Happy Sunday folks. It seems things have started ok today but I shall start with yesterday evenings massive catch report when I went down in the late afternoon.
Thus, in my usual style of pad this shit out as much as possible.. 😂😂😂 packed scooter, checked weatherman’s report for rain that had kept changing all week as in, will rain wont rain will, yada yada yada, get the picture ? Any hoo I use xcweather set too the marina. Like most forecast sites its not always bang on but Ive got used too it and can mentally adjust a forecast from what’s on screen too actually being outside and erm… smelling the air. No shit, no bullshit I do smell the air for rain and overall air feel and smell combined with a look as xc usually leads me too an accurate estimate of forecast.
Thus showers were expected at 6ish til 7ish then a lull some more flash showers and I should then make it home in the dry b4 the possible night downpour… so was I right ? read on 🙂
So got into the marina and headed over too the east wall as I could see the 1st half of the west was empty and I wanted too get round it and over too the west toilet block prior too the first round of rain…. Well that was the plan BUT, yes, there is always a flippin but…..
Through the east carpak, swung a right onto the path too the east cafe hit the ramp up onto the upper level an scooter spluttered & stopped ! WTF ! turn off turn on, weird it wasn’t overloaded so tried again on the 1st bit of said ramp but much slower… and got about a foot before again spluttered & stopped !..really ? third attempt reaaaaal slow and bump bump scraping sound of a tyre rim grinding the concrete and safety cut off triggered. Thats when the penny dropped. Scooter wasn’t over loaded nor playing up, the rear right tyre was flat causing the scooter too be unbalanced and cut off. After a few expletives I checked the tyre just in case it was one of them slow puncture types and I’d missed the slow deflate only too find that it was going down almost as fast as I was trying too pump the damned thing up…. hmmm… what too do?
First thing was too turn the wheels around and point back into the marina. 2nd , phone the Mrs a situation update sorta thing and contact Motability, they told me too use the rescue number for a pick up, check, sorted and then phoned the actual company that supply said scooter too inform them of the issue, yes I was safe, no it wasn’t raining,(tempted fate on the known forecast) no, i couldn’t leave it in a safe place nor leave it unattended. At this point in the chat I was told only one firm available to do the pick up as all either busy or taken the BH weekend off and the bad news was the pick up at earliest would be 90-100 mins away, oh the joy, a wait of an hour plus and that bang on queue was when the rain started!
TBH I must have looked a bit odd. Scooter with a flat, me sat on a cool box with a golf umbrella up like some oversized gnome sat on a toadstool !
At this moment Mark rolled by and after a quick chat he told me both walls were empty now it was low tide and the 2nd set of showers was underway having piddled down 2-3 hrs early packing most off home soaked. Yep I coulda stayed at home in the dry and without that feking puncture !!!!!!! BAH.
so, looooonnnnng story short, no fish too report off either wall at something after six pm.
Pickup driver I must say was a superstar. he phoned me too say he was on his way and had bumped my pick up too the top of his list as I was the only recovery not indoors thus considered venerable due too weather conditions. He was super helpful, got me home with the scooter in good time and unloaded the scooter from the flatbed despite a down pour that was torrential. This he did even though I said was happy too wait for said rain too ease off but nope he shrugged the idea off got out of cab in jeans and a t-shirt and simply got on with it & you might have thought he was sunning himself rather than unloading in the driving rain.
Heck yes I thanked him properly !
All of yesterdays fun did mean that the only catch reports I could put up were bits n bobs gleaned from any earlier FB posts of which I can now update on.
I guess the best start point would be a post from Chris H & his mate Michael on the east yesterday on the morning tide and said he had, “8 plaice biggest 25cm,2 tompot blennies,1 dab,I grey gurnard and a tub gurnard. 5 species Now, some may say, is that it? granted the plaice are small but that does seem too be a common theme all along the coast atm with the occasional decent size mixed in. Squid and Cuttle landed on both walls and oddly still only a few targeting them during the day. Most “squidding” seem too be late afternoon into the early evening and early dark hours. Granted tides may be the key too this peculiarity atm but hey, reasonable numbers of squid and cuttle are now being landed on both walls. I suspect the after dark numbers will increase as the number targeting them does the same. If you are not sure on the how too squid I’d suggest get yourself some fluorescent jigs that are weighted of which are probably the easiest too use much in the way someone would use a 25g dexter type wedge. Come down prepared too have a go and look around at some on the wall already throwing jigs out for them. It is easily picked up and there are plenty of how too links all over facebook and the net in general. Another popular jig type are the float set up ones and used in a fairly similar way too the weighted versions.
