Well, Mark managed too get a look at the WEST WALL this morning and it is not good news I am afraid too say.
The extension steps down are in need of repair and the extension itself is heavy with algae, probably more than expected considering the work that has been going on up there and likely too be out of use for some time.
The toilet block is in a sorry state due too probable combination of the elements, junkies and vandals with all of the special covering peeling away from the walls and internal damage. protective fencing that had been put up too stop people getting onto the wall while work was ongoing had been constantly cut by arseholes getting up too the toilet including some twats that have been getting up there fishing while it has been closed.
As too the main part of the wall.
While some repairs have been done and expected broken wires will be repaired there are chunks that are in need of sorting including a large cracked section at bay 16 and lots of “pot holes” along the wall on upper and lower levels. Both level will need jet washing too bring them up to safety standards with the lower level worse than the upper walkways.
And just too cap it all off (for fun) there will be the inevitable question of who foots the bill for what repairs so the WEST WON’T be opening anytime soon and unlikely this year.

On the fishy front. Yesterday when I got down onto the wall I was pleasantly surprised by the water state considering there was still a westerly breeze it was definitely UNDER the forecasted wind speed and the water colour was clearing very quickly and no doubt I will find it much clearer today when I get down there.

As mark posted yesterday on the FB group, there were mackerel being caught from mid morning and the numbers did increase over the high tide, something quite rare tbh this year! Now while I say the catches increased you couldnt see any shoals breaking the surface as in past years and although caught numbers were decent most that caught did do quite well.
The best bit o news though I guess is that for the few fishing yesterday the mackerel stayed and were still being caught at half 6 in the evening when I left.
In amongst the mackerel are loads of baby Gar with the occasional larger one. So please folks dont keep these little gars, unhook em and put them back (unless you intend too use one as bait /live bait straight away you are not allowed too keep a couple claiming they are for live baits, rules say you can retain one at a time for live baiting on any species not protected.

As well as mackerel & gar there were some congers and again Gurnards being caught, I didnt see or hear of any bass but then the few there fishing were mostly chucking the feathers out and being as mackerel have been like rocking horse poo this year I decided I would stop up by Chris who was fishing @ bay 27 and chuck out some feathers also and have a chat at the same time.

It became clear quite quickly that the mackerel were by 5pm mostly clustered below or on the bend and so I took the quad and rod down a dozen bays and set up on 17 for a fling. It soon became clear that I was still too high and the dude too my right has only caught a half dozen in the hour or so I had been actually on the wall but I figured I may as well stay put and not be “THAT DUDE” that keeps swapping bays while chasing shoals up & down the wall.
One thing I rapidly learnt was that my body is no longer suited too fishing for mackerel and my rib cage rapidly was telling me how much it hates sideways movement such as needed with mackereling but I persevered a while longer. Needless too say of me sticking with bay 17 I realised quickly that 1/ I should have moved down the wall and 2/ my body doesnt like the movement that I was doing with the rod! I did catch a couple o fish that were added too the one that Chris gave me but I quickly reached the point that I had too stop what I was doing as I doubt any level of pain meds would solve the level of rib pain I was getting so the rod was stowed on the scooter and I trundled of the wall about 6.30pm with mackerel still being caught on the lower 15 bays as the tide hit a very low point!

And with that I will close todays blog off and for those chasing the fish…. now is the time too do it while the fine weather holds for a week or so at least. so with a final comment of yes there are squid about and mark is opening until 10pm tonight I will sign off and until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F

Well, didnt pay too close an attention too weather forecast as had looked a couple of days back and saw things were settling. I guess I should have looked a tad closer as there was quite a sharp westerly cross wind yesterday keeping the water quite churned up.
With things lumping up quite a lot along the front section of the wall it had been fenced off at 29/30. Yes it can be opened up if dry but as we get deep into autumn there is some level of Algae build up around the “Vs” so in closing part of the upper of we keep to the H&S requirements (no one wants too fall on wet surfaces) and in a way increase or at least condense the foot fall on the lower section and that allows us to maintain and keep the lower section o the wall open longer as winter sets in.
While on the subject of wall conditions, Mark has been informed by marina bosses that the work on the west should be finished this week.

