The Famous Tacklebox Brighton

I guess for anyone that read the blog yesterday the main wonder on the mind would be , SOOOOO how did Saturday night go after the previous two fantastic nights on Bass & horse mackerel…
half the clue is in the title, guess what word follows it? , yup BUST.
Saturday night, well more late afternoon if im honest started with angler numbers picking up soon after five pm. I was made aware that the extension was fully booked so kept that gate shut much too the dismay of many hoping too get on there early.
Yes groups can book extension, day or night at no extra cost and providing the conditions are safe enough too allow people up there especially once dark. HOW? simples , Talk to Mark 🙂

Anyhoo, as I said quite a few were arriving Saturday early eve, granted some were there for a shortish session while the light still held in the hope I guess of some Unicorns showing up and chucking themselves at peoples hooks, them or horse mac of which sometimes they do arrive earlyish pre dark but in general I find the horse mac if there while there is some daylight tend too be early morning dawn than late evening sunset times.
I again spoke too a few arrivals hoping too catch on feathers explaining that in truth they have been as rare as rocking horse poo and they may want too try jigging their rigs down the side of the wall with a bit of bait/food and try for some bream of which have this week seemed fairly plentiful. Needless too say that this idea didn’t really appeal too very many who then went ahead and set up rods with feathers and let fly.

I will add at this point that there have been sightings of said unicorns aka mackerel but most have not been in shore around the marina. I suspect with the high temperatures and as I have been told the channel in general is 5 degrees above what has been considered the normal or average summer temperatures. Thus shallower water venues like Brighton are usually later than other well known places with deeper water such as Dover or even Portsmouth. It all adds up too create a frustrating season for summer fish.

Now, yes I did notice I have veered off the initial topic but tbh I do have waffle standards too maintain especially with todays round up for Saturday night, so I will get back to it now.

Ok, so numbers are arriving on the wall and was quite busy by 7pm especially as the extension wasnt available too the casual turn ups and like the Saturday morning tides things were quite slow with mostly bream keeping anglers occupied with the best numbers close too the high water marks all of the past week.

Clearly the prior reports, social media posts , this blog and word of mouth had got the drums sending messages out as Id say angler number wise it was the busiest evening session so far this year and there was a bit of a buzz about the previous 2 nights on the west with one or two regulars stopping for a chat and a couple kicking themselves for missing the blockbuster that Friday panned out in being.

Well, obviously I had too wait for Ali to come onto the wall to get the lowdown of how Saturday night into Sunday went, had it been a third bumper night of fish ? well, erm, not exactly, in fact what happened is the reason for todays heading of which I suspect a few here figured out early.
Mr P waffling usually means the flipin blog is being padded out coz he’s got sod all to say !
Yup I admit it the full title should read

Saturday night ? Well that was a complete **&5*$* bust ! and so the wall did what it does best, 2 superb nights of fish and then a crashing halt.
Sunday daytime started busy on the west with duty warden JOHN posting too the book of face advising anglers too head too the east wall as west was already rammed, no doubt again a surge of anglers hoping too pick up some bream based on this weeks reports. By mid afternoon people were leaving as the tide dropped and I gather it was quiet a tough old day on both walls with a slower tick on bream saving the day for some but I suspect there were quite a few blanks amongst the anglers topping up their sun tans!

Well thats it from me for today, so Im gonna beggar off to other things. Thats it, so, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F

Well, if that phrase was the answer, what was the question. Answer is fairly simple though, how did it fish Friday night and too some degree the daytime.
Well the day was hard too guage as by time I had got there after a routine hospital appointment it was gone 4pm and things had gone fairly quiet but both walls as I understood it had seen a fair amount of Bream and a few other scattered patches of catch with an eel or two amongst smaller species coming up close too the wall and it seems more on the west but there is still an issue with crabs especially at low tide.

The evening is what I don’t know, mark or someone often post up a how it went or at least some fish piccys but at time of typing Ive not seen any clues. I do know that by 5.30pm there were still a fair amount of people on the west wall so stayed just too keep an eye on things and make sure that there were no idiots trying too chuck lines into the harbour. By half 6 the wall was a 50/50 mix of daytime anglers and people arriving to try their luck over the night session and the extension again had been fully booked with a group of eight and six. I guess the word had gone out about the previous two nights fishing of which was unusually productive for Bass, Bream and loads of Horse mackerel.

Now at this point I should say that I did get during the day a report of UNICORN’s on the west. It seems one dude was convinced that he had seen someone pull up a string of them and there was a very quick flurry of feathers but that was the last I heard of them and erm, too my shame I didn’t go and check it out but that was about 5pm and the guy that told me said they were in & out so fast most didn’t even see a fish, yes they likely were mackerel. There is a chance they were horse mac but it was bright and still full heat of day so very unlikely to be horse mac and so I have too take the report as reliable as was a regular but unconfirmed by a warden and a lazy cba too move self!, shame on me eh! …

Clearly now the title of “I dont know” means I dont know how last night went but this morning saw an unusual post for duty warden John on the book of face marina group.
probably the first one this year saying ….
” Heads up. If you’re coming to the Marina Head to the east. The west is packed to the rafters and theres bream a plenty on the east.”
Unusual this year as the walls angler wise have been fairly quiet even with reports of fish and it no doubt will have mark smiling 🙂

Most of the mornings catches seem too be Bream but long distance messages and slow reports etc sometimes give inaccurate views off what is going on.
Will speak with Ali re last night later on and perhaps get an idea on was it yes or no for 3 nights in a row.
thats it,
sod all else to say , and so as per I will say, until the next one…
I bid you all ADIEU
F

Ok it seems that I may have been dealing this week with a slight case of CBA when it comes too the blog or, as some may have guessed in that there hasn’t been a great deal too post up until Thursday morning when some may have caught a couple of posts on the book of face from Mark so I guess a few words on this week as a bit of a rewind.

