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By Vic, 18 August, 2011 19:15

I was going to leave off fishing for a while to give the old back a rest but with the wind having swung around more Northerly and a flat calm sea, I couldn’t resist going out again last night for a spot of live-baiting at Seaford beach. I got there during the last of the daylight at just on low water and got everything set up.

The sea was flat calm, gin clear and no evidence of sea salad and noodles, so all in all looking too bad; no good really for static big baits but good for live-baiting. The wind was a just a gusty breeze from the North West which rippled the surface and whipped the cloud cover above along ata fair rate.

The plan was to have the bass rod ready and cast out with a gripper settled in and all ready to have the live-bait sent down on a slider. So with that done, I decided to hoof a worm bait out on a size 4, two hook flapper to see if anything was about yet. This could have ended in an embarrassingly inept disaster. As the lead was flying out, I saw that the line level on the ABU 6500 Sport Mag was getting dangerously low, so I slammed my thumb on the spool – just in time, there were only a few turns of line left! I’d forgotten that I’d recently begun stripping the reel but had stopped part way through. Now I don’t know why but for some strange reason, only known to those who inhabit my brain, I had tied a new shock leader on as normal. To think that the first cast and I could have spooled myself. It proves a point though – I can be a real tosser sometimes.

Anyway, with some line now back on the reel, the worm bait out all and the rest of the gear ready, I sat and had a coffee and generally chilled out. I managed to get a couple of pictures of the sunset over Newhaven which will join all the other ‘Sunset over Newhaven’ pictures I’ve taken. One of the drawbacks of being in Seaford, is that the only sunsets you get are in that direction; result? – they all look the same, apart from variation in the colours.

I digress – back on topic, once darkness fell, the pout came out to play and it wasn’t long before I had a few in the bucket. The first of the pout was promptly sent on its way on a slider and hopefully to tempt a bass.

Now, I hoped that some decent sole would hit the worm before any more pout and whiting got it. A bite! Leave it, let it develop, we know that sole need some time to get that worm down in that small mouth…wait, hands in pocket… something’s there (on the bait – not in my pocket)… just a bit longer…. pull down… lift rod – yup there’s summat there. Bring it in and instead of the anticipated flapping, muscular sole.. what do I have? A ball of slimy snot, a mangled trace and a bloody eel that’s what I’ve got. Hooray, I just love untangling stuff like this, it’s so satisfying – oh sod it, cut the line, cut the eel free and put on a new rig – it’s so much easier.

The next bit action had no fish involvement whatsoever, unless any of the people involved were called ‘Mr Fish’. It was about half midnight when I was aware of a loud crackling noise a couple of hundred yards to the East of me along Marina Parade. I looked over and could see something was well alight near to one of the shelters, I wasn’t too sure whether it was a car, rubbish fire or the shelter itself. I could also see two hooded oiks hanging around it. I phoned for the fire brigade and gave the information to the operator who said they would be along shortly. Meanwhile, the two oiks were dragging something from nearby – couldn’t see what it was and were taking it towards the fire. I then phoned for the police who arrived some time later.

Fire brigade turned up and extinguished whatever it was, while the two oiks watched for a while before skulking off into the garden area next to Hardwicke house. I updated the police who arrived, had a look around and buggered off, the brigade then went, so it was back to me just sitting on the beach not catching fish.

It wasn’t too long before I decided that enough was enough and it wasn’t going to be a fishy night. I’d given it until the hour or so after high water and there hadn’t been so much as a twitch from the live-bait to indicate a predator nearby. As said though, at least there was no sea salad and noodles that have been plaguing the fishing of late.

No fishing for the next few days but hopefully, the next session will be at least a bit more fishy.

Comments (6)

By Vic, 16 August, 2011 17:36

….Oh yes I am! Went for another session yesterday in the hunt for the ‘biggun’. Yet again Seaford beach was the chosen venue and the plan was to fish from low water, up and over the 01.20 high water. Arrived at my first spot – the ‘hump’, just West of Edinburgh Road and got myself ready.

