East will re-open tomorrow Thurs 18th Sept. ATM times remain the same with opening 6.30am and close at 9pm but expect that to change soon as the light starts going earlier.
Wall check was done yesterday and there are no major issues.
Thats it for today, short sharp & sweet
F
Author: drenai
Doooommmmmeeeddddd😂😂😂 (dads Army for those that don’t get the reference 😉 ) Yes it’s meant light heartedly but lets face it the fishing this year has been .. simply put , efin cack! granted my usual opening line after not posting for almost a week usually leads with an apology for not posting or at least an excuse for not doing so especially when the walls have been open, so, lets restart this with an excuse/apology 😂
The excuse:- I was very busy this week, didn’t have time in the mornings when at pc, body having a bad start to the day, forgot to post blah blah blah ( by now some have realised i’m waffling and erm , in that sort o mind set to draw this all out 😉
The apology :- oops, sorry forgot too post 😉😂
The reality :- Sun, was nothing too say other than whats in the round up in a bit, T, W, Thurs closed so mostly overlooked updating and tbh yesterday the body was having a fk u morning so the length of time I was at the pc was almost zero soooo, here goes with a round up of the last few days… week.
The week that was, or wasn’t !
For those tht have not had a chance to get out in the last 10 days and the few that simply have missed the info out there the current sea state including the past 10 days have been churned and overall heavily coloured water and although not a problem in itself we are plagued with the long spaghetti weed in large amounts, yesterday there was a pile at the steps at 29 that would have filled a large suitcase. Im told, if there are gardeners out there that the long string stuff makes good fertiliser but its not my thing so couldn’t say for definite.
On the fishy front last weekend was tough going for most but there were some decent bass too be had and some decent ones also dropped on retrieve or for the lack of a net when trying too land them. Over on the FBook group Stuart G posted a report for Saturday that on the higher part of the wall he had Sole, squid, and dogfish over the high but the rest of the day was tough going. There were fish scattered along the wall(inc bass on the low section) all mostly in the morning with little too no sign of any mackerel showing up…. WTF are the fish this year ? Sunday again when I wandered along the wall there were reports o dropped fish, mostly bass again over on FBook Nick S posted a few pics from his day including a giant sea slug of 18.53 when hung on a digi scales and I believe he dropped another ironically smaller than the one he got pics of. Neil R who is a regular on the wall as well as FBook group poster shared his catch of a sole, bass, congers, and hound pups but all in all the weekend by past standards was very tough going for all. yes there were “tidlers” down close to the wall as well as a few scattered bream but the fishing last weekend was very patchy and very tough going other than a airly decent number of Bass caught or dropped for various reasons..
Tuesday the wall reopened after the windy shutdown that was Monday so on Tues I ventured down and met Mrk P coming off the wall with a very decent red mullet/goat fish that went 13.25 inches or in modern parlance 33.5 cm. No I couldn’t remember his name as usual with me but I figured he would (yea B again) post up on the FB group and sure enough he did and thus I have a name on the fish capture 😉. After a few words & catch up I ventured onto the wall and found Phil aka “pieman” fishing bay one but at the time hadn’t caught but no doubt by close he had something for his time. Further along towards the bend there were reports and occasional fish including Bream, a decent Wrasse and then I found someone with a mackerel ! yup honest guv a real and live mackerel what the Actual F! a Mackerel! granted it was a tiddler of about 4 inches and was about too be put too good use as a live bait but sheesh they are this year almost are rare as rocking horse poo!
further along & past 29 a similar story of tough going and an occasional Mackerel! MORE lummy what was going on, as it turned out I think nature knowing what the weather ahead report looked like was taking the piss out of everyone by throwing Mackerel at us and then closing the door as the autumn winds once again blew!.
Sadly the mackies were few n far between and while there they didnt get any larger. Up on the high bays I caught up with a couple who I hadn’t seen in a year or two so was a good place too stop & have a chat & find out if much was happening on the higher bays and was told of Gurnard, Bass caught and others dropped, no one up there had tried for squid so cant confirm any catches yesterday for them.
While up there there was a sudden flurry of activity only too find out someone’s bait had been hit by something(prob bass) and … oh dear no drag set and a rod had vanished over the wall! no doubt never too be seen again ! Bummer!
