- Vic Fisher's sea angling journal - http://www.vicfisher.co.uk -

Insomniac At Seaford

On Monday, I decided it was time to get out on the beach and have an evening ‘blow away the cobwebs’ session. I knew the tides were short but was going to go anyway.

I stopped in at ‘Tools and Tackle’ in Newhaven and picked up a box of frozen squid. I was only going to be bassing, so need of any worm baits.

Later in the day, I decided against going, as I really needed to try and get some sleep. For a while now, I’ve had no problem getting to sleep, it’s just I can’t stay asleep. Anyway, I unpacked all my stuff, checked it was all ok before re-packing my bag ready for next time.

After a relaxing evening, I headed for bed and as usual and dropped off quick as that. Midnight – awake – bollox! Wide awake, I grabbed my bag and the now soggy box of squid in the sink that I’d forgotten to put away in the freezer.

Half midnight, I was on Seaford beach opposite West View. One rod, simple running ledger, single 6/0 baited up with whole squid and lobbed it out just beyond the waves.

Conditions weren’t too bad – on shore breeze and a small but decent surf and about two hours before low water. I had a hit almost straight away that had the rod bouncing like a good ‘un. Turned out to be a schoolie of around a pound. Fish returned, hook re-baited and chucked out about the same distance, The long wait began… and went on… and on…

It wasn’t until just after low water that I had the next hit, which was a lovely pull down – again another schoolie that could have been the twin of the one before it.

As the tide rose, the breeze dropped until there was nothing – and along with it went the ‘surf’. The sea went calm and apart from one rattle which could have been a pout worrying the squid, there was no other activity.

I stayed a while longer and was entertained by two of the local beach foxes squabbling over whatever scraps they were finding. They then split up, with one trotting its way further along the beach, while one remained and sat not too far away from me, obviously interested in the smells from my bait bucket.

I left the beach as the sun crept up and made my way home, hoping that the fresh air would have done its bit and I would get a decent kip.