Yup – by now, you should know the formula. Went to Seaford last night and fished opposite Edinburgh Road (well just slightly West of). Got there at around 8pm, not long after low water. Clear, bright sky, very slight NW breeze and a reasonable surf running. Apart from the brightness, it seemed like it could be decent evening with the possibility of codling.

Apart from a few groups to the East of me, the beach was empty. This was surprising, as I thought there would have been more people out taking advantage of the conditions, considering the period of calm weather we’ve had recently.

I set up one rod with a wishbone rig, baited with lug/squid strips and sent out approx 80 yards or so. Second rod as usual – 4/0 pennel rig with whole squid and put out just beyond the surf line.

First fish of the night was a whiting (what a shock). That was it. Hours went by and no matter what I did to tempt, threaten or otherwise cajole the fish, the rods stubbornly refused to indicate any sort of fish activity. I used the normal tactics – pouring coffee, turning my back, preparing bait and generally tinkering about but nothing provoke a bite.

Still it was a nice night to be out, plenty of stars, a few meteorites, the cross channel ferry and other distractions that you normally don’t take any notice of.

High water came and went with no chance of my hands getting dirty with fish or my fish bag being used. I had varied the methods of the ‘general’ rod. I’d used the wishbone to start, then moved to a two hook flapper before settling on a single 1/0 clip down to try and further distance. By about 1.30, I’d had enough and thought ‘one last chuck’ before home. I loaded the hook with two lugworm before launching it out as far as I could. I then set about tidying up my rubbish (and some that had been left by previous visitor) and clearing my gear away. The close range set was dismantled and put away. Once everything was ship-shape, I sat and had the last of my coffee.

I noticed a twitching on the rod tip and then one nod – and then nothing. I left it a while longer and then having had enough, I started the final retrieve of the night. There was some resistance and a bit of a shake but it wasn’t until I was coming throughthe surf that things got heavier. Thinking it was probably a clump of weed and a small ‘something or other’ I brought it straight out and let the waves do there thing. To my surprise, there it was lying in the shingle, my first sole from Seaford this year. It wasn’t huge, at around 30cm. but I’d broken my duck.

So, a really slow and uneventful night was saved from being a disaster by two fish, one of which I was pleased as punch with.