The Famous Tacklebox Brighton

Or should that simply be , Hello again hello!
Now, some of you may have noticed an absence of blog posts and presume the fishing has been a bit shit.. well that’s part right but also much of the time this week when I have been down the marina it has been quiet of people and generally a low tide with very few on the wall too get any decent info.
In shortest version, crap compared too some past years but less crap depending on what you may be targeting.

Many show up on the walls with no real aim or plan so simply target what ever bites. Now that may seem great when there is an abundance of fish but less so when things are slow or fishing is somewhat poorer than expected.
Bass numbers are decent and squid numbers are still on the increase but the bigger stand out for me this year is the cuttlefish numbers and that isn’t a result of them being directly targeted, they have been more a bye product of those chasing squid over the last 10+ years. This year there seem too be much higher numbers and last night of which I will get too are a very good example.

I will admit that fishing is slow, non existent for a fair few sometimes as well. I could list a bunch of reasons such as the wind factors have been for weeks much from the east or north east hampering things. We had what I tend too call the spring run of mackerel this year that failed to show the previous 2 years. Much the same as the no show of squid the previous two springs and I can’t recal a spring with so many cuttle being caught on the walls like this year so far.
Flatties this year seem down in numbers and quality and then there will be small bursts of catches. Im aware mullet are being caught but again numbers seem down or perhaps it is still a bit early for the better fish.

This week in general as said I have been on the marina late afternoons as the tide is dropping or things had slowed right down or even a case of blustery cold winds have seen people home off the wall than most would usually stay. The result of less people on the walls mean less catch info too be had when im wandering around and on the BOOK of FACE catch reports are also lacking in much content.

I am grateful too all who post or send me their catch updates even those who send once every third Sunday or on the event of a blue moon. even blank reports help gauging info too the anglers give an indication of what is or isnt going on out & about.
Yes I am taking time too get too catching info simply because there can be many factors of why I dont always hear or get info and its not always a case of sod all out there. There are definitely fewer fishing this year for April/May than I seem too recal in past years and perhaps its the costs of traveling or people simply are reluctant too travel when reports are not great or are even at time crap! there |I said it.

And so, this week, not real posts as the last 7 days fish seen have been thin on the ground as has the numbers of people fishing. Night fishing often after 10 pm has seen 1or 2 people only making opening at night unviable.
the west is open until midnight today then reverts back to 6-8 with no night session this week, rain forecasts plus wind patterns and tides etc all add up too what is likely too be a no show for anglers beyond 9/10pm.

Have there been fish on either wall ? we yea but its hard too tell on days where anglers have been & gone without later posting a fishing report. Thankfully some of the regulars do post their days out as well as observations which all help me post waffle n drivel here for anyone that is curious.
Plaice have ticked over this week , granted mostly undersized for those targeting them but there have also been some for the pot. bream this week seem Scarce in many mentions likewise only a couple of mentions for Wrasse(generally east). There was a decent gar posted yesterday, the 1st in a while and there have been gurnard and some rays over the sands. The weekend Im told saw Mullet bass and pollack on the east but by far I suspect the bigger number of landings have been squid and cuttlefish when they have been targeted.
The bulk of catches Im aware of on the east have been higher than bay 35 but that may simply be a case of no one having a real go for them lower down.
Over on the west the best of the numbers seem on the higher reaches of the wall with 17-24 being popular as has the extension. As I understand it cuttle initially had better numbers caught on the east with the west showing more squid than the east. The last few days have been fairly balanced but slowly more are squidding on the west than east although it may just seem that way… or ppl struggle with the long walk!
I did pop down later than usual yesterday and rolling up the east only saw perhaps seven still fishing and 2 packing up on bay 74. I stopped and had a chat with wall regular Tommy who was close too the rocks high up had until the incoming tide was near full remarked on a quiet day and was preparing too chuck a packet of lug at the near high tide too see what may…. it did as he later confirmed he landed 10 plaice .. yup 10 which for current “quiet times” isn’t too shabby.
Back onto the west there were 2 on the low bays and perhaps8 or 9 on the bays above 16 and all but one seemed too be squidding or chucking soft lures out.
As I arrived the 1st thing I noticed was all the ink followed by closer inspection Cuttle of various sizes, perhaps 9 or 10 of them . Yes I nagged the guys too erm tidy up a bit so they were quickly bagged and I settled in initially watch for a while prior too the brain haveing a fek it moment and got the light rod out for half an hour with a jig, nope I failed too catch , yes helping James (another regular) I managed too ping the cuttle of the jig, yes it was a decent weighted cuttle but too be fair it wasnt the first or last cuttle too throw a jig while I was there. By time I left the wall Id say perhaps 30+ cuttle had been landed and foolishly didn’t get any decent pics although the brain was working enough too get a pic of the decent squid I saw caught.
Pieman arrived shortly before I left and hopefully will catch up with him too see how he fared. Wen I left there were perhaps 2-3 left on the wall including James having a last few casts b4 the light fully went.

