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

In That Plaice Again

Decided to have another crack at the plaice on Brighton Marina yesterday and fish a few hours up and over the 10am high water. By 6.30am, I was at the gates to the East arm waiting for Frank to open up, which he did pretty soon after I arrived. It wasn’t too long before I was in my chosen spot.

It was a chilly morning but not overly cold with very little wind and an overcast sky. The sea was clear and flat and all things looked good for a great day apart from the tide being a little short. There was only one other guy waiting at the gate and I had my spot all to myself. It pays to get down there early or you risk getting to a packed wall with not much space to fish. Dave, at The Tackle Box, who runs the fishing concession reckons the damage to the wall should be finished soon, at which time, the rest of the wall should be open.

I set up using the familiar running ledger, long trace with beads and attractors, ending in a size 2 hook baited with lugworm and long, thin squid strips. This was cast out only about 50 yards or so and then I settled to a coffee and pondered if I should have a go at the herrings, or just fish for the plaice.

Picture of plaiceJust after 7am, I had a knock on the rod and in quick fashion I had my first plaice of the day on the deck. It wasn’t the largest in the world but it was over the minimum size limit and in view of the fact of it bleeding heavily from a deep hook, it was dispatched and put in the infamous ‘dinner bucket’.

I re-baited and chucked out again and while having another coffee, two regular fishing nuts turned up – local guide, Fishyrob and ‘ Mesito’ Steve. After the usual banter and insult trading, they too were fishing.

To say the fishing was slow, would be an understatement; it was very slow. I abandoned my morning’s self imposed ‘no herring’ rule and soon had a string of size 12 Sabikis out and being worked on my other rod. While working away, I noticed a nod on the other rod and in a quick retrieve and swing over the wall, another plaice was landed. Smaller than the first one and nicely lip hooked, this one went back. Back to the herrings which were being a bit elusive, although they did come up in ones and twos.

Late in the morning, the clouds parted and we were briefly bathed in lovely warm sunshine; it wasn’t long though before the clouds came back and it was time once again, to stick a jacket on. Due to other commitments, I had to leave the marina by 1pm and by the time it came around, the fishing had slowed further with the dropping tide. I did however, manage another two plaice which sadly were under sized. Rob, donated one of his catches which had again been deeply hooked and unlikely to survive after release.

So with a brace of plaice and a nice few herrings, I left, leaving Rob and Steve to carry on fishing. The plaice would be for Anna’s dinner, while I would divide the herrings into some for my dinner and some to be frozen for bait. It wasn’t a too shabby session and I was pleased to walking away with some rewards for the hours put in.