And that as such while missing some o the catch reports really did sum up the last week of very slow and poor, patchy fishing over the last few weeks. Sadly it’s not just the marina having a cack year, it seems a very wide spread issue for much of the SE coastal area !
we now have a week to 10 day period of wall closure which leaves me fearing, not only for the squid season thats looming but also for the west wall.
On Monday I got too speak with one o the workmen on the west who indicated they had been put back a week due too recent poor conditions and thus the new estimate (weather allowing) was of about a month and they had been working some long hours recently. Now looming we have a close down of at least 10 days which will push us into October and a high chance that the west would need jet washing before we could realistically let anyone onto the wall once the work crews finish. We won’t get access even for Mark too jet wash on the lower level while they work on the upper as there are vehicles constantly in use on the wall and it is classed as a closed work site !
I suspect we may be facing a case of no west wall fishing this year which would be a right bummer for everyone.
Time will tell, thats for sure !
And on that gloomy note I look back, or up on the page back too the opening title,
Mr Mainwaring, were doomed I say………..
And so, until the next one,….. I bid you all ADIEU
F
Walls now closed until re open on Friday Morning
F
Typing at mid day Sat as the title says.
East is currently open and under a close weather watch. The plan is to say open providing it is safe, and further deteriation would likely see the wall close for the remainder of day.
EAST will be open normal time Sunday morning.
On the fishy front I don’t have a huge amount to say, Jordan posted a pic on FB of the conger he had yesterday morning that I have poached for the gallery and will stick also at the bottom of this post. When I went down yesterday conditions were not the nicest ive seen on the wall;) but it was (obviously !) still open and a dozen or so had lines in the water. Other than the conger yesterday I did hear of a bass caught in the morning but have no details so in a way it stays as a rumour as I can’t get anyone that saw it to confirm for me.
Poor conditions for the last 2 days with strong SW winds that have kept the water churned. lots o weed visible catching on lines and rigs although it is small amounts and short fern like seaweed coming out that in all honesty not too much of an issue. Once the winds die no doubt the weed will become a pest for a few days as it clears.
Blowy conditions will continue right through the weekend and into Monday with Tuesday looking the better (wind wise) of days this week. Basing on xcweather it looks like things settle somewhen Friday evening so that we have calmer conditions for SAT & SUN next week.
Thats it, short n sweet for today so other than the conger pic from Jordan I will until next time bid you all ADIEU
F
Jordan with his catch yesterday morning, no weight or length details.
Begin 🙂 Afternoon all (yup is after 12 just) it looks like we have a weekend of wind and I don’t mean my rearward functions ! It seems that The weekend is going to be dominated by windy conditions with west and SWest conditions and potentially showers for much of the afternoon. The wall will stay open today but tomorrow things ramp up a little more.
Saturday the EAST will open… but… COZ there is always a BUT ;).. It will be under a close watch by lunchtime. With an almost 6m tide at 13.50 and the winds picking up about 1ish (22pmh -28mph it could get a bit gnarly with a lot of water being pushed up onto the fishing level.
On Sunday the wall is expected open and conditions are expected to be consistent most of the day & very similar to yesterday on the wall…. which nicely feeds into the inevitable question from Marvin Gaye of
What’s going on ? but no I aint gonna sing it…ok !
So yesterday, I hoiked the quad out of its shed, loaded up and as Jack was told in that song I hit the road 😉 down to the marina. By time I got there the wind was quite strong and with a dropping tide there were plenty of water spouts making the front end unfishable.
Two hardy (or foolish) regulars chanced their arm on bay 20! brave… but quite wet souls😂🤣😂who no doubt were rigged for bass. Oh, and yes I went straight up past the cafe while (cough* cough*) NOT feeding the dogs there;) and rolled onto the upper level. wasnt a cats chance in hell of me rolling along the lower level and while I was there there were defo some fun rollers coming down the lower level bays:) fun for me but less so those trying to avoid the waves.
The days catches were predominantly bass in the morning and as the afternoon ticked away there were a few eels had, some bass were hit or miss, one on the first bay took a chunk of mackerel and fought the hook while it turned and rolled in plain sight tucked into the 1st “V”
Unfortunately a lack of net and a strong fighting fish meant a 4-5 minute fight on a light rod tight in the “V” was in vain as the trace line either gave up or was sheered off.
Having got my hand too the line before the the trace gave out and eye line with the fish clearly visible i’d estimate the bass a comfy somewhere between 4-5lb.