Sun to Wed daytimes were seriously naff, windy days hampering things but the expected change of fishing from flippin awful in July into a better August was looking somewhat fragile for a bit. Few fishing is always hard too get a decent picture of any true state, if the anglers are not on the wall it does often seem that the fish are also missing, a bit of a vicious circle especially when so many are waiting on news of them elusive unicorns formerly known as Mackerel !

Strangely (or not) the daytime winds would die early into the evening and shift too being Northerly pushing the waves swamping the west flat and I guess making the saying for some of us old farts where the sea was as flat as a witches tit! Now the benefit of that coupled with tide sizes and times make things look Ideal for bass and horse mackerel come tues/wed. Tues I mentioned this too Ali who was working and his response was, na, will be dead. Hmmm ok, well Tues , Wed were, mostly due too lack of any numbers fishing but some did indeed have some bass and a few horse mackies.

Time, tides wind direction, air pressure too me all looked Ideal and come Wed night I was convinced summat was gonna happen we just needed a few more of the night regulars too erm, get the bloody arses in gear and give the wall a go.
Well Marks posts Thurs morning sorta proved me right and Im happy too say there was a fairly bumper night for regulars regarding bass catches that night as well as a decent number of Bream that had quietly been on the increase since some of the conditions improved over the earlier daytime high tides. Add in a few horse mackies and the stage was set for Friday morning as well as an expected decent Thursday day time but more likely the night tide.

Well I was on the wall from mid afternoon and while some noticed , too many it was quiet. There were fish here & there but most fishing were struggling somewhat. mostly due too the feathers being thrown in the hope of the elusive Unicorns. Now I will just add here, A certain fishing grup that I belong too often refer too cod as them that Unicorns but the way this year has been shaping up my head just screams feking mackerel they like fekin Unicorns and due too the way my brain works I simply just cant thinking that every time I type the “M” word my brain is thinking Unicorn and so until the flippin things decide too show up in numbers I may as well just tye Unicorn because the fish that everyone used too curse as not real fishing has become(this year) almost as rare as the fabled unicorn and rocking horse poo and tbh I couldnt really type here rocking horse every time I referred too erm …. Unicorns!

Now, I am very briefly divert and mention my typing manner and I guess style. Some here have noticed that I do have a habit of typing certain words arse about face some less noticeable others more so. One pointed out example was how I use the spelling of to/too not always correctly as well as obvious words like dont wasnt as well as the occasional mild expletive . I am aware that there are some that are occasional readers who are quite a bit younger here and so I do sort of limit my expletives but will use the occasional one as the blog often represents not just my observations on the marina walls but how my brain works and so sorta shooting from the hip I like too type how my brain is processing thought order and often how I speak too people.
I could clean up my text, I could use a spell check 100% of the time but I feel more at home typing as I think, sorta on the fly and I believe it it a bit more personally me rather than some cleaned up version of English prose as laid out on a formal manuscript. Thus I often leave the errors in as I type, a but lazy I know but I hope gives you a feel for my randomness and ramble as I think as I type for these blogs.

So, back too the wall on Thursday and mid afternoon while things overall seemed slow for many there was a steady tick of bream coming up. On the west the higher extension bays and the region between bays 14 and 4 with many there getting one or two keepers amongst the nibbles and bites.
At this point I should add, for those wondering about them rampaging spider invasion the lower bays on the west still has an issue with them, bad if you want bream on standard baits but good if you still want some of them crabs too use as erm, standard baits 😉 Further up the wall the crabs seem far less active so if you are wanting spiders, best get a move on as they aint gonna be here much longer.

Anyhooo, the west wall was indeed ticking over with bream on & off most of the week tbh and quietly increasing in number with a few also being caught at night.
Likewise a similar story on the east wall there were occasional Bream for many who were targetting them with smallish baits on small hooks. With no one fishing above 45 if was hard too gauge how that region fared but below 45 the bream were quite spread and accounted for the bulk o catches there yesterday with an occasional small wrasse and a few pout & blennies too occupy people.

Back on the West wall come 6ish there were quite a few arrivals, some for the early evening after work/school/college sort of arrivals. (yes im aware most schools are on hollibobs now) armed with feathers and hoping for signs of unicorn others were arriving having seen Marks post of how well the wall had done the night before for Bass ! The word it seems had spread and there definately was a bit of a buzz from some of the regulars.
Now many that have met me are aware that if asked what the fishing is like I do my best too be honest, if it is crap I will state it, its pointless a warden dressing up reports too make it all seem flowers n roses for people too get here, discover its pants and go home thinking either im a flippin liar or they wont ask me again as they cant believe me . If its pants I will say so and thus…

Quiet a few of the early evening arrivals were indeed hoping too catch Unicorn so best I could do is suggest by all means have a go but, IMO its a bit early for shoals of any size and if any show it will be super hard work. Recently any that show are in & out so fast most miss em and its true when I say I have seen more Bass caught in the last 5 weeks than them mackies!
Yes a few were a bit disappointed with that news but I did suggest they use the feathers in another way, ie jig em down the side of the wall with a bit of bait… no bait ? fine how about a sandwich ? no, Mackie donalds food ? oh yea ok try small bits of what they claim is real actual food, a bit of bread , half a chip but not big chunks while the sun is out. Now Im not sure if any of those arrivals caught but there were still bream ticking over randomly up n down the wall.
The bream activity as I type it all sounds very busy but please remember this was over the space of a few hours all along the wall so catches were intermittent and sluggish but things were seemingly active.