Great news in itself although we all know what word is next because there is always one… Yep, there is a BUT, because there always has to be a BUT.
The “BUT” in this case is that this year only the east wall was jet washed.
During the ongoing work on the west Mark has been unable too get onto the west too asses its condition. In an ideal world Summer has done its job and the sea air/sand mix may, just may have “sanded” or naturally jet washed the west but that is unlikely.
Thus is it viable this year too get the west in any shape too open this year compared too simply keeping it shut and focusing on the east. A tough call that we wont have answers too until the weekend so please folks , save your energy and dont go trotting over too the WEST this weekend unless a proper announcement is made here and on the marina FB group.

Back on the east and my quite brief visit yesterday, as said, conditions were quite lumpy but not too unpleasant in the sunshine providing you had a dry bay or were able too “water spout” dodge.
As things turned out for the numbers there (quite few) it fished quite well with one dude on the bend having 4 or 5 decent plaice and a good sized pouting. there were eels, gurnards, sole and I believe a bass or two.
The wind direction today remains more on the westerly to SW today so I doubt conditions will clear too much but with big 7m tides for most o the week things should rapidly improve, and as I type at nr 11am I just had a msg from Chris H that he has caught a mackerel in Shoreham which tbh is 2 days earlier than I expected! go figure.

Now in the time its taken me too type this I have been racking my tired old brain for the name of the chap I spoke too on the wall and his name has literally just popped into my head. I was gonna blag it and supply an answer for him too something we chatted about yesterday. Namely Sea Trout and Licence requirements etc.
.
AL, a quick google this morning produced the following answer too,
DO you need a licence and if so where too get one for sea trout and salmon ?

There ya go AL, as promised an answer and amazingly I did manage too wrench your name out of my foggy memory o which these days is genuinely quite uncommon !
And on that final response I will sign off again and thus, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F

No post was done over the weekend , mostly coz sometimes Im a lazy git and CBA disease sets it but anyhoo, did anything happen on Thursday other than confirming that Fri & Sat would indeed be closed but on the upside Mark would open the east on Sunday .
So, did anything happen Thursday? I hear from the back . Well yes & no. Conditions were not the best due too a somewhat early leader wind wise for the predicted storm and when I got down there there were only a few actually fishing.
From the little I learnt, i could or can confirm, Bream, squid, sole, and even mackerel with some pouting and garfish mixed in although or many of those who ventured out things were very quite.

Friday and Saturday the walls , as said were closed as the blow pushed through but the drop in expected wind speeds did allow Mark too get the EAST open Sunday Morning and true too form the higher bays again in the stirred up waters produced some decent conger eels.
And so it panned out that the best of things were indeed Sunday morning with a bit of a conger fest and yes I just about managed too avoid the 🎼do, doo doooo, c’mon🎼arrgh nooooo, be gone…

Locally on the beaches Dez posted a pic of a nice Bass he has on the marina B page and that report wise was about it as things got a bit more ‘blustery’ driving many off the wall as I was actually arriving down there yesterday and after a decent chat with Ali Im fairly sure the wall had emptied about 6pm yesterday evening.

Finally Im hearing a whisper that now the heavy vehicles are off the wall the work there has entered the finish off & tidy things up phase meaning repairing the back wall by the toilet block that was removed too put in a temp ramp too allow the diggers onto the extension so Mark may even get too asses conditions up there somewhen next week.

There is no guarantee that the west will open this year as there a high chance of it needing extensive jet washing. No it wasn’t done in the spring as was no point with the work expected too start sooner than it actually did !.
its possible that if the wall needs a lot of jet washing and us by then getting into October it may be a case o cost vs potential or even lack of customers as well as having too contend with Autumn storms and such.

ironic that we wait all summer too get at the west wall and it is possible that we wont be able too have it ready for any use this year BUT, its all guess work until Mark can get a decent look at the wall and what state it is in. Clearly we and most other anglers want the wall open, especially as the squid seem too be coming out too play and it would be a real bonus too have the wall back open for night fishing .

So, fingers crossed for an early October look at the wall and hope we can indeed get the bugger open eh!