Now, you could be forgiven to be thinking ok so that was is on Fridays conditions but no.. by 4pm with the wind blowing and trying too swing further around from SWE and the sea spanking up through the “Vs” someone landed a mackerel! wtf! and then another & another ! what the fek was going on! I had half expected to see the buggers come up the “Vs” and wave at people. Granted the mackies didn’t stay long but I swear the buggers must have been lost coming in this close on rough seas. So, other than Bass, eels and wayward mackies it was hardly a shock when also hanging onto peoples baits were spider crabs and what looked like velvet swimmers coming out.
I did have a dabble for a short while but tbh it was more about having a chat & catch up than having a serious fish so I decided time to get home b4 the rain hit and soaked me.
Thankfully I was in 10 mins before it hammered down!
And with that and until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F
…..OCTOBER ! Dang, the 28th already and it seems like August has been and gone in the blink of an eye!
How can I sum up August, well easy done in one word .CRAP. yep, the fishing has been an absolute shitfest IMO. While I realise there have been some decent fish this month (including them sea slugs) over all I cant recall a crappier August on the marina walls and its not jus because we have lacked the west wall access for the whole of the summer.
Looking around at other Sussex venues it has been a similar story. fek even the Dover area has at times had it tough. If the “good” catches posted from Shoreham walls are anything too go by most would likely as not nod their heads & say yes a poor year. I’m betting most reading this will be thinking oh fuk he gonna speculate on why its poor and roll out a ton of excuses. Well, no, I have speculated already this year on why its so poor so I recon by now you also have an opinion of why its so crap lately.
On the up side it looks like the work crews are near done on the extension as there is heavy plant equipment on the bays high near the toilet block…. Could they be on for an early finish ? oh how I hope so, I must try n get a chat with someone on site.
Now, I realise I havnt posted for a couple of days. TUES was a family day so no report posted for Mon or Tues and lacked the will too post in all honesty, so, whats been happening ?
the joy of not posting leaves an issue that I gotta throw my memory in reverse & tbh, it’s not the best thing when it goes forwards yet alone rewinding but today in many ways the windy weather has helped me out.
So, Tues a seriously slow day for most on the wall and hard pressed too find anyone of the few left claiming too have caught. Granted the wall was almost empty but you normally expect someone around who had seen something. so other than a couple of bass confirmed the general story was , where are the bream ? high came & went and those working the low bays were all saying the same thing “no fish” well not quite no fish on the low bays as it seems bay 1 has become the home for some very hungry blennies and it seems that the usual Bream on the lower 15 bays have packed bags n hiked it off on holiday ! go figure.
TUES as said I took a family day with the wife & jnr and we spent the day toasting a few beers too the memory o my mother in law.
Yesterdays visit was one of the quickest I have made and rather than open the side gate I rolled the quad straight onto the upper level and didnt expect anyone too be above the steps at bay 10., there were a few fishing still come late afternoon and the highest pair were up on 20. Both had bass too report & while not large a couple were decent enough for the table. Most of the info I could gather was the day boiled down too bass and eels as the wind blew constantly from the South West.
I will take the quad down later to see if the very well stirred up water throws up, tbh Im not expecting too see too many down there but ya never know.
Thats it, lots of words for fairly little too go on. And so, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F
….. Again! Sometimes I wonder where the days vanish too. This time last week I was half asleep having had my very annoying and painful Gall Bladder removed. How do I feel, tons better, you cant believe the little moments that are now pain free. granted my gut is sore post surgery but boy its a worth it swap. Anyway, less of that,I’m sat here again wondering where these days are going missing too. It sorta feels like the last week has days missing as one day blurs into the next and I find myself ticking of whole weeks rather than days.
So whats happening on the marina.? Yesterday due to the joys of an unknown cause I found myself with a bout of insomnia much to JNRs shock as I was wide awake as he staggered into the house at 4am ish and asked to be woken at 8am as he had a footy match 😂😂😂, oh yes, he suffered for it but that, as they say is another story. By 7am I had already been down, made a coffee, gone back to bed and then finally gave up the attempt and got dressed resulting in yesterdays 1/2 a book instalment of this thing we … or I am claiming is a marina blog, (na its my messed up minds form of joke on everyone:))
The result of being up n about so early meant what do I do now that Im up? the result after the longish blog was my mind turned too my tide table and thought, hmmm lets go drown a worm or two so at an unusual time for me these days the quad was loaded with a couple of rods a tacklebox that It turned out I never opened while down there (almost normal these days) walking stick (just in case) 1L bottle of drinkable and rolled onto the marina as I mentally flipped a coin of high or low, the high won.