As the light dropped, Mark took over a numerically busy wall and there were signs of activity in most areas sorta hinting that the night session may very well be a good one & better than the bumper bass night of the Wed night, I say bumper simply because there were easy over 20 Bass of 6lb or more landed and quite a fe on top. One dude as Mark put it had never caught a decent Bass… until the WED night, he finished with 3 take home fish ! .. go figure.
And so the stage was set,
did it happen ? or perhaps all the expectation due too the night before had raised hopes and “feelings” were just imagination !
Well looking at Marks posts this morning simply serve too show that tides, air conditions or what ever it was too create a feeling of high expectation can sometimes actually be true and happen.
Horse mackerel came out too play quite early as the sun finally gave way too night with good numbers being caught all along the wall for a change. Bream ticked over through the best of the tide and also the early morning turn from low water. and the bass ? well like the night before were out feeding hard and being caught in high numbers.
For a while mark struggled too keep an eye on catches especially as we do get frequent visits rom Sussex IFCA who do keep tabs on fish sizes and numbers caught. All in all a very busy night for horse mac, Bass and Bream. Will it happen again tonight ? I don’t know occasionally lightening has been known too strike more than once but I will admit all the conditions felt perfect over the last 2-3 nights and it did indeed feel ideal for a bumper session on the fish.
I realise may spend their time waiting on fish reports prior too getting out there but often fish report chasing tends too be just that. ya see a great venue report , hit it hoping for the same for it all too be a day too late and the trip is a struggle too find a catch. often it can simply be a case of right time, right place, right moment and I suspect last night was one of those. Ive no idea if everyone will blank today or there will be fish galore , especially as often my hunches are flippin useless which I guess is why this year Ive mostly blanked when flicking a line out.
Finally a quick nod too the gent that when leaving last night said hello in response too my recent post of, if ya see me say hello. Its always nice too see that occasionally these blogs do get read by some people at least sometimes 🙂
I enjoy writing them even if I do tend too ramble but, hey it is my way and if you are still reading this line you may just have got used too my rambles 🙂

Thats it until the next one, and so all that is left is too bid you all ADIEU
F

Yay another Sunday bites the dust and just like that we are in August. Feck knows what this month will bring but i’m probably save in saying it can’t get worse than last month on the marina . yea yeaa I get I’m tempting fate but fek last month was ranging from dire too absolute kack!
Marauding Crabs and a general lack of fish was starting too feel like we were sat in a desert with armies of seals gathering around ready to pounce on any fish that broke the invisible lines of crab invasion.

Now at this point I’d better say that them crabs have not totally pissed off but they are leaving slowly. Anyone wishing too take revenge on the buggers , well the time is now. How you may ask ? well here’s a little nugget of info, its not just the bass that love fresh crab, so do the Bream, in particular, that meat in the crabs legs and I am betting that there are a few people out there that may take just a little joy from pulling the legs from a few crabs for some decent bait.

Over on the fishy front things were somewhat hit & miss. A few actually had a great day having it away on fresh lug and getting plaice and flounder and Ive a suspicion where they were fishing was somewhere close too wall regulars in the Palace Pier club who still meet on a Sunday morning.
Talking of the P.P club, yes they fished yesterday and yes I bumped into some of them as they were leaving. Seems things kicked off for them quite early with Roy landing a nice Wrasse and it all looked good for a decent days fishing for them. Unfortunately it seems that the Wrasse may have well been the high mark of a day where half of them fishing blanked and the other half struggled too fish any fish.

While the Bream are arriving back on the WEST side it seems that no one has really informed the fish on the EAST that its erm, safe too go back in the water….. near the walls !
I was chatting too the day due when I got there yesterday and he mentioned that like the wall being quiet he had gone out on a charted a day or two ago. It seemed that the skipper did a ot of miles too put the crew on fish but was a case of super hard going. credit too the skipper, he not only put in the miles but he also stayed out 2.5hours longer than the booked time too try and get them some decent fish. It just goes too show that the poor state of fishing last month was not just inshore and around the marina. Some boats are having a tough old time getting in or on the fish. Again it seems a mixed bag, some boats are targeting well and getting customers on their targets and others are struggling too hunt down some very elusive fish !

Back on the marina we have (bar last night) had constant visits from horse mackerel and the night high tides have brought in Bream and some decent Bass. Im hoping with the slow clear out of them nasty pinchy clawed things that we start seeing an improvement not just of a species or two but actually see the arrival of expected summer fish. Mackerel, bream, Wrasse, Gars, Plaice and perhaps some decent Mullet activity. At a push ya never know but we may even finally see some Rays, I cant recal the last time I even saw a thornback or Undulate ray this year, it almost seems like more chance of seeing smooth hounds or them flipping seals !

Oh well, I guess thats it from me today, so all thats left is too love ya n leave ya and in the meantime bid you all ADIEU
F

Brain & body now slowly catching up with itself and it seems that with the Spicer crabs slowly making their way back too see it is giving other fish the chance too again venture in closer too the wall. Granted the spiders make great bait for Bream & bass but for most people they are a PITA and tend too drive the smaller fish away and out of reach of anglers and crabs alike. The last 3-4 nights have started producing good numbers of horse mackerel and the midnight plus tides have produced plenty of bass on the west wall. Crab and live prawns still seem the best bait if you are aiming at Bass or Bream and I suspect this coming week could produce some interesting catches and species increases along both walls.

Since Monday especially on the west the Bream are proving quite active around the high tides, as too other species, well Sunday saw a 21lb conger and 2 very nice slabs of dover sole but if im being honest I am sorta still waiting on other catch news especially as the night dude only seems too notice Bream and bass, very strange and hopefully I can catch mark up for a better picture of the last few days on the marina. Im lead too believe that John may be working the day shift down there so I may also get some info from that side of things.

most of the days I have been down there this week the bulk of visitors I have seen are or have been fairly late/recent arrivals and when that happens it is hard getting a clearer picture of goings on unless it happens too be a fishy high tide sort of day.