The high slow tide on the west was defo a bonus for catching last night and with a similar forecast tonight Id suggest get some jigs and get onto the wall about 5 ish and fish into the dark for an extra hour . Pack some warmer clothes for the evening as it’s still somewhat chilly as the sun drops, ya may also want some sort of light too see what you are doing once dark sets in.

The weather is showing some changes beyond Tues with stronger westerly wind on Wednesday that may make the west wall somewhat lumpy and its looking like Northerlies of some form for the next few days into the weekend with showers on & off. Almost like May has become the new April showers month! thus an extra layer for the late afternoons likely too be needed.
Yes there are plenty of squid and cuttle out there.. go get em folks.
and the squid from yesterday ? vvv its vvv down there vvv

And, with that final word, I am going too sign off, so until the next one folks I will again bid you all ADIEU
F

This one is one of those … not a lot too say type of posts. Last on the wall sat evening as scooter temp out of use but hopefully being sorted today. Things have been a mix of not very many fishing resulting in not many fish. Water quality has been good the last couple of days with wind factors not being an issue.
We seem too now be getting squid and cuttlefish on a daily basis although somewhat strangely there seems too be less this year targeting them atm. Mark recons that the cuttle numbers have the edge atm but again hard too tell if it is a case of more about or simply that only a few are fishing for both and the cuttle are dropping too the lures most. The rest of the species being caught seem in low numbers but as said these days people seem too go fishing when social media says the fishing is good and even then people are expecting hoards of photo evidence.

A wonderful cycle it is indeed. Only a few fishing—>> only a few scattered fish->> even less fishing reports —> readers see an area quiet —> readers dont go fishing too somewhere with only a few people catching–>> thus only read how quiet it is —>> results in a non visit—>> less people visit —> less catch reports —>>> anyone see a pattern here ?
Social media can be a great tool for informing people but it can also be its own worst enemy, its very much the reverse of what was an issue in the past… someone puts a few good post catches up and the next 2 days see the venue mobbed by people hunting the same fish that was caught a couple of days earlier.😂😂😂😂

Any hooo there have been Bream, Plaice, bass, Wrasse, Mullet, Gurnards, Topknots, Dab & Flounder, thornback rays locally, as well as already posted the squid & cuttle. Signs of May rot ? yes then no, its in and out at times so no doubt on the build but hey, no one is going too catch if they dont go fishing even if the water is awesome or cack.

Hopefully I will be on the wall later of the scooter gets sorted and this weekend there is night fishing through Saturday night on the WEST wall only.

Thats it, as said, not a great deal too post due too fairly quiet walls, thus, all that is left too do is bid you all ADIEU
F

Happy Sunday folks. It seems things have started ok today but I shall start with yesterday evenings massive catch report when I went down in the late afternoon.

Thus, in my usual style of pad this shit out as much as possible.. 😂😂😂 packed scooter, checked weatherman’s report for rain that had kept changing all week as in, will rain wont rain will, yada yada yada, get the picture ? Any hoo I use xcweather set too the marina. Like most forecast sites its not always bang on but Ive got used too it and can mentally adjust a forecast from what’s on screen too actually being outside and erm… smelling the air. No shit, no bullshit I do smell the air for rain and overall air feel and smell combined with a look as xc usually leads me too an accurate estimate of forecast.
Thus showers were expected at 6ish til 7ish then a lull some more flash showers and I should then make it home in the dry b4 the possible night downpour… so was I right ? read on 🙂

So got into the marina and headed over too the east wall as I could see the 1st half of the west was empty and I wanted too get round it and over too the west toilet block prior too the first round of rain…. Well that was the plan BUT, yes, there is always a flippin but…..

Through the east carpak, swung a right onto the path too the east cafe hit the ramp up onto the upper level an scooter spluttered & stopped ! WTF ! turn off turn on, weird it wasn’t overloaded so tried again on the 1st bit of said ramp but much slower… and got about a foot before again spluttered & stopped !..really ? third attempt reaaaaal slow and bump bump scraping sound of a tyre rim grinding the concrete and safety cut off triggered. Thats when the penny dropped. Scooter wasn’t over loaded nor playing up, the rear right tyre was flat causing the scooter too be unbalanced and cut off. After a few expletives I checked the tyre just in case it was one of them slow puncture types and I’d missed the slow deflate only too find that it was going down almost as fast as I was trying too pump the damned thing up…. hmmm… what too do?

