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By Vic, 3 January, 2011 11:58

After a bit of a break over the Christmas and new year period, it was good to get out again, even if it wasn’t the best session ever. I’d decided on Seaford beach as the first venue of the year, so headed off and arrived at a spot near the Beachcomber at about half and hour after low water. There was no wind and the sea was mill pond calm with a bit of colour and quite a bit of foamy scum stuff on the surface. The plan was to fish the tide up to the 10pm high water to see what was about and get the first fish of the year.

I set up two rods, both with size 2 two hook flappers baited with lugworm tipped with squid. One was cast out at distance and the other mid-range. It wasn’t until 6pm that I had the first knock on the mid-range rod and on retrieval, it turned out to be a double shot of dab and whiting – they weren’t the biggest fish but they were the first of 2011, so was glad to start off the year by not blanking.

This year, I’ve joined in on a species hunt competition being run on one of the fishing forums that I haunt, so was happy to get a kick start on that one. It’s not a serious competition but does give an idea of what is caught in the various parts of the region and is a light hearted bit of rivalry between members, although there is a prize at the end of the year.

At about 6.30pm the mid-range rod trembled and quivered giving an indication of a bite that couldn’t be anything else other than ‘the fish whose name shall not be mentioned’ aka the rockling or ‘slug’. On retrieval, sure enough it was. Now I had to go through the embarrassing procedure of getting a picture for the species hunt. A quick check to make sure nobody was watching, then flash – picture done and fish returned and hopefully before being seen.

After that, it was a few more slugs, another dab and a couple of whiting. It really was quiet and without the frenetic whiting fests that were happening before the break. I think my next trips will probably be during daylight into early evening to target flatties further West along the beach. I might even have a crack down at the marina, as I hear that some herring are still about. This time of year is never really up to much, so it is a matter of scratching around for what you can get.

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By Vic, 14 December, 2010 17:07

I haven’t done many reports recently, mainly due to lack of sessions and those the three I have had, have been pretty dire. Reports of increased whiting activity are not an interesting read and are even less interesting to write about. The weather of late hasn’t really done much to stimulate fishy action and hasn’t stimulated me enough to stride out onto the beach.

However, I have suffered from withdrawal symptoms, so in a moment of madness and against my better judgement, I decided to hit Seaford beach on Sunday night armed with some lugworm and squid to see if anything was alive out there. I wasn’t expecting much to be honest, no wind to speak of and what there was came from the back of the beach and so there was no movement in the crystal clear water. The predicted temperature had been given as 4°C but it felt a lot, lot colder than that and I was glad of the floatie suit to keep me warm.

I arrived at a spot at the deep and between the Martello and Splash Point about an hour before the 9pm or so low water and set up two rods. One used a live bait rig baited with the worm in the hope of hooking a whiting to act as the bait for anything bigger that might be lurking (hoping for a lucky cod). This was cast out at distance and left to do its work. The second rod had a size 1/0 two hook flapper baited with a worm/squid cocktail. Unlike previous trips, where the baits were hit straight away, things started slowly with no bites coming until the start of the flood tide whereupon, the live bait rig was hit with a typical whiting bite. The continuing rattling rod tip assured me that the bait was well hung on the small hook under the main 4/0.

The second rod was hit a few times by whiting but no keepers. It was also hit by the universally disliked rockling which were annoying in their persistence at robbing baits. It kept on like this for most of the night until about two hours before high water, I got a good pull down on the flapper which sprang back and carried on bouncing away. I struck and on the retrieve it felt like a half reasonable fish, not huge but maybe a keeper. Once on the beach I saw the usual whiting on the top hook but was surprised to see a coalfish on the lower hook. It wasn’t big at around the pound mark but is a first for me in Sussex and my first ever from a beach like Seaford – also a new for my 2010 species list. I have heard reports of them being caught at the marina but not the beaches.

I changed the live baits a few times but nothing seemed even remotely interested throughout the session. A few more whiting plus a couple of pout and rockling on the other rod saw me up to high water before the thought of a warmth of home and bed got the better of me and I jacked it in for the night. Until the conditions change and we get a bit of a blow to stir things up a bit, I can’t see me hitting the beach for a while.

Comments (4)

By Vic, 7 November, 2010 18:33

I hit Seaford beach last night only to find that it was cram packed, Not sure if there was a competition on or not but I’ve not seen that many people out for a long time. After much self debating, I finally decided to fish some spare space up at Splash point and found a spot just West of the point itself and where I had no-one to my left which gave some leeway for me to move if I wanted.

I was not that hopeful of a good result considering that the sea was flat calm, I had missed low water and the early flood tide, plus it was a tad noisy with the firework display up behind me somewhere on the greens. There was no hint of a breeze and the sky was overcast but with large clear patches.

One rod was set up with a size 2 two hook flapper baited with lugworm and the other was rigged with a 4/0 pennel on a long link running ledger baited with whole squid. With both rods out, I relaxed with a coffee and watched some of the fireworks – which I have to say were pretty crap. Now, if people are going to bugger up my fishing, I wish they would at least make the effort to entertain me.

Fishing was very slow, with nothing for the first hour or so, not even any whiting jumping on the hooks every five seconds. I have to say though, it made a nice change just be able to relax and enjoy the time, rather than casting and reeling in ‘pins’ on a frantic never ending basis. The first knock of the night resulted in the first bloody rockling of the season; I prayed that it wasn’t going to a rockling only event. I wonder if it was as whiting free on the rest of the beach as it was where I was.