Not a lot else too say thb, the walls seem strangely mackerel missing and if it wasnt for the incoming horse mackerel at night Id suspect that the crabs were still here and plaguing the walls still!

Ho hum I guess I will sign off on a short post and simply saythat, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F

OVER. Its back!
One or two of you out there may have noticed the website was down for a couple of days but I doubt anyone really got a case of cold sweats while unable too look at it but hey its back. Was a simple fix but simply didnt have time Tues evening too sort as was sorting stuff & getting ready for an early start and travel down too Plymouth for the Funeral of former boat skipper (Lady of the Lake) John Barrow who died at the end of last month.
I would be remiss If I didnt say a few words here and although nothing too do with recent catch reports he had been involved in portions of info for the reports in the past and more importantly not only a damned good friend too myself but also too my wife and 3 now adult children.

John as many may know owned and ran the big white charter boat in the marina. Lady of the Lake is no doubt a familiar memory sat at its berth for many having been there since 2003 until recently the boat moved too Shoreham under a new skipper(Jamie Paige) and underwent a full overhaul and refit. Lady of the lake and skipper details can still be found still on the charter boat list on this website and can be found—>>
—->>> HERE<<
I have known John 26 year as a skipper, friend, and family friend, he genuinely enjoyed taking my youngest son out fishing quite regularly and often remarked how “JNR” would be the 1st too catch.
Not seeing Lady of the lake in the marina when it moved was a strange sensation almost like a brain niggle that something was missing as indeed it was. For a Month now that he is not with me that feeling remains but now not because of the boat but because of the loss of John.

The funeral on Wednesday I guess was a straight forwards affair, but I think like many funerals felt like it was lasting forever and as many started cracking I simply wanted too bolt and hide from it all and perhaps pretend this wasnt real. Im grateful too Johns family for allowing and welcoming us there to mourn and remember John even though it still has an unreal feel in my head and I suspect that for some years too come I will continue too look over too the former berth of lady of the lake and remember the man he was.
A husband, father and Grandfather first, but also, a boat skipper and long time friend who will be missed by so so many but also leaves lasting and life long memories for all those that knew him and called him friend and more.
The wake was a remembrance and celebration of the man that was and is John Barrow and in its own strange way will stay with me a damned long time and also for those that were there, it perhaps, will be remembered for 2 other things alongside John…. RUM and a GUITAR, which perhaps is somewhat apt and Im damned sure the big man would have found it funny !
There & back, 550+ miles in 2 days was knackering but had too be done,
Good night John, sleep well my friend, sleep well.

And so we come back too the website, fixed and up & running in 10 mins and in a strange way covered a life time.

Now, for those starved of marina news I guess I should dig back too Sunday just gone especially as there is actually something too report on. I will steal some piccys from facebook in a day or two but brain cells are still trying too catch the rest of my body up.
As many will know the inshore fishing and more directly on the marina has been bloody dire and seemed for a while almost fishless but I think regular John H singlehandedly perhaps has signalled an end too the crap fishing as he managed (with a bit of help) too land a PB for him with a 21+lb conger and followed that up with 2 quality looking sole that were larger than the average sole caught on the wall and yes I will get the pics up on the galleries in a day or 2.

Now 3 big fish in a day of struggling on a wall may be unusual but most will think yea, but what else ? well tbh not a lot BUT coz we all know there is always a but(with me anyway) so… BUT, Monday on the wall started too show something else even if the weather and more directly the winds have caused a few issues at the weeks beginning.. but,… there was less crab interference even if a few were still being pulled out on lines hanging onto baits there genuinely seemed like less and the brain was thinking well, if the crabs have been a pest too use could they have been an issue for some types of fish ? the bottom feeders surely must have been having issues with them carpeting the ground so logic says , surely if less crabs , perhaps the likes of Bream & Wrasse may just, possibly, probably start too increase.. wouldnt it ?

Tuesday I stayed at home sorting a few things but Mark had rung asking if I had any black lug as people were asking for baits.. hmmmm a fish response maybe ? but didn’t have time or thought for the time being.

And so, short cutting the long way around while waffling I did go down too the marina yesterday after a few hrs on the sofa too recover from the long haul back from the Plymouth area yesterday early morning.
I was greeted by Ali on the start of the west wall and promptly asked have I got any worm .. ! erm ok Hi!
Nope sorry no worm why says I. Bream, Bream man I need some worms ! ah erm squid works says I aannnnd sooo, I got some news from the west wall.

While things have been quite windy making the walls a bit lumpy the crabs were indeed thinning out and the Bream were getting active, at some times very active. Now Ali isn’t one too exaggerate , well not with me anyway and I regard his catch info reliable so dug a bit deeper and indeed Bream over the last 2-3 days have got very active, especially during the days high tides with quite a few decent sized one easy big enough too keep.

When I got down there it was still quite choppy with coloured water on the west and closing on low tide but looked very bassy and on chatting too the few anglers that were there dodging some quite large water spouts there had indeed been quite a few bream catches on the main wall.
The weather wasn’t playing very nice as the forecast had indicated the windy conditions should be easing by 6pm but that wind was definitely over the forecast of 14-20 and nearer like 18-20 constant still and with the low tide now passed it was looking like the extension would stay shut if the wind held.

