the moment to have a spinning session on the Ouse at Newhaven today.
Got there at about 1130, before high water. Fished on the Western bank of the river above Denton Island. Tried a few spots and varied type of lure (Dexter wedge, Toby, Mepps), speed and depth but had no takes at all.
From what I could see, there no signs of fish movement or activity. I’ll be keeping a close eye on the area and will be having a serious go later in the year.
After a couple of fruitless hours, I packed in and left it to the numerous small boats that were ‘messing about on the river’.
I should have known better and stayed at home. Having decided on an evening session at Seaford beach, all the signs for decent fishing were absent. Slight breeze from the NE, small tide, clear sky, flat calm and clear sea with no movement. However, always the optimist, I set up opposite Edinburgh Road at about 6.30pm. I had earlier obtained some quality large and lively King ragworm and Peeler crab from the tackle box at Brighton Marina.
One set up consisted of running ledger baited with Peeler on size 1/0 hook. The other was 2 hook flapper baited with worm on size 1 hooks.
In the next two hours, the only thing that happened was a bloke brought his kids, plus a dog and decided to let them go swimming about 20 yards away. This bloody beach is miles long, so why decide to have their enjoyment near me? Did I look like I wanted company?
High water came and went without a single bite. And that’s pretty much how it stayed. Until I left at about 12.30am.
I did however, manage to get the old and temperamental digital camera out and working to get a couple of pics of the sunset. Not brilliant, but reasonable for that camera.
Just have to sit and wait now for a change in the weather, a decent SW blow to stir things up a bit and kick start the summer season.
Fished East arm at Brighton Marina on the night of 3/4/07 in the hope of picking up something decent (yeah right).
Got there at about 7.30pm to a brisk NE breeze/wind. Set up at bay 20 and it looked like I was the only one out on the whole of the arm – at least it was peaceful.
Decided to only fish one rod as the bait situation was not good. Packs of ‘King’ ragworm that were more like pauper rag, only marginally bigger than maddies (Harbour ragworm) and a pack of frozen slipper limpet. I had no whole calamari that I would normally use to target bass.
Anyway, made the best of it and fished on. The breeze/wind got stronger but was weird to see the sea totally flat calm with no movement. Bite detection was a problem but I persevered. A couple of small pin whiting broke the fishless situation – I had begun to wonder if there was anything there.
The wind continued to gather pace and it began to get a bit uncomfortable but I carried on anyway in the hope of at least one decent fish. It was not to be – by midnight I’d had enough of whiting – all pins – no sign of the bigger ones that had been there over Winter.
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