It all went dead until about 9.15, when there was small pull down bite on the worm rod and then nothing – pah!. I left it while I finished my coffee and then saw the rod tip go mental in a series of plucks and pulls. I lifted into what seemed like dead weight and felt like weed with a bit of flapping. It wasn’t until I got it into the shallows that things livened up a bit, with the fish going ballistic that I thought this might a decent fish. Once on the shingle, I could see a thumping sole flapping about and when I lifted it up, it felt like a nice weight. Had to cut the snood, as it had taken the size 2 deeply and once despatched it weighed in at 2lbs 4oz – woohoo a new personal best which beat my previous best by 12oz. The photo really doesn’t do it justice, it was a well conditioned firm thick fish of 40cm on the nose.

That was it as far as the worm rod went, with no other bites at all and still no whiting. It wasn’t until just before the 11pm high water that I had the next fish – an LSD (lesser spotted dogfish) that took the whole squid bait reasonably close in. Once released, I re-baited with another squid and chucked it back out. It wasn’t long before another ‘doggy’ was on the beach and then that was it for the rest of the night.

I stuck it out until about 1am before jacking it in. It was perhaps one of the quietest nights I’ve spent on the beach there but it was a most memorable one. It’s always great walking away with a new personal best.

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By Vic, 1 November, 2010 15:19

After being out of the game for a week or so and then one session in Hampshire, I returned to one of my usual haunts that is Seaford beach last night. Arrived at a section just east of the Beachcomber about 4 hours before before low water. Flat calm, slightly coloured sea with a slight swell, no wind and a clearing sky didn’t bode too well.

Used one rod with a size 2, two hook flapper, baited with lugworm tipped with squid which I chucked as far as possible. Before I could even turn to set up the gear, the rod started bouncing around in that tell-tale whiting fashion. I brought it in to find a whiting double shot. Unhooked and returned, I re-baited and bunged it out again. This time, I had more time and set up the other rod with a 4/0 pennel on a long link running ledger and baited with whole squid. This was cast out just beyond what breaking water there was.

For the next hour or so, it was non-stop whiting on the worm baits – all small though. There was a dead period about an hour before low before it picked up again. I swapped the flapper for a single 2/0 rig with a DVice – again baited with lug and squid.

Just after low, I had a gentle pull down and nodding on the whole squid. I lifted into the fish, there was a brief lethargic struggle and an LSD (lesser spotted dogfish) was soon on the beach. The doggie was released, the hooks filled again and cast back out. In the meantime, yet another whiting was brought in on the other rod.

There was another tug on the squid and a schoolie bass of about 12″ was soon beached. After releasing the critter, I re-baited and stuck it out just a bit further out (still only about 15 -20 yards though). Another pull down and yet another LSD was soon on the shingle.

I had a few more whiting on the worm bait before calling it a night at about 2am. I could have hung on for another couple of hours but to be honest, I saw little point and would prefer to save my back for the bigger tides next week with the prospect of saw decent wind and a change in the conditions.

Comments (6)

By Vic, 25 October, 2010 15:45

For a change of scenery, I had a session down at Eastoke, Hayling Island on Saturday with some lads from Hampshire and Sussex who inhabit another web site. It was a first for me, having never even been to Hayling before, let alone fished it. It was great to be out somewhere different from my usual and predictable marks and I was full of optimism. The object of the meet was a friendly get together and cod competition.

I arrived at the appointed meeting place to find it empty and with that “Oh shit – am I in the right place” feeling. It wasn’t until another guy, ‘Browners’ introduced himself that I realised I was an hour early. Anyway, we waited and about half an hour later, a few more turned up, including Lee ‘Cuckoo’, the organiser. Introductions made, a chat and three quid each chucked in the ‘winner take all’ kitty, the ten or so of us set off up on to the beach.

The weather was supposed to be strong breezes dropping later on with rain also stopping later on. In fact,what we got were no wind, calm sea, clear skies and a bright full moon – comfortable but not ideal for codding.

I set up to the left on a section of beach between the groynes, with ‘Browners’ setting up to the right of me. The rest of the group were spread out along the beach to my left.

I started off with one rod, using a single 3/0 hook fished paternoster style with a cocktail of black lugworm and cuttle fished at distance. The other rod was set up with a long link running ledger, 4/0 pennel which I would later use with whole squid  close in.

First fish for me was an LSD ‘doggy’ (lesser spotted dogfish), while ‘Browners’ had one, followed by a huge pout at 2lb 4oz. While he seemed to doing well with a steady stream of fish, I was struggling to get much action.

Some time later, ‘Browners’ let out a triumphal shout of ‘cod!’ It wasn’t large but it was a codling of just over 2lb and it turned out to be the eventual winner with no others being caught during the night.

Even with both rods out, I had a very quiet night with nothing really showing much interest apart from LSD’s. I had a few missed bites which again I suspect were LSD’s

We stuck it out until 4am before packing up and re-grouping at the car park. My tally for the night was five LSD’s – not brilliant but at least I didn’t go all the way for a blank. After a chin wag and the handing over of the cash prize to Browners (well done by the way), we went on our separate ways.

A big thanks go to Lee, a top bloke for organising the event. Pity more didn’t turn up but perhaps more for the next time. His report can be found here. 2010 Cod Meet Eastoke.

I have vowed to make more of an effort to resist the temptation of fishing locally and travel a bit further afield and enjoy something a bit different.