By 8.30pm it was still quite lumpy and I was heading for home as the light was rapidly dropping but by time I was heading up the hill home it clearly eased.. I can now hear in the background (in my head) fek the wind what about them fish.
Hmmmm them fish, Thursday on the east wall early evening was choppy and somewhat quiet and I cant big up how by then it was the quietness on the fishy front, I don’t know about earlier but by 7pm the east was lacking many anglers and lacking fish also.
So were the fish reports a dream ? well no but also bear in mind that conditions.
Thurs late afternoon were very poor and the tide was dropping fast but no one had mentioned crabs other than myself ! fluke? co-incidence ? or a sign that the crabs were actually clearing out or cleared out.

Ali, for the last 2 weeks had been saying how dead it was even the burst of days that had a few mackies and horse mac seemed a thing of memory so this was unusual him suddenly asking for bait and only talking about how many bream had been caught.
ok it is easy too big up 2-5 fish but 20-30 keepers ? he isn’t one for stretching truths like Eddie & Dave could and so I feel that this is reliable and the Bream are indeed here too play and we now get a clearish patch of weather that should make things clearer.
No mention of mackerel yesterday nor Wrasse, yes there was a Bass or two and now those that look too the book of face in particularly this morning on the marina group will know that there were indeed plenty of MACKEREL of the horse variety over night. hopefully Ali can give me an update later when I go down.

It is starting too look up & Im very aware of the old saying that 1 swallow doesnt mean summer is here but, sod the swallow Im gonna take gulps as it actually feels like them crabs have finally done one and the fish can come back too the wall and feed on all them lovely worms that the shop and other bait suppliers will now be able too pass along So in summing up Ali tells me the Bream on Tues Wed were caught in good numbers , less so Wednesday but conditions were poor and them horsies arrived yesterday too play in numbers and I fill confident that the crappiest month I have ever known in 26 years of walking up and down them marina walls may, just maybe finally behind us, so I say, thank fcuk them bliddy crabs are/have fekked orf

Yes todays blog is long winded but tbh I had a few things I wanted too get said and for me needed too be said and I know we gave John a sending off that he would have loved.
And so for today I get too stop inflicting my waffling on everyone although yaz all got lucky coz I could have honestly waffled much longer about the passing of a friend but for today those stories and events will stay in my head swirling around mixing joy and sadness until only the memories of joy remain. 🙂
Thats it folks for today(aint you so lucky eh) I will be on the wall later so if ya see me say hi If you aint… I wont;)
And so I will close ( i promise) today by simply saying
Until the next one, I bid you all ADIEU
F

AKA Friday!
So, not a great deal too say, the crabs are still all over the marina although I’m told they mostly have stopped peeling I guess which means the buggers are toughening up for a fight before they bugger off. Plenty of prawns east of the marina too live bait with. bass still continue too tick over, mostly at night and I guess avoiding the bright light of day. mind you it seems like most of the fish are also doing the same and angler numbers have taken a huge hit on the marina unsurprisingly as lets face it who wants too drive 3 hrs each way if there is a seemingly distinct lack of fish!

There has been mackerel in the early mornings on one wall or the other but guessing which wall they may show up on is a fine art beyond my ability and so often te bloody fish are taking the piss when they show up just out of cast range or are “IN” so fast you dont have time too swap a bait rig over too feathers. So short is the time they are here or in range at the moment some people have realised it is a case of sod em and dont bother.
likewise at night horse mackerel are also proving a bit fickle as one night they seem everywhere in the twilight half a mile off shore then the dark drops and they vanish like a mist under the sun.

Now this does sound like a bunch of excuses on why no one is catching these once plague numbered fish or it could be another way of saying thee is no flippin fish out there. I don’t have answers and it seems a massive case of be here at the right time , right wall, right bay or, you leave convinced the fish are all phantoms and dont really exist.

Thank fk for the resident shoals of Bass & mullet , if it wasn’t for them the fish reports would be stuck saying a few bream on each wall, some gobies and tons of spider crabs that are turning rock hard ! oh for the joys of a few years back when I could walk onto the west wall and fling a line over and within minutes start catching bream.

I hope too gawd that August brings its pick up on the bream, it does usually seem too be the marina’s best one of 2 months for Bream (sept the other) because this year so far has been the worst ive seen for catches on the marina. Ironic that it isn’t really any better /or much better elsewhere on the south coast ! it does all feel a bit doom n gloom so I guess it cant sink any worse… can it ? ! lets hope not.

Anyhoooo that really is it for today and I may just go and hide until the fish return !
ho hum, nowt left too say for today so I guess I will beggar orf and close with, until the next one, I bid you all ADIEU
F

The weekend that is , mind u so is Roy Orbison but that is a very different matter !
So, (turns out this is quite a long one , ya been warned)
Is it still shit ?
Are there any fish ?
Are they in? or out? or shaking it all about !
Are they still here ?
Have you seen them ?
And most important of all,…. have u seen the muffin man ?
Shrek ? nursery rhymes ? wtf no I’m not having a melt down but my head does collect some weird shit and I cant blame it on the meds as they seem too be doing what the doc expects them too be doing !

Ok, too be reasonable with ya zall I guess I should answer the above nonsense in a slightly long winded kinda way that you probably by now actually expect.
Saturday, went along the seafront with Mrs P and some family members. My eldest Lad Pete is a wrestling nut far more so than even I am(I should perhaps admit family insanity at this point) and so the weekend kicked off with not even a look at the marina as we went down near the I360 or what ever that silly spaceship on a metal telegraph pole calls itself as there was a free wrestling show going on down there. (hence no fish post) and chilled out later watching the Brits vs Frogs WCup game.
Sunday was my wedding anniversary which was spent lazing about and having a few beers with the wife, If I make it without her killin me in frustration from leaving the bog seat up it will be 25 yrs married next year. hence a vague report most recently… which brings us around too yesterdays visit too the walls and a few answers.