I hit the beach and set up the bass rod with the familiar rig and bait. I had also brought along another rod which I set up with a size 4, two hook flapper. I stuck a couple of lugworm and hurled it out into the moderately lively water. I only did this because I fancied seeing if I could up my species list while waiting around.

Weed was again, a problem, nothing too dramatic but enough to be a pain while fishing close in with the big bait. It was even more troublesome with the distance rod and worm as the weed collected on the line and required leader knot clearing on each retrieval before taking on the main task of clearing the crud from the terminal tackle.

The next big cast obviously found some underwater obstruction as it snagged solid and all the rig was lost along with the leader. Not sure what is out there at about the 100 yard mark – mussel beds maybe? Anyway, I decided to forget the species hunt and packed away the spare rod, to concentrate on the bass rod.

By now it was dark and I was expecting some interest in the squid bait but it was proving difficult as it had to be brought in on a frequent basis to clear the weed. I sent a text to ‘Fishyrob’ to see if he was turning up along with another friend, Steve, as planned – when he called back, it turns out that we both had different ideas as to where we were supposed to meet. As it happens, I had decided to make a move further east anyway, so we decided to keep each other updated via text if we had any news.

With about 2 hours to go before high water, I set up again at the next spot, just up from the Beachcomber and within minutes I had a bait in the water. Virtually as soon as the bait settled, it was nailed by a bass which was soon up on the beach – only schoolie of about 1½lbs but at least it was a fish and it saved the blank.

Re-bait and cast and within seconds, the bait was on the beach in amongst a ball of weed so heavy, I had to hand line it up the shingle. Minutes later, I had it all sorted and back out again but it wasn’t long before the whole boring process had to be repeated. Pardon my French but this fucking weed is becoming a nightmare within a nightmare and is seriously hacking me off. All this lovely turbulent water unfishable due to stinking piles of worthless crappy weed. Are we going to see weed clear sea at any time in near future? I do hope so because I am on the verge of losing the plot – I have already found myself talking loudly to myself and to the weed and the stones and to the gulls and foxes and anyone or any thing that will listen.

And then, just to really piss on my strawberries, it started to rain – I mean, as if this weed isn’t slimy enough to start with, do we really need to add more water! It’s just occurred to my that I might have typed the word ‘weed’ more than any other word so far this year… hmmm.

Enough was enough, high water came and went – along with my enthusiasm and so it was time to call it a night at around 2.30. I’m going to give it a break now until all this crap has been blown away and hopefully, we can get back to fishing not gardening.

PS. I promise not to use the ‘W’ word again for the rest of the year!

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By Vic, 14 August, 2011 19:44

Yet again I was at Seaford beach last night, a place that seems to be in danger of becoming my main home from the amount of time I’m spending there. Anyway, I arranged to meet Nigel, a fishing fanatic and member of another web forum I belong to, South Devon Fishing, who was up on a visit from sunny Devon. We planned to the flood tide up to and over high water in an attempt to hit some decent bass.

Things looked very promising, a South Westerly breeze still blowing but nowhere near as strong as the last few days. There was still some swell being stirred up by the wind and at least there were waves breaking on to the beach, although these were weak compared to the crashing dumps of a couple of days ago. The weed seemed to have dispersed a bit and although still there, it certainly wasn’t as bad as previous nights and was certainly more fishable. The sky was cloudy with the sun shining through and giving a lovely display in the sunset.

I set up the bass rod – you know the rig by now – long link running ledger and 6/0 – 4/0 pennel baited with whole squid. All baits were soon in the water and we waited for the tell-tale signs of bassy activity; unfortunately, this turned out to be a long wait, as the fish seemed unaware that they were allowed to feed. To be honest, I really wasn’t expecting much until at least it was dark and probably not until nearer high water. My low tide success has come when it coincides with darkness and has never produced during daylight.

As I wasn’t being hampered with the filthy business of dealing with fish, I took the opportunity to get a few shots of the sun setting over Newhaven. I’ve put two here above but the rest (all three of them) are in my Flickr collection, viewable through the ‘Photos’ section of the site.