Its a good job its called fishing because long story short… I blanked..again. Granted I had a few bites too make it interesting and I did for a short while have a dabble with the squid lure(s) but too no knocks. I did see a decent bass (see below)come out above me that was posted too the marina group and yes that has reminded me that I promised too post it too the gallery ( I will honest) no doubt with a couple of others that I have neglected too post up also (yes i sorted them mid typing) see the extra pics on the various galleries.
Also confirmed on the higher bays while I was there were a few bream, plaice and some micro’s but for me and many the morning was like many days recently very hard going.
As I left ending my 1st visit of the day … and week ! many were already packing an hour after the high having shook their heads when asked “did ya catch” its becoming a feared phrase ! . just below the steps at 46 I was told of a couple of Bream, wrasse and a gurnard that was much discussed re its taste. but those few fish did seem to have been the highlight of the front section of the wall above 22.
Lower down towards the bend I’d like to say things were better and had expected to at least hear of a few bream but again was met by heads being shaken… Jeez wtf is going on with this years fishing !
Now at this point usually I am signing off for the day but, I did hint earlier and after sticking the quad back on charge and grabbing a sarnie or two I reloaded the quad and erm , headed back down to the wall for a late afternoon/early eve mooch. Too be fair many when I got there had left so any accurate report wasnt available for so few people left on the wall. I did manage to grab a chat with one regular who was mid wall with his family and his MUM fishing also, Im fairly sure he reads here so he will immediately know im talking about him as his lads had a couple of lures and no doubt they will be back for more sometime soon.
Estimates from the builders on the west wall still remains “somewhen in September” so cant add any further info on that becoming open Final bit of news is that the “SQUID” gallery has been updated with a piccy from last week sent in by JOE VIRGO confirming the first few squid caught this Autumn season, he fished the ledge on the west side and kindly sent in a pic.
Thats it until the next post, dont forget most of the galleries have a few new piccys posted so all thats left is to post up the promised bass from yesterday caught by Kenny and sign off , so until the next one..
… I will bid you all ADIEU
F
♪♪♪Hello ♪♪♪….
Ok so its been a couple of days since the last post and oddly enough had a couple of people contact me with various titbits off info regarding possible events and condition reasons around the marina.
First of with regards to the seeming lack of spider crabs of which the numbers drop does seem to have helped many other crab species up their usual numbers !
it seems that the UK or at least the South coast along with above normal sea temps have by virtue of that raised water temp, attracted a very large influx and number explosion of Octopus, Octopuses , octopi offs this could go on for ever , is octopus plural and singular ?… na, who cares.. Octopods
It seems that the common Octowhatever it is (octopus vulgaris) has had an explosion in the South West of the country and no doubt further along the channel also. Commercial nets and pots instead of finding the usual fare are finding these Octopus in large numbers, & when they dont the remains of them feeding has been found. It seems one of the Octo’s fav meals may just well be the pestilent (not so locally this year) spider crab.
LINK—>>> https://thefishingdaily.com/uk-fishing-industry-news-news/study-launched-into-unprecedented-south-west-octopus-bloom
I did put feelers out too find if this was a common happening and much of Sussex and Hampshire and Kent have seen dramatic falls in sider populations, as too if the Octopus is the sole cause or there are also other factors such as changed water parameters I don’t know but it does seem that various investigations have been urgently launched in the Devon & Cornwall fishing waters.
Second big queery of the season beside the lack of crabs from many has been how crap the fishing has been in general all along the Sussex coast and in particularly “is there a reason for it being “a bit pants on the marina this year”? and I suspect one convo I had Thursday very shortly after arriving home from HH hospital may have provided part of the answer and if its not the reason it does actually make an awful lot of likely sense too me.
As per Mondays blog I have another addition that may well be food for thought for a few people and I am posting this as I heard it prior too having a chat with some of the more knowledgeable heads I know are out there.
On Monday shortly before close we had a very regular angler on the wall who is very well known although I shan’t post the name.
While flicking out lures from their chosen bay they “heard a couple of large sounding plops in the water just out of eye line.” naturally thoughts went to Dolphins or porpoise were in close as has often happened on the marina. Bugger all unusual there but great too see but crap usually for the fishing.