And on that final note,

I will see ya all either on the wall or when ever the next post goes up from lazy arse here 😂😂😂
Until then, yup, I will bid you all ASDIEU
F

Initial date we are looking at for this year is SATURDAY October 18th providing the weather and squid play nice.
BOOKING IN FRI 18th OCT by the cafe benches
Bays drawn randomly
Mark has allowed us too use from bay 25 upwards
Bays will be chalked from bay 25 as comp bay 1
At check in all will randomly draw a number, 1st bay number drawn will fish left side, number returned too pot. thus 2nd time its drawn it will be for right side of bay.
pairs available if you want them, let us know please if you are drawing for 2 ppl

Booking in will be from 5pm til start at 6pm til 9pm and will sort the winners out by the cafe benches
1 rod only to be used.
2 hooks , jigs or lures can be used, treble hooks can be used and count as 1hook. Lures must only have one type of hook on it(ive seen many lures with 2 hooks)
squid and cuttle fish accepted and must be independently verified and measured from mantle tip too tail tip.
The winner will be the person with the highest total length measured of all the squid/cuttle that 1 person catches.
2nd prize is for the longest individual squid caught
In the event of a dead heat for either prize the money will be equally split for that prize

Blue lights on all headlamps but small white lights can be used too access tackle boxes and gear

ENTRY COST
£5 for rod fee across the board
£5 entry too comp
total cost per entry £10

2 main cash prizes
100% split cash taken 2 parts to winner , 1 part to 2nd place. prize value depends on how many enter
1st prize longest total combined length of squid/cuttle
2nd Prize longest single squid

Being as the entry price is the same for all entries, all entrants are eligible for the 2 cash prizes, yes a jnr could feasibly win the cash prizes
I will sort something for a Junior prize on top of the above most likely some squid jigs will see what interest there is

Well, Jnr Sunday evening suggested we go fishing & said If we get there about 12 we can fish till the high tide (assuming my body holds up) & so the plan was set in motion for us both to also meet his m8 down there. So when Monday comes Im up and sorted on time, blog and other catch ups done n dusted & JNR trundle’s out of bed at a time that meant no way was going too make the wall by mid day.
Anyhoo as it happens we did get there nearer 1pm than mid day too hear that there had indeed been a morning run of mackerel. Conditions though were quite different from the Sunday which was a bit choppy and overcast.
yesterday was flat calm and felt like a summer day in the sunshine. mackerel ran the wall at opening/first light and then things died right off in the sunshine. When we got there as per I had a chat with most we past and it seemed like sunday that there were as posted on FB garfish running with the morning mackerel although many of the gar were juveniles and quite small. It was reckoned that it had been dead since 10am and bar the occasional tiddlers down the side there was very little going on.
Jnr & I set up on bay 50 wanting too avoid any crush on the bend as we wanted too use mostly baits in the water and far enough away from the “crazies” if the mackerel returned. And so the three of us (Jnr’s m8 Howard) set up 2 rods each with a mix of Black, squid and mackerel in various combos and various distances.

There was tons of whitebait down the side of the wall and I wish we had a mesh net or a kiddys prawn net or similar as the whitebait was mostly on the surface and visibility was good ! we fished from 1ish too about 4.30pm, would have stayed longer but my body was playing up with constant head spins making me somewhat unstable. The end result for our efforts were a handful of small bites , I had one that was quite a thump but nothing came of it (perhaps a squid). Howard avoided a blank while we were there with a small weaver fish that was carefully unhooked and sent back too the deep.
On leaving on dude had been float fishing @ bay 35 and managed too catch 5+ mackerel and 2-3 gar fish but as we came down the wall it was a case o shaking heads and glum faces. There were a couple of wrasse had up on bay 60 but other than that heard near nothing of fish. no doubt the bright sun put the fish of.
So, Monday eve produced a decent amount o fish and most anglers were off the wall by closing time at 7.30pm Yesterdays high tide at 4pm produced very little BUT, like Monday evening the fishing did pick up again about 90 mins after the high tide as the heat of the day had dropped with plenty of mackerel arriving about 5.30ish on the lower light levels along with some squid.

