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By Vic, 10 March, 2013 11:22

To pop my 2013 cherry, I hit the shingle at Seaford last week for a rare (for me) daytime session. Was on the beach and setup by about 9.30am on a rising tide. Water was dead calm with a hint of colour. Breeze was from behind the beach and the sky overcast. High water was going to be around 1pm.

Decided to use just the one rod, wishbone rig with blinged hook lengths and baited with lug and squid tipping.

The only thing that was going to ruin the day were the shingle shifters re doing the beach profile as part of the sea defences annual maintenance. Big trucks up and down the beach delivering the shingle and the bulldozers doing the profiling. Got a bit too close at one point and almost engulfed the guy fishing to my left!

First rod tip nodding of the day resulted in a double shot of fakking rockling and the smallest bass I have ever seen on the beach.

Next up was a single dab about quarter of an hour later. From then on, it was small dabs with a handful of rockling. I was hoping for plaice and maybe a flounder for the species hunt but it wasn’t to be.

By about 12, I was done in, my back was screaming and I had to pack it in. Shame really ‘cos it was not long before high water and I’m sure, I’d have had better results then. Anyhoo, it was great to be back out again, even for a short while and started off this years species hunt with three in the bag.

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By Vic, 9 July, 2012 00:13

Due to crap weather mixed with work, my crap back and other commitments, it’s been ages since I’ve been out on the beaches, so on Friday night, I went out to Seaford beach to fish the tide up from the 8pm low water.

Once on the beach, I checked out the conditions which didn’t look too favourable. The sea was flat apart from small wavelets on the shore line, wind wasn’t doing much either. Water was clear with some colour in it.

Two rods deployed, one with a size 4 sole rig baited with black lugworm and the other with long link running ledger, terminating in a 6/0 baited with squid (I did want fresh mackerel but was busy yesterday and couldn’t get any).

Two cups of muddy coffee and two hours passed by before I got my first bite of the night – a couple of sharp taps followed by slight trembling on the rod tip. On retrieval, the culprit was identified as a small (and I mean small) thornback ray (pictured). Not exactly what I was looking for but at least it saved a potential blank and it’s another one crossed off the species list.

Next up was a small bootlace/snotty eel which luckily was only lip hooked, so I could shake the bloody thing off and release it before too much damage was done to the rig.

A short time later, I had a terrific pull down on the worm rod and once hooked, it seemed like a bit of weight on the end. As it reached the waters edge, any hopes I had of a decent flattie were completely shattered when it turned out to be a whiting – a decent sized whiting I’ll grant you but still a bloody whiting, in July? At this rate, it would seem we are going to be plagued by a resident, all year round whiting fest – oh deep joy!!

Anyway, I gave it another hour so before calling it a night with nowt else showing up, not even the slightest of twitches on the bass rod. My mojo is currently spiraling downwards but to be fair, I haven’t put in as many hours as I normally would due to other things needing my attention. Hopefully once all is settled, I’ll be back out with mucho gusto!

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By Vic, 25 May, 2012 15:56

I was out again last, night over at Seaford beach in search of a decent fish. So after work, I shot off home, prepped my gear (should have done it earlier in the day), loaded up the car and got over to the beach at about 9.30 – an hour (ish) after low water. After some thought, I decided to fish up by the boats where the lack of major street lighting makes it somewhat darker than the busier stretch further West along the beach. It also tends to be quieter, with not that many people fishing it, compared to the other areas.

I’d heard that a few sole had been caught recently and I was itching to get my first of the year, so the plan (if you can call it a plan) was to use two rods, one as a sole hunter but with its secondary purpose being a bait gatherer, because if I could get any pout, they would be going out as a live bait. So bait wise, it was cheap enough – a couple of wraps of black lugworm and that was it.

Anyhow, I had the worm rod rigged, baited and cast out within a few minutes of arriving and then turned my attention to the getting the bass rod sorted out and ready.

It really was a lovely night to be out – really warm, with no hint of a breeze and quite humid. It was the first night I’ve fished this year without having loads of layers on and was an absolute pleasure being able to be out in just a polo shirt (I now also wear jeans after being warned by the magistrates… lol). The sea was perfectly calm but did have quite a heavy swell running.

With the bass rod ready and waiting, I turned to the other rod and saw some trembling at the tip; I’m not sure how long it had been doing that, so thought it better to bring it in anyway. On hitting the beach, I saw that the rig had done its work well and there was a double shot of a pout, which was plopped into the waiting bucket of sea water and a nice table sized dab (not as in the size of a table but of a size big enough for the table…. just in case you were wondering).

I cast the bass rod out about ten yards or so, let the lead settle and grip before putting on the slider, hooking the pout and letting it slide out into the water. I then worked the rod a couple of times to work the bait out a bit further before putting the rod in the rest and started the waiting game.

Now I know what some of you are thinking and yes I agree, I should have had a bucket of pouts already with me, so it would have just been a matter of sliding them out and then going into silent mode while waiting for the hit. BUT… I had no time to get pouts before I went, so had to resort to the way I did. In my own defence, I would say that this wasn’t a proper stalking live bait session, more of a “If it works, great if not, never mind”.

Ten minutes later, a double shot of pout was brought in and took up residence in the bucket that the previous occupant had just left. For the amount of time I was going to be there, that should have done but I do like the security of having a bit more bait than I need – just in case.

It then died for about an hour, with nothing moving apart from the usual beach fox that was again hanging around in vain hope of a quick and easy meal.

