Mackerel Mayhem

By , 14 June, 2012 17:03

Picture of feeding mackerelHaving been given an order for some mackerel by the guys at work, I took the opportunity of a break in the weather to head off to Brighton Marina nice and early on Wednesday morning to bag a few. I arrived on the east arm at about 6.30 am just before high water, to find it nice and calm and the sun shining and as I walked along the top deck, I could hear the promising sound of mackerel boiling on the surface somewhere below.

I plonked down in about bay 18, I think it was, set up the feathering rod and began working the lures close in. Now the water was murky but mackerel were feeding – just not in the bit I was in! In fact it wasn’t until gone 7am and the top of the tide before they came in strong and then it was non-stop, they were everywhere, patches appearing all along the wall and further out too. Bloody gulls didn’t know which way to turn, flitting between the different shoals.

Picture of feeding mackerel shoalI took a bit of a break to try and get some photos but as is always – turn the camera one way and they show in the opposite direction. Anyway, I managed a few shots and a bit of video (Excuse the quality – haven’t done this for a while). If you enlarge the first picture (click on it), you can clearly see individual fish withing the shoal.

Picture of feeding mackerelBack to the rod but this time the light one and float gear; had some great fun hoiking them out one at a time instead of strings. Wasn’t long before I had a bucket full and plenty for the guys, the in-laws, friends and ourselves. If I was of a mind, I could easily have stayed and filled more buckets but just can’t see the point – having said that, I need to get down again soon and get some for the bait freezer which is empty!

Even as I left at about 10am, they were still shoaling in patches all along the wall, a great site to see. The thing that did surprise me was that apart from a couple of blokes fishing further round the bend, I was the only one there enjoying the sun and fish.

Looks like weather is breaking soon, so hopefully back to the beach during the evenings for some action.

 

7 Responses to “Mackerel Mayhem”

  1. drenai says:

    the west was almost fishless wed over the top though they were there in numbers on 1st light wed

  2. jeff willans says:

    saw this at seaford beach last time it was sunny, hope to be there weekend of the 24th, and good weather is forecast, so any tips appreciated

  3. Vic says:

    Frank – it was the most shoaling I’ve seen there in recent times, even considering the colour in the water. Only down side for me was, that as hard as I tried, I just could not manage to snag a gar for my species list.

    It surprised me how few people there were out on the East that morning, I was expecting it to be rammed.

  4. Vic says:

    Jeff – Keep your fingers crossed for the weather and you might be lucky.

    No tips really, just try and get there at first or last light near the top of the tide and you should do ok.

  5. jeff says:

    thanks vic, the forecast for next weekend is already changing, with the chances of rain increasing and the wind picking up

    with regards to seaford, whats the best bait, and more importantly where can i buy it from, we will be travelling down on friday afternoon

  6. Vic says:

    Depends on what you’re after Jeff. Can’t go too far wrong with black lug or rag for bottom fishing for the smaller stuff and mackerel head/fillet or squid for bass close in.

    Bait shops are listed in the ‘Tackle ‘n’ bait’ section up above. There’s two in Newhaven, one in Peacehaven and one in Brighton Marina.

  7. Tom Clark says:

    Sounds like a great day Vic! Like the sound of using squid for bass close in down coast. Thanks, Tom

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