I dont have an accurate picture of the squid hitting the wall but I do know not far off the marina Robin Howard is doing nicely with his squid trips so id say the numbers are building and MARK will have the east wall open til 10pm for those wishing too have a go for squid as the light drops and we get into darkness.
Am still hoping too hold a squid come fairly soon if the squid numbers pick up too a level too make it worth it possibly the week starting Mon 13th October and probably either the thurs or fri eve with details too b confirmed.

And on that final note I will sign off until the next one, I will bid you all ADIEU
F

wed 1st oct one day only
EAST WALL OPEN TIL 10pm for squidders

No post yesterday, if honest was a case of simply CBA, on occasion its not only my body that cba but also my brain also does it so a quick catch up here.
As no doubt some already know we saw on Thur & Fri last a slow pick up on the mackerel front and Fri there was about 4 hours of steady but slow catching on the bend of the east wall. from what I gather though little lese was caught which in itself was unusual but also may be the case that those who had caught never passed the info on in any form.
Saturday also saw a further escalation in mackerel catches from the high tide onwards with good numbers caught and mackerel fever starting too descend on people. In amongst the mackies were a few garfish, many of which were small juveniles. A bit of bass & bream activity also seen and a few plaice had on higher bays.

Into Sunday and it seems that the mackerel are now getting into the swing of it bringing with them gar fish but strangely not heard of any squid being caught this weekend and there are often a few whispers on the various fishing groups but they were strangely quiet this w/end.
John H had a decent sized conger(18.2lb) on the higher bays as well as some nice looking plaice and lower down a cracking looking Wrasse was had by NICK and Having looked on the marina group I now as I type see that there have indeed been some squid caught.

Compared too the summer we have had not only on the marina but much of the south coast the last 2 days have been a breath of fresh air
Thats it for today, am off down the wall later for a dabble with jnr so i you see me say hi. And with that I will bid you all ADIEU
F

Well, I arranged too met Sue & Ian for a dabble on the east wall yesterday and got down there I guess about mid day too be told that there were a few mackies being caught on the bend of the wall. I had a quick dabble around bay 3 with a squid jig more too kill some time rather than any serious effort until the other 2 arrived and made our way up to about bays 14-17.
From where I was stood I could see one or 2 fish coming out every now & then but no shoals o fish about nor any real sign that the missing summer was simply late and finally happening. more chat than serious fishing and had the light rod baited and down the side of the wall with no luck so intermittently chucked the feathers out or on occasion a small metal lure.
As the day went on the mackerel stayed at a 1-2 tick over for much of the next 4 hours mostly further along around bays 18 & higher on the bend. by 4pm my body had reached a point where the back of my ribs were screaming F U at me and I was having issues not only being stood up but breathing properly so reluctantly started too put the gear away. Now while there were no visible shoals of mackerel there was a steady and continuous tick over of mackies being caught and as I was leaving there seemed a definate increase in how many were being caught. I will chat with Ali later when I am down there too get a clearer pic on what if anything else was caught but while there didnt see anything else but mackerel and no obvious signs of squid yesterday during daylight hours.

That is it for today, perhaps I can get an update later on when I pop down onto the wall. And with that and until the next one I bid you all ADIEU< yup, short n sweet today !
F

Welcome to Friday, ya know the day that everyone now thinks is part of the w/end we all know it’s not but hey who wants too tell em ?
So whats going on down there ? no not AUStralia, the marina.
WELLLLLLLL tbh based on yesterdays visit its a case of back too what seems too be the new normal even though there is a little glimmer of hope if you want too see a fish caught even if its not one of your own.

Its currently a dropping tide as I arrive on the east at the moment but did get a chance too catch up with Ali who was at the start of the wall who informed me there were “a few ” up there, it seems these days “a few” often means its quiet but not quiet dead as it looks like either ppl have given up fishing this year or more and more are hitting the beaches but, I fear social media is the culprit here and that includes my posts and the general lack of posts on fishing groups other than a bit of bickering and a few catch pics and by few I do mean a few. Gone this year are the constant flow of catch reports.