This set me too thinking that the same day every now & then Id see something break the surface on the edges of my vision when coming down from the 40s but couldn’t quite get an ID on the gentle breach as there was so little too see.
Now said persons senses were alert and they were scanning the water fairly close too them while still trying too focus on the lure flicks…. And here comes what some will write off as a fishy tale or a bit of bollocks but they are no mug at fish ID and you can hardly mistake a decent breach when its something in the size region of what he expected as more dolphins stuffing themselves on all the fish daring too get close too the walls….
Now most of you know how I type, a clue here n there and a bit of draw it out for the effect but I trust this persons judgement and know when they exaggerate stuff into a fishy tail.
The were full on telling me that there were TUNA breaching the surface less than 30 foot from where he was stood. I’m not going too confirm what bay they stood nor who they was because Ive no doubt there would be piss takers and non believers.
The claim was 4-5 clear surface breaches not full body out of the water but plenty enough too tell it was fish and not mammal breaking the surface.
Yes this person reported the sightings too someone and they merely laughed & told em to fek orf BUT, I defo believe the source, There have been plenty of Tuna sightings all along the coast as well as boats within Brighton Marina licenced to target TUNA. so why would they not be in close ? its not like the water alongside the east wall is not deep enough and on a quick check Mondays high tide was 7.30pm
When most people think Tuna their brain see’s these huge fish jumping out of the sea often on the end of hook & line, 99.9% of their life must be spent under the surface unseen so could the marina be attracting in close numbers of TUNA. Its one I will be asking a few more experienced anglers about.
Sort of finally on the fishing front, although not a catch report I can confirm a few decent shore caught squid reports of which no doubt the likes of Robin Howard can also confirm so it looks like squid season is rapidly incoming. I can confirm that Joe V had a decent evening with perhaps a dozen squid for his efforts and Robins blog mentions some caught also…. time to check your squid jig stocks I guess.
Well thats it on the report front for today. I havn’t ventured down the marina as yet as the body is still recovering from having my gall bladder removed . While still very sore I am so glad the bloody thing has gone and I don’t have too clench my jaw in pain every time I use loo paper… Im sure ya can all work that one out… Yes a pain free use of the loo is feeling like a luxury atm !
Thats it, until the next one at least 🙂 , and until that one I will as per, bid you all ADIEU
F
day, another week and just like that Monday slaps you in the face before it has even got light. It’s so rare I’m up this early on any day that I’d damn near forgotten what it feels like any more !…
And thus we get straight into it being as I’m a bit pushed for time this morning what with the Surgeon dude wanting me at H Heath at some gawd awful time of day, “be on the ward for 7.30am ” he says.. wtf its not like I have been invited for breakfast even though they want me to starve myself prior too gracing their doorstep(as such). Mind U I will be glad too be rid of this painful Gall Bladder.
Best make the most of this report (not that there is much to put) as not sure what day I will be down on the marina next (Thurs possibly). So wtf has been happening ? And it is at this moment I have not had much chance too look back over the last 3 days nor did I actually get chance to talk too Ali yesterday so a quick pause too see if I can jog my slack memory.
Ok that break was little help, Fri… visit too anaesthetist, sat, Watched BTNs opening draw Vs Fulham(less said about that one the better) Sun, Oh yea, that was yesterday so fish, wtf are the fish. Now I know Sussex is a bit of a fish desert during the day da but I can’t believe that no one posted anything from the wall in almost 2 day especially at the weekend.
I do know Friday the bulk of catches were quite early and mark reported mackerel and bass in the morning when opening up. How many mackerel ? from what info I can glean there were not many and they were fairly much in & out again within the first hour and made people work for them with a string here and there. bream and wrasse were also had with the better numbers from the Bream. Again were reported some red mullet aka goat fish. At this point I could put a large chunk of post all about romans Exporting the fish all over the empire in the days when there were decent fish stocks but instead will keep it short.
Plaice … yep them flatties are seemingly making their return somewhat a little earlier (by my reckoning) than the usual Autumn time and catches of plaice do seem up although if I am honest the fishing sorta sounds great as you read it in your head but it truly is quite pants for many and its not just the Sussex part of the coast. On talking too various bods that travel for their fishing things are tough inshore from Dover to Chesil and beyond.