First thing was too turn the wheels around and point back into the marina. 2nd , phone the Mrs a situation update sorta thing and contact Motability, they told me too use the rescue number for a pick up, check, sorted and then phoned the actual company that supply said scooter too inform them of the issue, yes I was safe, no it wasn’t raining,(tempted fate on the known forecast) no, i couldn’t leave it in a safe place nor leave it unattended. At this point in the chat I was told only one firm available to do the pick up as all either busy or taken the BH weekend off and the bad news was the pick up at earliest would be 90-100 mins away, oh the joy, a wait of an hour plus and that bang on queue was when the rain started!
TBH I must have looked a bit odd. Scooter with a flat, me sat on a cool box with a golf umbrella up like some oversized gnome sat on a toadstool !

At this moment Mark rolled by and after a quick chat he told me both walls were empty now it was low tide and the 2nd set of showers was underway having piddled down 2-3 hrs early packing most off home soaked. Yep I coulda stayed at home in the dry and without that feking puncture !!!!!!! BAH.
so, looooonnnnng story short, no fish too report off either wall at something after six pm.

Pickup driver I must say was a superstar. he phoned me too say he was on his way and had bumped my pick up too the top of his list as I was the only recovery not indoors thus considered venerable due too weather conditions. He was super helpful, got me home with the scooter in good time and unloaded the scooter from the flatbed despite a down pour that was torrential. This he did even though I said was happy too wait for said rain too ease off but nope he shrugged the idea off got out of cab in jeans and a t-shirt and simply got on with it & you might have thought he was sunning himself rather than unloading in the driving rain.
Heck yes I thanked him properly !

All of yesterdays fun did mean that the only catch reports I could put up were bits n bobs gleaned from any earlier FB posts of which I can now update on.

I guess the best start point would be a post from Chris H & his mate Michael on the east yesterday on the morning tide and said he had,  “8 plaice biggest 25cm,2 tompot blennies,1 dab,I grey gurnard and a tub gurnard. 5 species Now, some may say, is that it? granted the plaice are small but that does seem too be a common theme all along the coast atm with the occasional decent size mixed in. Squid and Cuttle landed on both walls and oddly still only a few targeting them during the day. Most “squidding” seem too be late afternoon into the early evening and early dark hours. Granted tides may be the key too this peculiarity atm but hey, reasonable numbers of squid and cuttle are now being landed on both walls. I suspect the after dark numbers will increase as the number targeting them does the same. If you are not sure on the how too squid I’d suggest get yourself some fluorescent jigs that are weighted of which are probably the easiest too use much in the way someone would use a 25g dexter type wedge. Come down prepared too have a go and look around at some on the wall already throwing jigs out for them. It is easily picked up and there are plenty of how too links all over facebook and the net in general. Another popular jig type are the float set up ones and used in a fairly similar way too the weighted versions.

Info on yesterday is somewhat vague so I wont dwell there but I have had a little bit of a round up from Mark and John who is the day warden today.
After dark the walls have again been empty bar a handful of die hard’s and tbh only squid & cuttle have been mentioned although I do gather that some large squid have been lost either at the netting or due too a lack of net…
The early morning dawn and sun up saw some schoolie bass and squid on the west and a plaice here n there from the early arrival crowd. Over on the east , also squid shortly after opening at 6am and Im told that plaice , bass, bream, pollack, and dab have been caught. I gather the palace peir club are fishing on the east this morning and there is some fish activity for them. If anyone fancies joining a small group(or want more info) who regularly fish the wall Id say best contact person would probably be Glenn Arnold who can be found on quite a few of the various fishing groups on the book of face.

I shan’t be on the walls now until the wheel gets sorted & being a b/hol who knows when that may be so anyone needing something out of shop hours should ask a warden if anything can be done with regards too getting bait & tackle items out of hours.
Well thats todays yarn out of the way, or should I say done and dusted ?…. And with that all that is left to do is, until the next one, bid you all ADIEU
F

POST about fish.
A late afternoon rumble down Manor hill onto the Marina walls at low tide.

A sort of alt title I guess.
It is still IMO a bit early in the season for the marina walls too be producing decent numbers of fish but there are signs of improvement, even if half the world are starting too realise that mankind is over fishing the oceans. Thus, I found myself rolling over too the east wall and a low tide underway. Very few anglers left on the wall at this time of day & state of tide of which is quite normal even during the busier summer days.
As a result it is always hard too get a clear picture of how the main part of the day had fished or how many had indeed been down there. I do get some info from wardens but that often is a little sketchy and not over detailed due too them watching both walls and lack the time like I have too stop and chinwag with anglers on the wall. mind you, too get said sketchy info I usually have too actually see the day warden and I think I got there just after day dude had gone and Ali arrived for the evening/night shift.

