Mixed bags this week on both walls , not the best of things but it is still only April. Plaice continue to tick over with the best on the east, it seems the bulk of the squidders are atm opting for the west wall and I suspect it is mostly to do with the walking distances for most so the best of the squid are being caught over on the west. That said the sizes of catches this year are good and it looks as though the small pebble squid that are favoured as cod baits have either come and gone very early this year …. or are still behind the game. Time will tell.

While on the subject of squid …
The SQUID COMP IS planned to go ahead on Sunday as things stand. Some have raised concerns about the weather or more to the point the wind forecasts atm. As things stand I and others have a close eye on it and any late call to abandon will be made Saturday and posted here and on the marina fb group. As it sits now it wont be pleasant and will favour weighted jigs and rigs over floats , should we be forced to abandon the comp will go ahead the following Sunday May 1st same times.

On the east wall the portaloo situation hasn’t been resolved, it has been raised again with concerns and Dave has replied to that via the facebook group saying it is being sorted and should be resolved fairly soon…. lets hope so eh 🙂

On the catching front the boats are now into some decent bream not that far along the coast and in my opinion the 1st bream on the wall are late, Ive often seen guiltheads high on the east mid march so im expecting someone to start into them very soon.

Repair info
East is now very nearly finished jet washing, loads of marina meetings have delayed dave finishing the top end but he has now reached 59/60 where the marina repair folk have been waiting for a safer surface to get the wires fixed up there between 60 and that final bay Roger Stanton favours (74) so much.

There wont be any night sessions this week but dave is regularly fielding calls to “when” so expect a few more weekend dates to be posted very soon, as always I will post a pointer on the home page, sometimes here and on the Night fishing web page.
Health issues have distracted me somewhat from doing more regular updates so please bear with things being a bit erratic, sitting at a pc is a struggle so most updates are short and sweet usually on the home page. on the up side sunshine does help when I can get out in it so lets look to things being posted a bit more often when I can.

Very few reports of sole or bream from the beaches or walls but yes they should pick up now. Still loads of small dogfish about and ray catches are on the increase with quite a few varieties rather than all thornie or undulates so for the species hunter things are on the up & up, I even saw a report locally this week of a topknot taken on a lure. With the improved weather the boat reports are improving in number and quality so that will I hope add to catch news in the next few weeks :)/

I have also finally learn to pay attention to the activity of the lure boats , it seems they are a great indicator of what to expect on the walls …. who knew eh !

Im going to sign off now as i’m starting to waffle for want of something to type up so will close with the obvious news of some nice bass caught, the prawn activity on the undercliff is good and the occasional mackerel is now not unusual on the east wall.
For those attending the squid comp, I will post saturday a Y/N and hopefully I will see you there …. yes I will be helping for a change.
till then … adieu
F

Dave has been busy with the new jet washer (even with its problems! ) and there will be a special night opening this Easter weekend so

Friday both walls will open until 9.30pm
SATURDAY open 24/7 yes night fishing
SUNDAY open 24/7 again night fishing
MONDAY walls close 6pm

All night anglers are reminded that the east car park is now NO PARKING that currently includes the blue bays , they are there for customers of the businesses at the east end \

ALL parking is in the multi storey , please avoid fines and tickets.. Drop off pick up is allowed on the east.
Recent catches include plaice, bass, flounder, whiting, rockling still lurk and as the water clears now there should be squid.
Things look nice and calm as we move towards the squid comp that will be on sun 24th April on the east … details posted on the squid comp page

So marathon day is hear so delays expected all over Brighton, Wilson’s Avenue im told is now open (10am) so not all bad. East wall fishing quite well although the bulk of the plaice are skinny there are some decent keepers to be found. It sees we are getting more flounders than in the past couple of years so perhaps the changes in pair trawling is showing early benefit but who knows it may just be their time to have better numbers. Schoolie bass and small rays are beginning to get more common although the whiting and slug(rockling) are still lurking down the sides. V little feedback from the west last couple of days and not heard of any squid last 2 days but to be expected as the water is still settling. Some easterlies pushing through this week but i dont see any closing on the walls this week & looking decent til at least the 17th into Easter though it may be a bit chillier than past years with 10 or 11 degrees being estimated, hopefully it will warm up for the squid comp the following week.
Thats it for now , catch you all sometime on the walls
F

A grotty morning of wind and rain see both walls shut today and tomorrow but, back open Friday 7.3o and the same, both open at the weekend, 7.30 to 6pm. Hopefully it should improve and give us a decent Easter weekend.