Is it still shit ? in a nut shell , YES, everywhere it seems
Are there any fish ? well yea but not really in numbers
Are they in? or out? or shaking it all about ! mackerel, sorta yea & no read lower
Are they still here ? CRABS, they are trying too climb the walls for your food
Have you seen them ? not Mackerel, horse mackerel, late evening they are shoaling and despite a poor rep, they are not bad eating and can be decent bait.

So , lets pad this shit out as much as i often do eh :).
Truth, the fishing is poor when compared too past years, not just on the marina but all along the south coast and its not just Mackerel although they are the biggest noticeable absence. Btn waters are shallower than other common venues such as Dover and areas around Portsmouth and the IOW and as a result see some species clearly ahead of when the numbers start too show up on the marina and local beaches.

Regular readers here will already know my views re mackerel and links too warmer seas, changing breeding patterns, over fishing and drops in what these fish eat (phyto plankton and other smaller tit bits.) so I wont do a conservation speech today. Species numbers do seem too be suffering for various reasons and I can only speculate reasons without obvious and clear evidence as too why.
Some changes are clear, increased squid and cuttle activity in the autumn while spring squid seemingly are fading away. Bream numbers too some heavy hits over the past few years but this year are showing signs of slow recovery and we are getting a mix of black bream and gilthead’s . Plaice is a bit harder too call as they seem too fade one year and then bounce back in cycles and we may just be in one of those down years.
Garfish are slow arriving, perhaps as they are often seen with the main summer mackerel shoals of which the last few years seem too build slowly in July and then ramp up in August of the marina, (sooner in deep water regions like Dover) Wrasse seem too be more evident in their absence with numbers hugely down on say 10 years ago when they could match the bream for numbers. Thankfully we do have resident Bass in the marina keeping that part of the fishery stable but even their activity during these hot summer heatwave days has slowed up.

I wont say it will pick up next month but August is usually the best for multiple species and decent numbers, but I will say in near 27 years of sitting my arse on the marina this is truly the worst year I have seen for fish numbers and reports from other regions which does sorta point too something is broken or very near broken and something has too be done or changed. That point I don’t have a solution too but I suspect it may need a reduction in recreational and commercial fishing combined before we see the end of certain common species.
So, lets get away from the doom n gloom for a moment as I want intending a sermon but my brain does sometimes work the opposite to many normal peoples brains !

Right, lets fill in some blanks too them 5 leading questions especially as I opened up with a broadside saying the fishing is still shit.
Q1, Yes it is very poor and flippin hard work, not just hear but so so many venues are seeing drops so lets call it the too bliddy hot and bright factor too attract fish atm as it sounds a bit more positive and less doom mongering.
Im told the evening & night fishing is slowly improving, mostly due too the last question of which I will get too….. soon honest 😉

Q2 , Yes there are fish but daylight hours it has been very hard work, mullet numbers are less than expected but they are there. Bass Bream and occasional mackerel tick overwith daily catches of bream but mackerel are a bit more , erm , flakey. Early mornings this week has seen mini shoals close in and hang around for a few minutes then clear off. Following that there have been here n there catches through the day , mostly singles but occasionally 2-3 will come up on feathers but I warn you they are mostly right time right place or you wont see a single one all day. Mackies are tough going too catch. Bream as I have said while not in big numbers as yet do seem too be the most likely catch & a few are now fair too decent sizes if you catch. There are quite a few blennies along the wall, mostly close down the sides and erm … do save a blank.
The east has seen a few Pollack of mixed sizes top and bottom bays and has chucked up an occasional plaice & gurnard out over the sandy bays. Seemingly a total lack of rays but there does seem too be more cuttlefish this summer being landed. not sure if was a lack of targeting in the past or an increase this year.
Night fishing at the moment seems too be mostly some Bream, Bass and as said horse mackerel in decent numbers. There has also been a few sole being caught on local beaches so it may be worth baking some smelly worm baits in the sun if ya fancy a go at them.
Q3, I think I have covered mackerel in the above sections, they are sorta in 1st light but numbers are very low.
Q4, Are they still here ? well there I mean them spider crabs which seem dead set on a full scale invasion and take over. A lot of them are still quite hard but there are loads of peelers too go around. At times they are stacking more than 10 deep against the walls.
I will remind all that spiders and many other crabs do have collecting limits set on them by the IFCA and other fishery bodies. You are allowed too collect and retin 20 per day per person as bait and if keeping they should be 12cm across the shell. I realise some would say take em all they are a flippin pain but please be advised. Sussex fisheries do visit the walls and will check catches and spider crabs are something they are very aware of when it comes too people collecting them undersized.

Q5, Have you seen them ? does refer too this weeks sightings of horse mackerel shoals arriving in local waters in decent numbers. Bass needless too say are other than stuffing themselves on spider crabs are also hitting the horse mac shoals and sometimes it can be quite a sight as multi species have a way of exploding in the water as the bun fest kicks off attracting gulls and smooth hounds too the feeding frenzies., so dont be surprised if we again see a few hound takes being recorded on the walls.

Well I best call it a day and sign off before I send you all too sleep(assuming you are managing too read all this) and so, until the next one I will sign of and bid you all ADIEU
F

Well, there ya have it. So desperate for an apt or witty blog title I have sunk too the level of State The Bloody Obvious ! best watch out as I recon next will be “hell has frozen over !”
Why state the obvious? quite simple, so little too say about the fishing I guess BUT, there is a bit of bright news so lets start with that.
Im told that night fishing has improved, although Im not aware of how things went last night it seems that horse mackerel are becoming a bit more regular and have been caught in numbers 2-3 of the most recent nights and bass takes are still ticking over quite nicely, no sign of rays or sole on the west yet but I will keep my fingers crossed that the next few weeks show a marked improvement on how things have been the last few weeks.