Yes I confess I pad some reports, regular readers here will know by now how I waffle the padding in but I will say if the fishing has been poor, half decent, crap or good. The problem I do have is trying too drag different bits of info together & some fish reports arrive a week or so late when I next see the angler on the wall or 3 days later post too the book of face.
A good example of this was the rumour 10 days or so ago when I had heard of mullet caught.. or dropped high on the east and mentioned I would try and confirm that bit of info. i should have posted a couple of days ago but it had slipped my mind(easy done these days). Anyhoo said mullet(s) were confirmed when I came across Roy A earlier this week and did indeed confirm at least one decent mullet and another dropped at the wall a week earlier.
I am often reliant on FB posts from one or two of the various fishing groups there, some ppl will message me how they got on, wardens will update me and quite often when someone re visits they will mention prior visit & how they got on. this results , often in staggered info or late catch ups. If any readers here would like too share catches but are reluctant too do so on facebook anyone can do so by emailing here using the link on the bottom of the homepage. Emails too the website come directly too myself and this also is the reason that the shop doesn’t take online bait orders, the emails only reach the shop if a message needs relaying such as invoices etc.

Feel free too email me a catch info/report, if you don’t want me too put your name up here in a blog please say so when u message though as I lost my psychic abilities when I hit puberty 😂😂

So, back too yesterday, perhaps 6-7 on the east. I stopped an chatted with a new visitor dude fishing up on bay 58 ish who had been there some time and had still too see a fish. A decent chinwag but no fish !…
Along the straight section there were a couple of pairs fishing and looking quite glum regarding fish but did say they had a decent day on the wall.. for a change decent sunshine, the water had cleared much of the silk and visibility was improving all the time. Im betting that over the high last night visibility was very good but I ddidn’t wait that long too find out. Down towards the 20’s and news of some small(returned) plaice and a little gurnard that took feathers on the retrieve. All in all, slim pickings yesterday on the low tide.

from East too the West(that triggers a fats domino tune in my head !) and again not so many fishing. Some near ready too pack up for the day and others recent arrivals for the night session. Hugh was back with his dog which looked somewhat bored of the goings on and while there I did see him reel in a small plaice and there was a cuttle in a regulars bucket on the extension. A yap with Ian & Wife Sue told me there had been a few mackerel earlier as well as a decent bass on the low bays but things definitely seemed slow going as the tide turned.

Again a similar story on the west as was on the east. too few anglers too really catch how things were fishing but can confirm a few plaice & bream, plus as said a bass on the low bays and a cuttle on the high. Am not sure how the high fished but hopefully Ali may have some info when I see him later too day when I point the wheels down the wall.
Am contemplating fishing tomorrow morning too just after the high as JNR mentioned he fancied a dabble on the wall tomorrow, time will tell.

Thats it folks, not much of a catch report for yesterday unfortunately but hey, as said, I still think for the wall its a bit early and I can confirm the local boats are doing well on the bream and squid atm.
Aaaaannnnddddd so, until the next one, I bid you all ADIEU
F

morning world. No catch report today as walls were shut most of Wednesday and yesterday a windy easterly day meant almost no one on East when I went down and only about 10 on the West wall at the time and most were struggling as the tide hit the low.

Thankfully weatherman who erm never tells porkies say today the wind will/has dropped and is going too be sunny for most of the day and then a little bit of cloud cover late afternoon.
The west wall is open for night fishing today then also Saturday and Sunday nights.
East wall open at 6am daily and closes at 8pm so please help the dudes working and pack up in good time too get off the wall before 8pm so that the gate can be locked for the night(cheers)

Saturday, like today will have next too no wind (hoo flippin ray) but possible showers late afternoon for 2-3 hrs, now, if it piddles down don’t blame me I’m only repeating what said weather ppl are claiming, they also dry overnight.
Sunday sees again a rise of north too north east strongish breezes that settle as we get too the evening (again, allegedly) followed by what looks like a decent clear spell that may just finally see the water push clear of the yellow streak of a silt stream running along the front of the marina meaning the Mondays bank holiday , or as Mr Grinham was want too say ” Bonk Holliday” should in theory been sunny and a decent day on the wall for everyone wanting them red necked sunburns 😂😂😂😂.

Im told the shop will be open until 6pm today and also Saturday and Sunday as the weather looks decent and the west is open at night.