Following Easter the next weekend will see the SQUID COMP and keen eyes may have noticed a page has been set up on the website giving details of time and when it starts etc.
Registration on the day is by the cafe at the start of the east and entry fee includes rod fee for the wall for the whole day.
I have asked people wishing to book a bay so a pair can fish together to register their interest on the marina facebook page , I also realise some read here but dont use facebook so IF YOU WISH TO BOOK A BAY (random draw) PLEASE USE THE EMAIL LINK ON THE HOME PAGE, it will find me and I will confirm back via email all requests.
On the fishing front it as been a mix of closed or lean fishing days. Squid are there but few fishing for them at the moment , plaice continue to be caught though sizes are a bit marginal.. Have not had a report of bream yet on the wall but expect the 1st should show up very soon. Some bass now being caught by the local lure boats but none claimed to my knowledge yet on the wall. Dogfish and small rays seem quite common mixed up with a few flounders. Hopefully with the weather cleaning up things should improved.

Squid comp is on 24th April for those not yet aware,
Until next time … over n out
F

Squid comp info now sorted, this years comp again will be hosted by the LISA group (local independent sea anglers)
>>>> L.I.S.A. <<<<

Sunday 24th April starting at 9am til 2pm

There will be 33 bays available for the event thus 66 places. (bays 8 to 33 inclusive)

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Booking in from 8am starts 9am til 2pm.

1 rod 2 jigs max may be used

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Prizes for 1st,LONGEST SINGLE squid or cuttlefish, and
2nd LONGEST OVERALL catch and
1st prize also for juniors.

Squid measured from mantle to tip of tail as do cuttlefish

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A number of ‘double’ bays will be available for anglers wishing to fish together (please email here if you dont use facebook, full list will be posted in facebook group)

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Cost to enter is £15 adult
senior £13 and
junior/£8 (must be accompanied)
all entries INCLUDE rod fee for the day 1 rod..

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Raffle tickets will be available and all proceeds of the event (raffle and comp)to be split between LISA and the RNLI.

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As ever, the event is subject to weather conditions on the day and will be cancelled, possibly at short notice, if the weather conditions are not good enough for it to go ahead safely.

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On the catching front the west wall leads the way but i suspect this is mainly because there are a couple of very able squid catchers fishing that side more than the east wall at the moment but am expecting catches to start showing in equal numbers very soon. There have been herring on & off this week mostly over the high tide on the east more than the west ( see the clever plan to split you all ? yea , no it wasnt deliberate but just panned out that way …. honest guv!
Rumour of bass but ive not seen any on the wall as yet confirmed but for those that know of fishy robs blogs its worth keeping an eye on for more accurate info than i give fleetingly here. Plaice continue to tick over , low bays on the west and almost anywhere over 14 on the east will do you, if you fancy a flounder look to the lower bays on the east over the mussel patches ( bays 6 to 16), sole can be found near the bend of the east at distance or high up near the end of the east if its open that far. Havnt seen any early bream catches but again the best mark for the early bream is up on bay 60/74 if they are open, Ive had a few last week of march in the past so may be time to have a go if access that high is open on the east. There also seem to be a good number of rays being caught by the boats fishing very close to the marina walls so mackerel baits may be worth a go on that front. Finally on the species front i have seen a few private boats log some gurnard catches which also seem early to me , either that or i simply have not been paying attention to them . Yes things are picking up but the productive sessions are still patchy so expect to work for it if you are species counting . If you are out for “anything you can get” the plaice and flatties are your best bet with a large hook bait out just in case a ray or bass is lurking 🙂
Tight lines all , spring has sprung and brought the snow flurries to many so… wrap up warm for another week or so and then i recon the decent weather will return for Easter.
F