Daytime fishing still remains very challenging and while it may sound like a bunch of excuses we have been hit by what I guess is a combo from hell. As I mentioned in the last blog July can often be a quiet month with bright clear water, very little fry in the water inshore, strong sunshine and hot all day seems too put the fish off from being active (cant blame em tbh) often moving too deeper water, add in dropping (or seemingly) stocks of bait species such as Mackerel, Herring, Sardine and such like has, it seems that things have given us something very unusual and the poorest fishing I have ever known in more that almost 30 years.

I realise I posted last time that July is traditionally quiet and not really a mackerel month for the marina, I also added about perhaps clouded memories and was reminded about something yesterday by a wall regular who was cycling the wall for a scout about and pointed out that he defo recalls the likes of mackerel in July and I do actually agree with him, in part, so I will elaborate a bit and get too waffle some more.
Ive mentioned in the past various ICES reports, in particular one 20 years back stating mackerel breeding patterns and migration routes & times. It at the time claimed that Mackies were breeding further and further north and under the polar Ice due too rising sea temperatures ( 20 years ago !) which was claimed would effect the migration timings and patterns as the distances increased. I have often repeated this info a fair bit, initially it was laughed off but being on the marina regularly has allowed me too see some of the changing patterns of catches and declines/rises in various sea species.

Yearly over the last 20 odd years the mackerel seem too get a few days later. Yes we usually get a spring run in April then things slow up & we see May rot take hold. We do see mackerel (usually) but not huge shoals. Often like currently a small shoal will show up, flit along one or both walls and be away inside a few mins meaning anglers needed too be in the right spot at the right time or you missed them. This year that pattern is still there but only Just. Fish numbers are massively down and its not just mackerel and its not just the marina that is seeing a huge lack of fish atm. The whole of the south coast is similar inshore with some boats going out further and further just too get a few mackies.

As said, the migrate pattern has indeed been shown as real, I said Ive been paying attention too it for 20+ years and a 1-3 day change yearly seems very little until you think…. 1-3 days in five years could at a push be as much as 1-2 weeks change, so 10, 15 20 year changes if the pattern continued ?
Perhaps now it becomes clearer why i say that mackerel arent a thing in July as the old “end of June” shoal arrivals hasnt really happened for some years and we are more likely too see shoals of mackerel (if they happen) somewhen into August this year. Something has too change soon before fish stocks take a permanent hit that will take years too undo. on that I don’t have the answers, lets face it we all think
“ahh its only Mackerel, there are tons of em why worry” but the other problem too falling stocks is how the fek too preserve them !
Can you imaging rec anglers being told sorry folks but, Mackerel are only for commercial fleets as they are scarce! Frick can you imagine the uproar ? The bigger problem though is not banning on sector from tking fish too preserve a stock the real issue is that any stock bans should be universally applied IE Rec and commercial alike, its pointless banning one group for the benefit of the other. IMO it simply wont work.

Sermon over & returning too a catch report,
when I went on the west yesterday (mullet) Dave was fishing his usual lower bay and he mentioned that he had seen a shoal of Mackerel (honest he did) about 7-7.15 am and by time he had set up they had been n gone so fast you could easily think it was imagined but nope , the same thing happened on wed morning but that time they were low on the east during the low tide.
Now based on that anyone wanting a half chance at mackerel should try early mornings for a few days, it may just pay off.
I spent all of the afternoon rolling around both walls (yes im that big and round) and through the high tide. Like Wednesday afternoon it was flippin hot and the few anglers there were getting very sun baked for a return of very few fish, most there didnt even get too see a fish caught yet alone catch one for themselves. There were a few fish as has been repeated all week but it was a case of mostly Bream, a couple of Mackerel and Blennies.

Yesterday I think was a new low for me. A Friday summer afternoon with fairly low numbers fishing when in the past both walls would have been quite busy but I cant blame people for not coming down. Lets face it 2-3 hour travel down with the prospect of a blank !, no one wants too do that when costs of things including car fuel constantly rise and people feel the pinch. 4+ hrs in a car, add road works, delays & traffic jams too sit on a marina too get a suntan ! sod that.
I shant say how few fish I saw or was aware of although I was told Roy had caught a nice mullet other fish on both walls were during the day very few and far between.
If this is the low point I guess’🎵 things can only get better 🎵 especially as I’m sure they cant get worse !

Day off as such today as gonna go see some wrestling on the seafront (nr angel statue) so unless something strange happens today don’t expect a blog tomorrow.

Aaaaannnnnndddd with that I will sign off for today and bid you all ADIEU
F

Where oh where indeed.
Be warned, this is a longish read and not much on the catch report until the end so scroll down if you CBA too read me waffle 🙂
I am beginning too wonder where all the fish have gone or put another what, where are they going during the daytime! jeez it feels grim sometimes. There comes a point sometimes when biging things up a little seem pointless if there is little too nothing too big up, or so it feels although some factors could or can be part explained. I know july on the marina has often been a cloudy part of many anglers memories and is actually often a very quiet month during the hot summer days.
Often crystal clear waters mixed with relentless sunshine and sunburns are repeated year after year as memories are clouded by past memories of fishing huge shoals of mackerel and plentiful gar fish. Weirdly i believe it is a false memory. yes April used too be a spring run of mackerel for 10+ days followed or mixed in with a boom of squid on the marina highlighted by then shore guide & now mostly boat guide Robin Howard. now I know I have bigged him up often but in truth its an earned rep and Im not one known for singing anyones praise so the dude is worth checking out.