There have been squid and cuttlefish caught on both walls, not massive numbers like last autumn but a fair tick over each day that it hasn’t been blowing a hoolie out there so its well worth digging out those squid jigs or if you need too resupply I have checked with the tacklebox and they have plenty of squid jigs in stock.
Finally with regards too the shop they have some IMAX beach shelters that Phil (owner) Is happy too do a decent deal for so pop down or give them a ring too discuss price.

Thats it for today, and so, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F

Not a lot too say today but more importantly BOTH WALLS will be closed tomorrow (WED) due too high winds. and possible close on east thurs but at time of typing it is expected both will be open.

I did have a dabble yesterday on the west through the dropping tide with a few bites and nibbles but things had died that side. Im aware Chris H did quite well on the east with 9 plaice, 5 dab a small gurnard and a dropped mackerel but as said yesterday I didn’t go over there during the daytime. Am elsewhere today and gather it is quite windy down there as the winds climbs so that is it for today.
Short, sharp & sweet eh. and so, until the next one, yup I will bid you all ADIEU
F

I hadn’t planned on doing a blog this morning being as things were so quiet yesterday what with a few plaice coming up here & there with a squid or 2 on the west confirmed and a couple of cuttle mid wall on the east.
That plan changed when I went down for a quick lunchtime look on the extension and pick up my scooter trailer.
A quick update from Mark fairly much confirmed that the daytime yesterday was hard going for everyone other than the few trying for squid & cuttle at various times through the day.

Saturday night did produce a decent squid for Tony who also I’m told dropped a couple of others while down on the west and planned his return last night also, of which he did and managed squid again last night but again things were overnight somewhat quiet. As well as the couple of cuttle I knew about caught over on the east Peter also managed a couple later in the day which Mark posted a couple of pics too the book of face.

This morning on the far end of the west there have been 6 or 7 fishing and can confirm schoolie bass , squid, cuttle and bream coming out so signs of a pick up are there. granted not too the level perhaps of some past years but the wind has calmed and perhaps now the water will have a chance too clear the yellow looking silt out of the water column.

Squid and cuttle have now been caught on one or both walls every day for the last 6 days even though only a handful of regulars have been targeting them. Perhaps it is finally time too dig out those squid jig from the bottom of last autumn’s fishing boxes, that, or invest in some new one’s😂😂 No doubt the tacklebox will have a stock of them for everyone. failing that , give me a shout 😉

I didnt stay long on the west as was only a quick pick up trip and I didn’t venture over too the east so no morning info from over there.
Thats it for now, and until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F

BRUTAL!

Sometimes some days don’t pan out as you would expect and from what I saw yesterday , well yep Saturday was one of those days that my tiny brain looked back on the day and todays title was the thought that went trough my head.
Now that may seem a bit melodramatic and a tad over the top but I shall explain my thoughts a bit further :).

So, for some weird reason I was up earlier than normal, I’m not the greatest sleeper in the world and as a result I sleep less than I doze alternating between the 2 through the night so often sleep if that’s what its called later than most would realise. For this lazy arse 10am is more normal than 8am these days.

Anyhoooo….. yesterday I was up earlier than the norm with the plan of get coffee, start blog, get more coffee and get the old bones and joints flexing. Well that was the plan, I got as far as get coffee when the door bell rang. Now, anyone reading right now expecting a short answer on why my brain went “well that was a bit brutal” don’t really know me and my typing, that or are a new visitor here and dont realise I have a skill too waffle for a while before |I get too any real point or bit of catch info although the title today may be a bit of a give away, Im just adding a bundle of context too it 😉 so buckle up sweeties, its gonna be a while.(more coffee time)

Back too that doorbell… well it wasnt the bell as that was still on charge by the keyboard but the door was knocked. Brain said “who the f*** is that at this hour” & thought.. postie, delivery, crazy neighbour (it happens) but no, it was a crazy angler down from London!, had too be crazy as he was knocking on my door at 8am on a Saturday morning when most know im not likely too be up and more likely too shout from out of the upstairs windows too the tune of
“WTF do you want at this time of day” BUT
Coz there is always a but in these things, as said for some unknown reason( i may be psychic, or psyco..) I was up dressed and had sufficient coffee in me not too shout sod off through the letterbox.

At this point Id say, cut too the short story bit, but, it’s me typing so I wont😂😂
Anyhoo, opened said door too see a wall regular & friend Wayne! stood there, who tbh was the
(*brain* wtf wer’e closed) last person I’d expected although to be fair he had messaged me as some weird hour of the gone midnight hour so hadn’t checked it then nor as I was getting up.