This too me then asks the question. Are the fishing reports far and few because people are not catching ? is it because there are more wanting too hide their venues and catches or, are people simply not fishing as much ? I do suspect that many many anglers chase catch reports and if there are not tons of pics and posts a venue very quickly becomes out of favour. that & the fact that quite simply fishing has been cack this year. Ironically someone said too me yesterday that Shoreham was fishing really well and it set me actually wondering if it is the case because like most places the reports from there are very thin on the ground?

Anyhoo, what did I learn from Ali ? well he did repeat about some squid being caught again from the west side of the marina close too the wall once dark and a couple also caught b4 close last night but the better news was that someone had caught at least one squid somewhere above the steps at 29 and he saw a few mackerel yesterday eve as well as some yesterday daytime.

So off I rolled up the wall with no one below bay 14 it didnt take long too see that it was fairly quiet …. again… are ppl leaving just after high tides ? strange numbers are so low with decent late sept weather tbh. As I went towards 29 it was a case of the 5 or 6 there had blanked and a fair few were already packing as the tide was going out. I stopped and had a chat with one elderly gent (yea there are ppl older than me up there) who had the all too familiar story o no catches and not even seen a fish and I mentioned Id heard a squid had been caught of which he said no chance not seen any near him especially as I said it was only 3-4 bays further along from him.

Odd I thought, most make a fuss or get spotted quickly if a catch is being reeled in, was the squid imaginary ? surely not and it was at that point I heard a familiar voice shout my name and as I looked along the wall I saw ….
….. bugger all as the sun was firmly in my eyes !. And so I reached 29 and 2 very familiar faces who did indeed have a squid, I asked for a pic and was literally handed a phone with the comment here you do it i dont understand how too share pics!
ok so a bit of fiddling(it was Masaru’s phone) as I was expecting the phone too be all in Japanese I managed too send the pic via his messenger to my phone. I stopped with the 2 squiders for a while and chewed the fat catching up & while there saw 2-3 mackerel caught .

In between chats of squid & mackerel I never really did get an idea of catches for yesterday and so todays blog looks more like a deliberate case of pad things out too put a long blog up but that never was part of the plan, it just waffled that way it seems.

Any hoo , that really is it, and so until the next one I guess I will pootle off and bid you al ADIEU
F

The day after……. I went fishing… with JNR. TBH I wouldnt call it fishing though. I met Vic and briefly saw Lee both who had been fishing some higher bay and other than Jnr & I I could see 2 others fishing lower down ! 6 people for most of the day which was quite a surprise being as it was a decent day too be out.
Mind you the catch report wasnt that impressive being as most of the time we both sat there eating custard creams and chewing the fat for the bulk of the time. Swapped baits about, dabbled with a lure rod and had a swing for some squid and then… erm packed up having racked up a huge tally o bites between us numbering about 7!

I did manage too have a longer chat with “ALI” who caught me up on a few catches I hadnt been aware of and he told me that Tues evening on the west wall ledge 6 squid were caught also Tues and it seems on Monday over the high tide some Bream had been caught as well as a dozen or more mackerel spread over those 2 days.

Indications are there of it picking up a bit and Yesterday i also saw “mullet Dave” who stopped on his bike for a brief catch up and informed me of the mullet he had caught for his “late lunch/tea” as well as a decent mullet Mon or Tuesday.
Water conditions are rapidly clearing and although there was some of that string weed about it wasnt close enough too the wall to cause any problems. Now, While I say things seem too be picking up I mean that as in comparison too how the fishing has been of late , absolutely crap, and as I keep repeating it has been a similar story all along the Sussex coast with most venues reporting much less fish being caught, but, the signs look promising and Im hoping that as the squid numbers pick up so will the mackerel follow bringing in garfish also. Time will tell.

One ray of sunlight from the west wall I noticed over the last 2 days was cement lorries arriving on the west too pour cement so it looks like that last caisson is now being filled and better still is that the 2 yellow cranes have now left the wall. It is looking like they are on the final run in…

Thats it for today. I will be on the wall doing a run later today and will probably have a dabble on the east tomorrow with some friends who have been fishing the walls probably as long as I have. And so, that is all for today, no doubt tomorrow will be another blank, so, until the next one, I will bid you all ADIEU
F