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By Vic, On 30 October, 2007 14:06

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.

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By Vic, On 26 October, 2007 09:50

Fished Edinburgh Road at Seaford last night from 6.30pm, just after low water through until about 2am.

Flat calm sea, no wind, overcast sky (sounds familiar) wasn’t ideal but you gotta try haven’t you.

One rod set up with one hook ledger baited with lug/squid strips, the other my habitual whole squid, alternated with mackerel on a 4/0 pennel cast out around the 15-20 yard mark.

Samfish – one of the lads from World Sea Fishing Forums wandered over and we had a chat before he disappeared over to his preferred spot for the evening.

It was a quiet start with a few knocks here and there but no real action. As the water rose, so did the activity but it was whiting all the way, some not an un-reasonable size.

Over the high water period, I had some real hard takes on half mackerel fillets which had the rod being slammed down hard in a bass-like manner. These turned out to be whiting too. To be honest, it got bloody irritating, cast out, settle the rod, pour a coffee and bang, over the rod goes, drop the coffee, optimistically scuttle over to the rod in the hope it’s a bass and all for a bloody whiting!!!

Can’t complain too much though, it was a lovely peaceful night to be out in the fresh air and it wasn’t a blank.

While packing the gear into the car, Samfish returned from his session, so we had a quick exchange of notes in which I learned that his evening had been pretty much the same as mine.

It looks promising for early next week with a brief change in the weather, so I guess I’ll be there again, maybe try and get the council to donate a bench for me to sleep on.

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By Vic, On 24 October, 2007 15:24

Fished Seaford last night from 7pm through til 12.30am. Parked at Edinburgh Road and then found a spot just West of there. A very still, bright and clear night with no surf didn’t bode well for a fishy night but I was willing to give it a shot.

Bites were frantic from the start using one hook, DViced ledger baited with lugworm/squid strips. Loads of whiting landed, some a decent size, some not. I guess there must have been a carpet of them, there were that many. This made it difficult to target any codling that might have been around, as the whiting were taking the bait virtually as it hit the sea bed.

A second rod had the usual ledger with Pennel mounted whole calamari lobbed out about 20yards. This resulted in the one and only bass of the night. It was a very thin and scrawny 46cm specimen which looked like it was in need of a decent meal.

By 11.30pm, the bites stopped and all went quiet but I stuck it out for another optimistic hour before calling it a night.

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By Vic, On 3 October, 2007 14:43

Once again I opted for my old favourite and fished just up from the Beachcomber pub last night. Arrived and set up just after 9pm about and hour before low water. I was confronted by flat calm sea, the slightest NE breeze and overcast sky which made it quite warm.

Usual tactics – one rod with 2 hooker flapper rig using size 2 hooks baited with lugworm varying the distances. Second rod with 3/0 pennel and whole squid.

Wasn’t long before my old friend Tiny thornback appeared again…and again….and again, taking the lugworm. This was followed by some small Pout.

I had a couple of knocks on the calamari but put this down the usual suspects, small Pout or whiting.

Fishing was pretty slow until not long after 1.15 when I had two bass of around a pound and a bit hit the squid on successive casts. Next take was a beauty which had the rod slammed down hard. A nice bass of 44cm was beached. All three fish were taken, at most 20 yards out.

After these three, it was back to Pout. By 5.30, I’d had enough and decided to head for home. I don’t know if sticking it out longer would have resulted in any codling or not but quite frankly the thought of a warm bed was more appealing.

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By Vic, On 30 September, 2007 14:50

Saturday 29th September was the date, Widewater beach Shoreham was the venue. The occasion was a friendly meet/get together/competition organised by S.A.S. (Shoreham Angling Squad) and involving anglers from Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Kent and Essex.

I arrived at about 10am to see that there were already numerous participants mooching around the marquee waiting to snaffle the breakfast rolls that were being expertly prepared by club members ‘Mesito’ and ‘Bloated cod’. Once I’d scoffed a belter of a bun with bacon, sausage and egg, it was time to sign in, get my scorecard and await the walk off.

True to form, I was last to walk off and headed off to my chosen spot. (oh how I wish I’d gone right and not left). I set up my rods – one single hooked and baited with whole calamari and lobbed a few yards out, hoping for a prize winning bass. The other rod two hooked paternoster baited with lugworm and sent out about fifty yards or so. I sat back and thought positive thoughts.

Time passed slowly and uneventfully (apart from witnessing catches made by Mark_S fishing the next beach). Every so often the monotony was broken by absolutely nothing. I poured coffee, I shuffled my feet, I even began to wonder if I could count the boulders in the sea defences – nothing would provoke any fish into helping me win prizes.

Eventually, I had my first fish, a bass. Unfortunately this particular bass was not even anywhere near close to the 18cm minimum qualifying length. Neither were the next two I had. So three fish and none counted towards points.

After what seemed like five and half hours – oh that’s right, it was, the competition ended. I packed up and walked back to the marquee where I was greeted by the smell of burgers, hotdogs and Paella.

Anyway, the boring stuff was dealt with and the prizes handed out. At least I wasn’t going to be lumbered with carrying loads of goodies back to the car.

After being fully and totally stuffed with Mesito’s excellent Paella, it was time to bid farewell to the gathered motley crew and make my way home and back out of ‘Bandit country’.

A thoroughly enjoyable day spent with great folks, great food and no fish.

Full report and pictures