Yes I admit it , I let him in😂, then he mentioned, erm can’t stop friends in car& afterthought , oh and so is daughter, going fishing, “want my rods that I dumped on you for a whole year and forgot you had them” sorta speech followed thus daughter n friends were invited in for a coffee n chinwag etc.

General chit chat ensued and was established they were headed too the west and other than collecting rods tackle & bait wanted an insight on the fishing. This is now partly about that title of the day so sit up, pay attention or I will waffle even longer and you will run out of energy reading this drivel.

So, summed up the weeks blog added a bit more detail for where they were looking too fish.
well wayne, says I…
wind has been a big factor, killed it Saturday, wind eased a bit Sunday n east fished ok & west ticked over but Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, & even Fri the wind had played a big factor in knocking back the fishing with cross winds also dragging heavy loads of silt across the front of the east and in general I suspect put many of giving it a go certainly on the east in the cold wind but part on the west also. That and still being early in the season things had been fairly quiet on the numbers fishing.

Looking out of the window(my weather vane) I said, well winds dropped, suns out and the rate that the water had been clearing I expect decent water quality on the WEST and a yellowish silt line across the front of the EAST (got that right) The sea state is calmed so should still clear further & as a result I recon it could be a decent day as signs are there of a quick pick up being as we have seen through the week tough going but 1st’s of squid & cuttle and even a few mackerel but, should be good and being good can be two very different beasts when it comes too fishing the marina.

With the provided update Wayne & co headed off for the marina west and I would catch up with them some time after 6ish on the west. Once ready I stowed my loaded freeze box and rolled down the hill on the blue quad into the marina and pointed the wheels too the East wall, made a fuss of the cafe hounds and rolled onto the lower level of the east too check out the state of things.

By late afternoon many day trippers were packing up and heading for home so plenty of space for anyone coming down too fish the last couple of hours on the east prior too close at 8pm.

the first 12 bays were already empty and the first dude I spoke too was on a visit from Scotland. A short chat & info share told me he had had a tough day but pleasant day in the sun and was planning a return. next up a regular angler with his family of which his 2 lads seemed keen too fish but there seemed a lack of fish for them too catch. Again a similar story of very tough going but they had just pulled up a small conger that was returned. Rolling up the wall the general story was , “been dead for a while now but hoping for fish with the high at 7.30ish pm. Into the 30s the same things were repeated until I finally found someone with real fish 😉 A couple there had 2 dover soles, one each. Very happily I was told the dudes fish was a tiny tiny sole while his partner chuckled showing off a lovely sole she had caught… the story of pheromones did get mentioned 🙂

I did venture up to bay 60 & then turned the wheels around too head back too the cafe picking some rubish up as I went back. Overall the story was tough going and for those I saw , very few fish . yes the water was coloured with silt but I had expected much better with the much improved conditions and lack of wind.
I am pleased too say that most were in decent moods even though there had been a lack of fish, the bulk of ppl I had talked too had had an enjoyable day on the wall.

Over onto the west i rolled and caught up with Wayne & co starting too pack up, sadly no fish for them but like those on the west had enjoyed getting out and having a go in the sunshine. The west had been quite busy all day and the extension was open and still full.

Quite a lot of regular faces fishing the west so plenty of chin wagging and catch ups done. While chatting with Kadir one dude was leaving and had 2 decent bream in the bag.! yes, fish, someone had caught something too take home. It seems they had been caught earlier , much earlier than the high and probably just before the mid tide level. The west was tbh a tale of a few bits n pieces. A plaice here n there, (I was shown 2 separate ones while there) likewise a bream or two over the high but all in all totally what I hadn’t expected things too be like yesterday.

The morning started off quite well and full of promise & myself thinking, its looking good out there it should be quite fishy, and yet, as I was rolling towards the exit gate on the west my brain was thinking the title …. yep, WELL THAT WAS A BIT BRUTAL.

Now, I realise this post reads a bit like doom and gloom but there are two sides on a coin and the other side of the coin I just painted is a little better. There was a couple of squid caught on the west and also while on the east one regular had a cuttlefish, had dropped another and was trying for more. Out on the boats Simon (ex marina gardener) had had a decent day on the bream and squid and had shared a post with piccys on the marina fb group. There are decent numbers of squid, cuttle, bream, even mackies out there just off shore, perhaps pushed deeper by crap conditions this week , perhaps just because thats what fish do too piss us all off and tease by staying 300 yards away from our lines.
I stated too some yesterday that if things continue too clear and stay calm I wouldn’t be surprised too see mackerel bridge the gap too be caught on the walls come Tues/Wed this week ahead.
There are signs that this year can or could be better than the crap that was last year and while we may have “MAY ROT” looming, things feel too me at least on the up for a change.