Mackerel are very intermittent with no real shoals on the move locally ( still suspect the 2 weekends either side of the 20th for them to show in any numbers and judging by squid reports along the coast at Chesil and Portsmouth regions I suspect we will start to see a rise in numbers of squid somewhen in the next 2 weeks possibly following the mackerel that everyone are lingering for.
Saturdays fishing ? if im being fully honest I dont know. As most of the last bunch of posts have shown things are tough out there for everyone and there is no real way of making it look good.
Sunday on the wall when I got there was a similar story from most of this last week. Granted I didn’t see the morning tide, nor did I meet more than three people who had been there all day.
When I did arrive on the marina Sunday afternoon there was a cross wind from the EAST that was cutting things up and rapidly clearing the lower portions of the wall by chucking up water spouts from the second “V” on the wall fairly much every V from bay 2 had large wet patches and sea spray drifting on the wind.
As a result of the wind as said many were leaving and those who were ganging on for a fish and as one put it ” Im hanging on for an hour, I only want one fish and I have been here all day!” much of the front section of the wall (24-55) was reporting “NO FISH” or responding to my ask of “do you need anything” the same reply was there no fish was ringing in my lug holes all along the wall until……
Oh shit we got an until and it wasnt from John H who did have a good session but he was hidden on 74.
That until? well it was on bay 54 where a dude when I asked how he was doing said ATM crap but earlier (mid dayish) seemingly hit into a shoal of mullet. Some were returned and 2-3 were kept and yes they looked a decent size so there went the cliché about them foreigners that took everything because he had in his back as said, 2 or 3 decent keeper mullet and a Bream or two, vague numbers but I only took a quick glance and yea I can mix up Bream & mullet if decent sizes and a very token glance, so not only did he keep “in size” fish but he also confessed to returning quite a few…. bloody shocking behaviour eh 😂😂
Anyhoo I must add at this point he wasnt the only one too catch a fish as “A” seemed order of the day for most, there were one or two bream caught mostly above 35 and a couple of small returned plaice. And that was as such it, or as much info from the wall that I could get other than rolling the quad too the end of the lower bays at 74 where John was fishing with his lad (maybe nephew, brain fails me) in the corner as I tend too call it on bay 74.
Now before the world charges up too bay 74 too catch all these fish to follow I should point out that John collects his own worms and mighty fine they are indeed, for those that have had some from him they can vouch for the quality. John is also an experienced and damn good angler and knows how too fish tricky marks such as that corner. Scores on the doors for John and the lad yesterday was,
Sole, 10+ plaice, 4 red mullet and a strap eel in afternoon conditions that put most off and had them heading home earlier than they thought.
Needless too say with the constant wind churning the lower bays , the water quality in close wasn’t very good and had churned into that pale milky looking yellow/green as the debris from the shore line churned against the east wall.
Looking at the next few days things look dry all week, light to med (14 mph to 20/25) Monday and similar Tues, then Wed to Sun are looking good too fish and that water should clean up quickly.
Website & blog wont be updated for a few day while the knife jockey’s bugger about with my internals but things should be back too normal in a few days.
Well thats it from me today, anyone wanting bait when the shop is shut can contact my Lad Michael while im not available. Other than that all thats left is for me to sign off today and bid you all ADIEU
F
Almost the weekend, or is for those that now seem to regard Friday as now part of the weekend ! So, whats happening on the marina ?. In all honesty much like the rest of Sussex, “not a lot” Fishing this year is starting to feel like an utter and total bust. So many of us keep saying it’s gonna get better but so far it doesn’t look that way. Yes there are signs of recovery from when the trawlers would double team the coast line but its not just those that have added to what seems like a pass time that is sliding into decline. The quality of fishing seems yearly to get worse.
Yes I have high hopes for the wind farm to generate a recovery but I doubt that the wind farm on its own will be enough. Mass fishing by commercial vessels that need not come too shore are putting dents into various fish stocks that seem unable to recover as the rate of carnage at sea continues, I just hope it isnt too late too stop the slide. Its a global problem that is driven by greed rather than conservation and change is needed fast. Anyway, enough of the conservation bit, whats going on on the marina… oh yea, not a lot.
I gather the day or morning started off quite busy but by time I trundled down there things were slow and people were heading for home (as is often the way that late in the afternoon.) As always I do try and have a chat with most down there even if the cynic would say I do it to flog a few things but thats not strictly true as I actually do enjoy the chats and is often the way a catch up with a few older or familiar faces as well as the new.