Anyhow I digress, so April into May traditionally gives us a burst of mackies and then squid (usually) which is then followed by the dreaded may rot which tbh is now getting earlier as the seas seem too be raising average temperatures thus I guess the rot logically will arrive the sooner. may also see’s the boats doing well on the Bream front although the pick upon the walls is slower. yes we get bream sometimes from mid March but the numbers are hardly there for a few more months. May rot passing will see the arrival of the micro species such as blennies, gobies and scorpion fish(bullheads) and over the last few years the early arrival of the spider crabs. And then we hit July !

Oh the joys of July, long hot summer days, crystal clear water (sometimes) and what happens too the fishing during the day ? well IMO , sod all! there , said it. SOD ALL. I swear our local fish population all have sensitive eyes and all shy away from clear water and strong sunlight.. well not all. We are fortunate with the marina fishing as we do have resident shoals of Mullet and more specifically BASS. granted the Bass need a bit of tempting but there is now plenty about too do that.

July’s biggest feature now it seems is that the spider crabs that began in may are in full invasion mode and come prepared I swear with either their own cutlery or are armed with line snips too cut snoods and bait steal in large amounts! There is a bonus though. with so many moulting crabs the Bass get careless and almost it seems are getting drunk on the crab juice meaning that there is at least something out there too target in July Collect a few live prawns or use a drop net to collect some crabs and you are half way towards catching a Bass, how is up too you but its worth watching some of the regulars that fish the low east bays this time of year.

So so many I talk too swear they remember better summers and shoals of fish and its true that this year and perhaps the last 2 years have been the poorest Ive known in 26 years on the marina but it seems every year the same convo happens in July about how it was better in July in past years, Ive checked some of my records going back more than 8+ years and July had been one of them months where if it is hot, sunny and clear waters people have been sunbaked faster than they have caught a fish but…….. July does have a break in that pattern….
July night fishing is the pick up point. Horse mackerel numbers start too increase and from one or two nights a week showing up on the wall sees an almost nightly increase. bass as ever are also a stable catch for night anglers and I suspect we will be hearing about rays and sole again being caught at night on the west. ~
Now Im no fishing guru nor ever claimed too be a good angler. I watch others and am probably one of the laziest anglers you may meet. I do see what others do, occasionally I change how I habitually fish and even more occasionally catch more than a few bullheads and blennies resulting in mostly Bream or Wrasse who seem too play in the same areas of the walls.
As said, no great angler but I am a fairly decent observer and do like too chat on the wall when down there resulting in much lost bait and many missed bites. As a result I have time too look back and compare other years and see patterns.
20 plus years ago I saw an ICES report saying about how Mackerel are moving further North too breed, part from receding ice in the polar region and warmer local waters. At the time I reposted it and was as I say at the time sorta disbelieved. well over the years I repeated this and one or two people started looking at it realisticly and noticed what I had been saying. A slight change in general arrival times of the main shoals that most were accustomed too. The changes were slow, a couple of days per year, a week or so every 6 or so years, now it seems that those big shoals that do show up (up till last year) are later in the year than many of my age remember, so much so that it is over a month later with last year the few that we saw arrive mid August, yep AUGUST. Combine that with dropping fish populations of many round fish, probable over fishing , sea temp changes and it seems like some stocks are suffering as food chains get impacted.
Herring, sardine, mackerel, and more have dropping numbers , In Morocco the pilchard canneries are in trouble due too lack of fish, plankton & Phyto plankton numbers are down and some put that down too less fertiliser in the oceans mostly produced by dropping numbers of Whales. If the plankton collapses so will whole food chains.
Perhaps this is why this years start is so poor. Horse mac numbers at night seem fairly good and so perhaps also may be the numbers of mackerel when/if they arrive in August. Yes we are seeing some mackies in small bursts but this in itself is not unusual so Im gonna cross my fingers and hope August actually brings us some decent fishing.

To me the wind farm does seem too be looking beneficial too fish stock with plenty of fry out there drawing in larger fish too feed, thus nests should and are slowly spreading from there an I can see a recovery from that in bream numbers happening on the marina and Sussex coast in general.
And thus I get too the point of replying too the question, how was yesterday….
well….
erm..
daytime ? not a lot.
I got the quad out earlier than usual and hit the west wall about mid day too find things somewhat quite. From the toilet block the EAST looked near empty so took my time gearing up and having a quick chat with a few of the people on the west. Many were chucking feathers about in the summer heat ! ( sod that too hot for me) but a few also had baits out.
Again low numbers on the wall but not a shock, who wants too travel 60-100 miles and spend a hot summer day blanking ? Social media is a great tool but also a curse. This years visitor numbers so far is the lowest Ive ever seen!. While wandering through I did see a couple of Bream come out and also a couple of Mackerel ! omg they exist , honest. Anyhoo, after a chat & check of tickets I rolled the wheels over and onto the east wall.

Hmmm, no one on the first 15 bays, unusual in itself considering the crab population. Further along a few familiar faces and a couple of dudes returning for a first visit in 20 odd years or so. I did get a brief chat then and lso just as they were packing & while they didnt have many fish they seemed pleased with their visit and said they would be back. On the fish front though like the west there seemed little going on other than a couple or so catches that were returned.

On returning too the west another regular was fishing the lower bays with his nephew on his first visit landing a decent sized eel so hopefully that will be another junior returning sometime soon.
Mark opted too open the west for night fishing and it seems that it was a good call as for the third night in a row the horse mac came out too play along with the bass , and so for a change some decent news rther than a fish desert the night fishing seems too have picked u much too the relief of many.

I will be down on the wall later and will close the east wall for 9pm, the west is again open all night so if ya fancy it there should be horse mac down there too occupy most people.

That is it for today, tight lines too those out today or tonight and I will catch you all on the next one. Until then, yup I will bid you all ADIEU
F