Final update of todays extended yarn is about NIGHT fishing and an update of last Sat night and just gone Friday night. Catch report from Mark for both nights.
M/”well there were only 5 fishing”
me/ when , last sat or last night
M/both,
me/ any fish ?
M/ 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Okay… em , no horse mac yet folks , other than that, erm, I guess, no one really fishing .more reports too come if I get any !.
No info how last night finished up through the 7.30ish high as thats when I left the wall.

And finally, with that, I’m gonna sign off for the day and simply say, Until the next one folks, I bid you all ADIEU
F

To talk

Ya know it makes sense and yesterday was a good case in point. Why ? read on coz I’m gonna pad this one out a bit…. Are you all sitting comfy ?, if no naff off as you most likely are in the wrong place and don’t realise i’m about too start waffling and perhaps mention a fish on the bottom line of this yarn 🙂 but, more seriously you may save time if like some (I suspect) simply jump too the last three paragaph sections too save time and being bored sh1tless!

So where too start. Night opening.
As some should now be aware especially if you check the home page rather than just hit the blog and disappear after reading the blog that, we have had a couple of nights fishing on the west with last night being the second and the west will again be open tonight all night as well as Sunday night(tomorrow).
I believe the plan is too open most weekend nights if the trade is there. it would be nice for some of the regulars if mark opened every night straight off but obviously costs need factoring in and lets face it if only 3 people fished each night Mon to Thurs that has too have a warden working (all night) and somehow said warden will want paying and I doubt 3 ppl would want too cover the wardens dosh each night . Thus, we are , or should I say Mark is opening at weekends when he would at least expect too cover the cost of staffing the wall each night.
So what’s been happening(resisted the Marvin Gaye reference this time;) ) ?well the biggest feature this week hasn’t been a fish its been tht flippin wind. It seems too have started blowing last weekend and simply not giving up trying too chill the brass balls off them three monkeys everyone talks about.

I’m gonna put the somewhat crap fishing last weekend and the main chunk of the week down too this wind that has either howled a fairly strong easterly or its sat north too north east making things unpleasant for most especially as the sun has been out and the air without that wind has been t-shirt weather. The one real benefit of the winds being mostly north have been that the water is clearing out v fast and depth visibility is very good. thankfully that wind is fading off and its almost feeling like the summer is on its way fast-ish.

so, yes Im getting too the report bit, all two lines of it 😂😂
Mon too thursday there has not been much too report, mostly due too the lack of people fishing when I have been down thus accurate info has been a bit hard. ironic that many who have had a go have caught even on the east in the face of mother nature.
So, tough going the last week on the east shaken up with a few fish of the usual suspects of mostly plaice, a bream or two and a giant sea slug aka conger here n there. it truly hasn’t been great although it has been nice out in the sunshine. Yesterday there were a few more on the east but catch rates were very slow and is a bit hard too big up other than saying today as I look out the window the tree tops are still and its sunny out. its gonna be a warm day now that the wind has all but beggar’d off.

Over on the west things have been a bit more sheltered and is beginning too show signs of “almost summer” and yesterday there were a few more fishing than the prior five days & possibly more there yesterday than those five combined. Now I realise that makes the west sound rammed but hardly the case and reality is that the wind and slowed up catch reports have likely as not put people having a go.

Has anyone started too wonder when I’m gonna get too the title of todays yarn ? well hang in there as Im almost there.
Catch wise on the west things have picked up having had the first squid of the year a few days ago someone else had another yesterday of decent size. Now I realise two swallows does’nt make a summer or so the saying goes and I know 2 squid have happened in the past and then crash, no more until the Autumn but looking around the walls over the last ten days and picking bits of news up from other anglers and boat skippers this year is starting too look at least promising, that or its just being cruel with an early teaser followed by …pfffft… but lets face it last year was dire, id use other words but I believe some younger ppl read here also, so best keep it cleanish tho I know many U15’s that swear like sergeant majors!

So how is it picking up IMO ?
As already said in other blogs, this year we have seen at least three types of Ray in undulates, thornbacks and at least one small eyed (according too general ID)ray. Last year rays were almost non existant. Again as said we have had squid and cuttle fish caught on the walls. granted only a couple of each confirmed but I think or can only recal one squid last year so already an improvement. Bream have been scattered along the higher bays of the east and while plaice numbers arn’t that great they are ticking things over on the EAST wall and on the WEST they are also a regular catch at the moment. Add too the above and we have DAB making itself seen again in a decent number for the marina and frequent catches have been on the east wall.
John H had a decent sized wrasse in the last week giving a hint that their number may be recovering and high bays on both walls have seen guilthead bream. Not convinced >? conger numbers are up and there have been a few bass pushing up to the 5lb mark already.