We were later joined by fellow fishy person, Clive, who had his bait in the water pretty rapidly and soon, it could almost have been a scene from ‘Last of the summer wine‘ with the three of us firmly ensconced in our seats, waiting and watching.

It took up until around an hour after high water before the first fish of the night hit the beach and that was a school bass that fell to Nigel’s squid bait. I had to wait for another half an hour before it was my turn for the action, when I managed a bass in the 2lb region; not a big fish but it was the target for the evening and it saved me from the dreaded blank – a result which sadly fell to Clive. He tells me he’s never done well at Seaford, so at least his consistency is good, although he is a demon when it comes to fishing Brighton beach

Nigel packed up at around 2am as he had to be in London this morning, while a disappointed and disgruntled Clive and I stuck it out until about 2.30 before calling it a night. With a rapidly dropping tide and a flat calm sea in a flat calm, windless night., it became obvious that there was going to be no further fishy action in this session.

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By Vic, 13 August, 2011 15:01

To use up the bait I had left over from the previous day, I headed off to Seaford beach again last night, hoping that the weed had subsided just enough to fish. I got there at about 7pm and could immediately see that there was still a lot of weed but nowhere near the amount of the day before. The sea was again rough but had calmed quite a bit in comparison. The plan was to fish the flood tide up and over high water which was predicted for about 11.30pm.

I set up the bass rid with the now usual long link running ledger and 6/0 pennel. I should point out here that I’ve been experimenting and modifying this rig over recent months having found that all the fish I’ve had have come to the top hook and in an attempt to reduce the amount of dropped fish, I now use a 4/0 circle as the top hook. So far this has proved to very effective and all fish have been securely hooked in the corner of the mouth with a firm hold.

The first few casts ended up in the familiar leave for ten minutes then have to bring it in to clear the weed which was hanging just about where I wanted to put the bait – just behind the breaking waves.

I was soon joined by another fishing fanatic, Clive, who set up just along from me and soon had his bait in the water. We spent the time in between retrieving balls of weed, having a chat and mulling over the usual things that you do on the beach.

Things were very quiet and there was no indication of any fish interest until about half an hour after high water when I saw the rod tip pull down and bounce back, which I initially thought was weed again but while holding the rod, I felt a couple of tugs and then the rod tip pulled down again and I was soon into the first fish of the night. A short while later, after negotiating the incoming waves, I beached a nice plump bass that measured 48cm and weighed in at 2lbs 12oz.

Half an hour later, the rod tip twitched a few times, pulled down and I was into my second of the night. This was a lot smaller and I reckon was around the pound mark, maybe a bit bigger. That was it then, as the tide dropped, the wind kept the weed firmly inshore and again it was difficult to get a bait in the right place for any length of time.

We gave it a while longer on the ebb before both deciding that it was unlikely we’d have any more luck and opted to call it a night.

I’ll be out again tonight in the hunt for that elusive ‘double’. Just hope that the weed may have subsided to make the fishing a bit easier.

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By Vic,

Thursday evening was going to be another serious attempt at getting a double figure bass from the beach, so it was off to Seaford beach again armed with a couple of boxes of squid. First stop was West view but that was way too weedy and rough, so went back further West and stopped at an area between Edinburgh road and the Buckle – didn’t look too bad and decided to give it a shot.

Setup one rod, long link running ledger, 6/0 pennel – the usual thing. Baited up, chucked out into the waves and stood holding the rod; within seconds, the lot was being dragged left by weed. With considerable effort, I dragged the lot in and spent the next minute or so clearing all the crap off the gear, tons of horrible, snotty and stringy weed…. yuk.

The next two attempts resulted in the same mess, so it was up sticks and move elsewhere. From the top of the prom, I scanned along the beach and looked like it was everywhere and moving Eastwards at a rate of knots. With that in mind and knowing deep down that it would make no difference where I fished, I decided to go back up past the beachcomber and stick it out there.

I took a couple of pictures but they don’t really convey just how rough it was and you can’t see the amount of weed that there was in the water, in hindsight I should have shot some video – just a thought for next time.

Within a few casts it became obvious that there was going to be no fishing that day. So to save wasting any more bait, I opted for the ‘cut and run’ and headed off home.