An hour later, almost to the minute, the rod tip stared quivering and another pout was in the bucket. The first one had not done anything worthwhile, so was replaced by one of the twins which also did bugger all before being substituted by the other one. So I had one out and one in the bucket – sorted.

30 minutes later saw a double shot brought in that were surely less popular than the Krays – a bloody whiting and rockling – has no-one mentioned to them that we’re almost into June FFS! Whiting was not a bad size but only a fraction under the MLS at about 24cm and certainly bigger than a pin.

Next in was another whiting of similar size to the first. Next was another double shot of whiting that were pins.

I was beginning to wonder about packing up and saving what worm I had left for another session over the weekend. In the end though, I decided on another chuck and if it was pins or pout, I’d jack it in. So I launched the worm sections out and sat back on the shingle by the bass rod and drank the last of my ‘mud’ coffee.

We were now four hours into the flood and it was in that sort of dead period that happens until things pick up again around high water. I was still thinking about packing in when I saw the rod tremble and nod twice before going motionless for a few seconds, when it suddenly went ballistic, jumping and rattling around. I retrieved the rig and at first thought it was a good dab when it was in the waters edge but then saw that it was a sole – my first of the year woohoo! Admittedly it was small but at lease it was another one to tick off the list. Needless to say, the thought of packing up had now gone and more worms were sent out.

Apart from a few more whiting, that was it for the evening. I might of had more luck during the hour after high water but to be honest, by now, I’d had enough and all thoughts were of sleep. So that was it, only a few small fish but at least I had a keeper dab and had got my target of the sole, so not too bad a night, all things considered.

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By Vic, 21 May, 2012 11:42

Although conditions haven’t been too good of late, with flat sea and may rot. Anyway, I decided to have a play at Seaford last night to see what was around. No point in trying for bass looking at the forecast and having seen the flat sea, so I opted for a one rod and worm bait policy.

Shot down to Brighton Marina during the day and got some really good quality black lugworm from ‘The Tackle Box’ which would do the job and produce two baits from one worm.

I wanted to fish from low up to high water, so arrived at Seaford beach around 6pm to find a millpond like sea which was pretty clear apart from some huge patches of rot that stained the water and made it look like ‘orrible weak tea that you would get from a staff canteen. You can just about make it out in the photo (click on it for a bigger picture).

Not to be deterred, I set up the one rod with a size 2, two hook flapper baited with the fine blacks I’d got and shot it out at distance and settled down to wait.

It was quite a pleasant evening to be out with just a bit of a chilly breeze coming in from the back of the beach. Now I normally where floaty trousers whenever I’m out – not for any safety reason but purely because it keeps my jeans clean and has loads of pockets to keep stuff. I have to say though, that last night they nearly came off because it was so warm – the old man vegetables were certainly roasting in their cosy nest.

First fish arrived at one hour after low water and was a small micro dab that had wolfed down the worm. Release, re-cast and fifteen minutes later the rod tip went and another small dab hit the beach. This went on pretty much for the next couple of hours or so; a dab every fifteen minutes with a couplf double shots in there too – just a pity they weren’t keepers!

Once darkness fell, the dab went off the feed and were replaced with a sprinkling of pin whiting and pout. I started kicking myself for not bringing the bass rod and not being able to put out a live bait as well.

By about 11pm, I’d really had enough, my back was screaming for horizontal rest and all I was getting was damn pin whiting; there was just no point in wasting time and quality bait on them. at least I’ve got a few left over and so I may well have a dabble tonight as well to use them up.

Comments (2)

By Vic, 28 April, 2012 12:16

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve had a two or three sessions at Seaford beach in the search for bass. As I’ve had little success (except for a few doggies), there really hasn’t been much to write about. I tried at the venue the other day, but the on shore breeze was pushing loads of weed in close and after a few hours of pulling the crap off my gear, I jacked it in.

Last night, I was drawn to the beach yet again and as I’d not had a chance to have a look beforehand and considering the high wind the day before, I took a sturdier rod than I would normally use, as I was expecting at the very least, a heavy swell and rafts of weed. How wrong could I be! A gentle swell in the otherwise flat, slightly coloured sea – and no weed! I had arrived about two hours before 10pm low water and the plan was to fish over the low and maybe a few hours of the flood tide.

I set up just opposite West View, a simple long link running ledger with a 6/0 – 4/0 combination pennel baited with whole squid. This was lobbed out into the gentle swell and the wait began.

Two guys popped over for a chat – if you’re reading this – nice to meet you Sam and Steve. It was just going into darkness when Steve pointed out that there had been a bite on my rod. Once brought in, it turned out to be the usual doggie. After the guys had left (hope you had luck wherever you went), I settled in, concentrating on the rod.

The rain came in and although not heavy, it was enough to start getting everything soaking. Good job, I’d packed the waterproofs; I’d almost left them behind, thinking I wouldn’t need them.

Another doggie hit the beach just before low water but apart from that, there had been little to stop the feeling of pessimism, that was starting to creep in. I started to think about packing in but decided to sit out my plan and at least fish an hour or so after low water.

Half an hour after low, the was a series of trembles on the rod tip before it was plucked down and I was soon into a fish. I wished it had been on the bass rod instead of the heavy gun I was using but anyway, I suppose it didn’t really matter. A short tussle in the small swell and the prize was on the shingle, my fist bass of 2012. A lovely conditioned fish, it measured in at 60cm and 5lbs 2oz on my berkley scales.

I soon had a bait back in more or less the same area, about 15-20 yards out. Apart from another doggie that took the bait, there was no further action and come midnight, enough was enough. My back was killing me, everything was soaking and I longed for the comfort of home.