Yes we have been plagued with dogfish followed by hound pups, nothing that unusual I know but now the water is clearing fast I expect too see those numbers drop as they get replaced by summer species.
No real signs of garfish yet but again they cant be far off as the decent weather arrives and water temps come up too summer levels. We have seen early mackerel bursts on the east, could this be the return of a spring run ? 10 days too 2-3 weeks prior too may rot. Im told there have been plenty out at the 2 mile regions so with luck they will make the hop inshore for those armed with feathers.

Back onto the wall, in particular the west wall I did venture up there for a mooch about sixish and a chat with friends Sue & Ian who fish the walls regularly when like myself health allows and the usual chin wag with other anglers also … see it is good(the title) but why I can hear in the background. Wellllll……

well, when I got onto the west it seems that things were very show and there were plenty of bored or glum faces if you don’t count the new arrivals. I did see a small bream come up too my left and also a conger of 8 or so LB’s but little else seemed too be happening. Sue & Ian in the middle of the wall had not anything too show other than a tan forming and the bulk of people that I said hit too indicated they were so far blanking. I will try and dig some info on how last night fished for tomorrow if I remember too accost Mark 😂😂

And so we get too the “it’s good too talk” Prior too my leaving I had quite a long chat with marina regular Tommy, part catches and part general chit chat &chewing the fat as some say. Now Had I not stopped for a chat I would fully have missed his info being as he had fished a big chunk of the afternoon/day up close too the tower block.
He had posted too the facebook group last night after I’d left the wall that he had had 7 bream and 2 were sizeable but more importantly he also gave me a bit of round up of what he had seen and there were a few people that had already left who also had caught bream some well before the high tide.
Now I have had bream on the low tides on the west but too be fair the bulk of bream catches have been either side of the high water marks and it seems yesterday the bream had got active 2 hrs prior too the high all proving something that I keep banging on about not only on the walls but also the marina FB page. Chat too your neighbour even them weird looking weird speaking white English dudes. Some of them have useful info, tips and perhaps a spare hook or two for when them spider crabs stat hacking up rigs without you realising they got the bait and the flippin hooks!
Yes there are spiders about & yes they seem too enjoy cutting lines so ya may want too invest in some pop up/floating beads.

So, as a quick round up (ok i dont do quick) spring has sprung and signs while not great quite yet they do look fairly decent with in the last 10 days despite the frikin winds the following, Plaice, Dab, Flounder, bass, conger, dogfish, hound pups, Mackerel, yes mackerel, spider crabs are arriving, squid, cuttlefish, sole, wrasse, black and guilt head bream, a few whiting, mullet (A) Dev D knocked off a debated is it A or B as in either a juvenile Turbot or Brill and tbh Im not gonna stick my neck out and say which because Im not 100% sure of what I think it is but was a nice catch for him of a local beach. A nice Topknot was landed on the east wall and there are red mullet and gurnards out n about already so while the numbers may not seem huge its not bad going for what has been quite low numbers on the wall. I do expect things too keep picking up as we do seem too be entering a better period of calm weather from today onwards so fingers crossed, the hints of fish out there seems too be better than last year and on the improve at the moment… there may even be some horse mackerel this weekend.. watch this space.

thats it, honest I’m gonna stop now.. well almost & thats too say the usual sign off. Until the next one… I will bid you all ADIEU
F

Due too a lack of anglers yesterday I sorta lack any catch info, there were only 2 on the east yesterday one under the steps at 29 and one high about 55 but both had avoided blanks with a small plaice each in what at the time was challenging conditions with a strong wind chilling push from the east.
Ironic that the water is starting too look quite clear with a decent visibility depth.

The west was little better with a group of four high that seemed too be slowly packing and a few other souls mostly feathering lower down. Defo a quiet afternoon and I lack any other info beyond that. Tuesday I stayed away due too heading too the AmEx too watch Brighton take Chelsea apart.

Todays weather looks (from indoors) almost identical too yesterday so when I do venture down Im not really expecting too see many people.

A reminder here that the WEST wall will open all night tomorrow night (fri) and will remain open through the entire weekend with night fishing Fri/sat & sunday night.

Affter a message from Lee in the shop I can also confirm that the TACKLEBOX will stay open on all three days from 6am and close at 6pm.
Bait orders should be phoned in so that it can be reserved as they dont take any form of online orders either throught the shop or via the website email that comes direct too me at home. If you wish too contact the shop, the usual method is too phone them directly on 01273 696477 Emails as said too the site come to myself.

And thus, no catch info too pass on and a shrt post today. all this means that, yup, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F