Its quite refreshing also to see new youngsters getting into fishing, at one time I was starting to wonder (a few years ago) if we were seeing a decline in youth joining the ranks of anglers on the marina. About 15 years back it felt like I had watched one generation grow up fishing there, many of who still do occasionally who were of a similar age to my eldest 2 (now not so much kids) children and there seemed a gap where hardly any new kids were visiting the walls and it felt like the new kids were missing. In an age of fast growing digital and online interest fishing had become or at least felt had become a thing for oldies. Perhaps I was feeling my age perhaps it was just part of the natural cycle of change but then my youngest often felt like the youngest i’d see fishing the wall.
And then suddenly jnr hit 14/15 & old enough to fish on his own and hit a cycle of beach going with mates and taking an interest in females and for a little while it was all change as I watched him on the beach from a distance wondering when he would join in with the yoikes that loved jumping from the walls into the sea.
That was when I realised I was getting old and had almost forgotten what it was like as a kid jumping from structures and rocks into the sea in the summer.! I guess its one of those things that only kids that grew up close to water can explain and understand. I remember the almost permanent rope swings over the brook in Haywards heath between Oathall school and Lindfield Even as far as where the Brook as we knew it, The Scrase stream/river as its properly called went on to join with the River Ouze.
I’m pleased too say that JNR while he did from time too time jump of the west wall when he thought he wasn’t being observed generally did his best to discourage marina wall jumping. Part I guess was from me being down there so often, part because many of the security team and wardens knew exactly who he was so wouldnt get away with it if caught but also part because he was very aware of the risks jumping from the marina walls was. Thankfully the beach visit element of his life wasn’t as strong as his love of fishing and still is a regular face down there.
Forgive the ramble around part of the near distant past but it was such thoughts ticking over in my head this week as events carried on rolling around my family and I seemingly stuck on our own personal Island but it had reminded myself of my own age and that my kids we from two different generations and my youngest has in the past been mistaken & asked if I was his grandfather ! yup I am that old.
And yes the ramble is about younger generations fishing on the wall and its quite refreshing to again see new numbers of children fishing the walls and not only children of already established anglers. perhaps it has again become trendy or perhaps cool to be out of the house and catching fish, It makes me wonder if climbing trees is still a thing in this seemingly technical age :).😊
By now most will realise Im rambling due to not having much to say about catches on the wall, mostly as I earlier said things do seem to be a bit of a struggle for having fish too report on. On the up side I did hear of 3 more decent bass caught Sun & Monday and one dude even sent me a pic of a double had that I will, as soon as I get around to sorting will get it up on the gallery as well as a bream pic I took 2 days ago that I forgot to post at the time too fb and here. Yes there were bream yesterday, numbers down on the averages for them but they are still scattered along the wall even out over the sand. There were also a few mackerel had but I fear that when they show up they are gone just as fast it seem. Gurnard catches also seem too be more noticeable as the summer rolls on and the low few bays are still popular with the bass anglers and those looking for bream and wrasse.
The high bays are slowly picking up also with more plaice being had, many at distance, mullet, bream, wrasse bass and congers are also common catches although when I visited the upper bays were unusually lacking in people. On the straight bit, as said there are still bream being caught although plaice do seem somewhat thin on the ground and often quite small so please keep an eye on the take sizes.
Crabs are still very evident in their lack of numbers and as yet the hoards of spider crabs so common over the last few years are very evident in their absence. Ive no explanation for it other than perhaps like the bream the buggers are all hiding on the west wall and laughing at us and how flipping clever they are this year.
You will be pleased to hear that for today i have almost run out of things to waffle about so for those that look to my visits to the wall I wont likely be down there today or tomorrow. Today I have to check in with the HHeath anaesthetist to make sure he is happy with my health levels and assuming all is good I will then get my gall bladder removed on Monday which means for the following few days I wont be on the wall Today as said, Tomorrow is BHAFC’s first home home of the season so I will be at the AmEx annoying anyone in ear shot of my air horn. I will be on the wall on Sunday and then Mon I will be in hosp and expected out somewhen on Wednesday. Thus bar this Sun im not overly sure when I will be on the wall but may be depending how I feel next weekend, time will tell eh.
And thus we come to the end of todays sermon 🤣🤣honest 😉 and, until the next one, I will bid you all ADIEU
F