Good morning world, as you may notice from the home page we have BOTH WALLS OPEN during the week 🙂 for the 1st time this year. Access to the EAST wall is via the side gate along side the café.
PLEASE note that the EAST is ANGLERS ONLY while repair work continues on the upper level.
PLEASE NOTE:-Everyone should remain on the lower levels.
Catch wise plenty of plaice to be had, yesterday was best on the EBB, amongst the plaice you may find sole and flounders. Squid have been confirmed on both walls now although its still early. Herring showing up in a brief flurry usually just prior to the high tide and some may find mackerel amongst the herring shoals. Loads of dogfish out there as well as whiting while bass are also poking their noses out (so to speak). While early for bream it should be worth a go on the higher bays on the east as guilthead bream tend to be the 1st bream catches high up there.
If it hasnt been done already Dave is expected to finish the last bit of jet washing the east wall then look to the west and getting the extension into shape.
Anglers are reminded that curently there are no toilet facilities on the east side so should be prepared to use some level of decency when taking a leak or be prepared to walk back to the main toilets within the marina. on the west if the numbers are there on the wall the duty warden will if asked open the toilet gate up. Its closed simply because we have had issues with climbers going over the extension gate .
Thats the latest for now , ( access to the upper east shouldn’t be too long with work on the east nearly finished)
Tight lines everyone

F

As title says the east is open this weekend , sat and sun 7am til 6pm lower level only and access is via the side gate beside the café.
Anglers only please. The wall will be open to bay 55 possibly to 60 on Sunday.

^{Please please please stay off the upper level. If the contractor stuff gets medalled with we will lose access to the east at weekends.}

West is open to the tower block, extension is closed as there is still work to be done.
Fresh black & ragworm in the shop which is open 8-5pm today and Saturday, sun 8-4pm.
dust of your squid jigs as the 1st catch has been confirmed and there are herring & mackerel about as well as plaice sole and rays.
Weather looking ok for the weekend although it may feel chilly in the sunshine as the breeze is from the NE. Looking like a bump in the decent weather next week @ Wednesday so will keep an eye on that as it may cause an issue with opening towards next weekend.
Thats it for today , tight lines & good luck to those that are out
F

Just a quickie now that we have access to the east wall at the weekend, Robin Howard landed his first squid of the year just off the marina which tallies up with earlier signs that they may be there. Plaice atm seem a bit skinny, be it the tide or time of the season I dont know but Id usually expect a little better than is about… or maybe its the anglers :).
Sole signs if there is some colour in the water either side of the marina perhaps spring has finally sprung on the weekend that the clocks go forwards.
Tight lines all
F

that good news, Dave has been busy jet washing and we have been given permission to open the east wall this weekend 26/27th March.
Work will continue on the east during the week so what access if any has still to be determined as it stands ……

BOTH WALLS WILL BE OPEN THIS WEEKEND 26/27TH from 7am to 6pm

Here we are again …… were masters of the univ…. oopps wrong song book , sorry about that was almost getting carried away …. or should be some think !
So whats happening ?, wall wise repairs are still ongoing but its being hinted there may be something for the weekend in the offering …. more on that in a day or two but defo watch this space for some weekend news.
On the fishy front rumour of the occasional mackerel persist, i suspect mostly for the boats but its not unusual for one or two lurking about.
Plaice and whiting the mainstay for most and a few flounders usually after rain with the rivers flushing out a little i suspect. Not heard of much in the way of sole & sorta expect them, likewise squid egg evidence is about so may be worth dusting off the squid jigs and checking that the drop nets are all in order.

west wall open every day that the weather allows, work progressing on the east , may have some more news nearer the weekend 🙂
watch this space
F