Jims Sea Angling Diary – Fishing in Brighton, Sussex

Schoolie Bass

OK, this is a new blog, so making most of the enthusiasm I have for it and going slightly mad with new posts =) Thought I’d post about the fishing sessions from earlier in the year, as these were pivotal in re-igniting my enthusiasm for fishing.

My first fishing trip this year was a daytime session down by the King Alfred, with a mid afternoon Spring tide. I got down a little later than was ideal – I like fishing at least three hours up to the tide, and instead fished maybe two hours up, but ended up with a small Schoolie Bass and a Rockling. Both were caught on the early stages of the session, during the flood.. it went dead as slack tide arrived, and nothing else was produced. Needless to say, both of these went back – in fact, I rarely keep any fish, preferring to let them swim another day.

I hadn’t really thought about fishing before the week I had off of work in April, when, walking back from town along the seafront and stopping to sit in the sun for a bit, I realised what a great excuse fishing would be to erm.. sit in the sun. Two days later, and I’d stocked up on terminal tackle, got some bait and there I was!

Shortly after this session, Wade asked if I’d show him how to fish. He’d bought a fixed spool / beach caster combo and was keen to learn! Wade, Shuo and myself agreed to go to Brighton Marina for a Mackerel fishing session, but were quickly put off by how packed the West Arm was – the East arm was completely closed so the West Arm was overflowing. Not a good environment for teaching someone to cast for the first time! I did use the opportunity to purchase a new 8 foot Masterline spinning rod and reel combo from the Tackle Box at the Marina – at £18 I couldn’t resist!

Rockling, April 09, King Alfred Beach

We instead went to Newhaven harbour, where despite not catching anything, I taught Wade basic casting, the grinner knot (my favourite) and mackerel fishing sink-and-draw technique.. not bad at all!

Shortly after this, Paul and Duncs phoned to ask if I was interested in going fishing one Sunday afternoon. I said I’d come for the crack, but hadn’t got any bait so wouldn’t be bringing any gear. We ended up going in Shoreham harbour, but didn’t catch anything other than a crab, which I caught by freelining some luncheon meat on a hook down the side. Desperate times and all that!

Our next trip was another where I turned down the opportunity to actually fish – the venue was Shoreham Harbour West arm, but as the chosen time was at almost dead low tide, again I refrained from taking any actual gear, and instead helped Duncs to improve his newly learnt casting technique. Again, no catches, but a giggle all the same. Bait was Mackerel; a fisherman next to us had a Flounder on King that I saw, and I’m sure a few pegs up I saw the silhouette of a Doggie being brought in.

After that, Duncs and Paul had a few sessions down by the Hove Deep Sea Anglers club. By this time, Duncs had bought a fixed spool / beach caster combo, very similar to Wades’, by pure chance. This venue produced some Black Bream and Bass, all undersized, but providing that vital first fish for Duncs.

I joined the following day for another session in the same venue, but didn’t manage to connect with any of the tiny bites we were getting – inevitably undersized Black Bream. They are very adept at removing bait from the hooks bit by bit, making the style of fishing very reminiscent of freshwater fishing, with very quick strikes needed. I was using size 1 hooks, which were probably too big to actually hook them,  judging by the size of fish that Paul and Duncs caught..

More will inevitably follow tomorrow – there are a few sessions to catch up on, but bed is calling at the mo. Until then!