Info on yesterday is somewhat vague so I wont dwell there but I have had a little bit of a round up from Mark and John who is the day warden today.
After dark the walls have again been empty bar a handful of die hard’s and tbh only squid & cuttle have been mentioned although I do gather that some large squid have been lost either at the netting or due too a lack of net…
The early morning dawn and sun up saw some schoolie bass and squid on the west and a plaice here n there from the early arrival crowd. Over on the east , also squid shortly after opening at 6am and Im told that plaice , bass, bream, pollack, and dab have been caught. I gather the palace peir club are fishing on the east this morning and there is some fish activity for them. If anyone fancies joining a small group(or want more info) who regularly fish the wall Id say best contact person would probably be Glenn Arnold who can be found on quite a few of the various fishing groups on the book of face.
I shan’t be on the walls now until the wheel gets sorted & being a b/hol who knows when that may be so anyone needing something out of shop hours should ask a warden if anything can be done with regards too getting bait & tackle items out of hours.
Well thats todays yarn out of the way, or should I say done and dusted ?…. And with that all that is left to do is, until the next one, bid you all ADIEU
F
Category: Uncategorized
POST about fish.
A late afternoon rumble down Manor hill onto the Marina walls at low tide.
A sort of alt title I guess.
It is still IMO a bit early in the season for the marina walls too be producing decent numbers of fish but there are signs of improvement, even if half the world are starting too realise that mankind is over fishing the oceans. Thus, I found myself rolling over too the east wall and a low tide underway. Very few anglers left on the wall at this time of day & state of tide of which is quite normal even during the busier summer days.
As a result it is always hard too get a clear picture of how the main part of the day had fished or how many had indeed been down there. I do get some info from wardens but that often is a little sketchy and not over detailed due too them watching both walls and lack the time like I have too stop and chinwag with anglers on the wall. mind you, too get said sketchy info I usually have too actually see the day warden and I think I got there just after day dude had gone and Ali arrived for the evening/night shift.
Yes I confess I pad some reports, regular readers here will know by now how I waffle the padding in but I will say if the fishing has been poor, half decent, crap or good. The problem I do have is trying too drag different bits of info together & some fish reports arrive a week or so late when I next see the angler on the wall or 3 days later post too the book of face.
A good example of this was the rumour 10 days or so ago when I had heard of mullet caught.. or dropped high on the east and mentioned I would try and confirm that bit of info. i should have posted a couple of days ago but it had slipped my mind(easy done these days). Anyhoo said mullet(s) were confirmed when I came across Roy A earlier this week and did indeed confirm at least one decent mullet and another dropped at the wall a week earlier.
I am often reliant on FB posts from one or two of the various fishing groups there, some ppl will message me how they got on, wardens will update me and quite often when someone re visits they will mention prior visit & how they got on. this results , often in staggered info or late catch ups. If any readers here would like too share catches but are reluctant too do so on facebook anyone can do so by emailing here using the link on the bottom of the homepage. Emails too the website come directly too myself and this also is the reason that the shop doesn’t take online bait orders, the emails only reach the shop if a message needs relaying such as invoices etc.
Feel free too email me a catch info/report, if you don’t want me too put your name up here in a blog please say so when u message though as I lost my psychic abilities when I hit puberty 😂😂
So, back too yesterday, perhaps 6-7 on the east. I stopped an chatted with a new visitor dude fishing up on bay 58 ish who had been there some time and had still too see a fish. A decent chinwag but no fish !…
Along the straight section there were a couple of pairs fishing and looking quite glum regarding fish but did say they had a decent day on the wall.. for a change decent sunshine, the water had cleared much of the silk and visibility was improving all the time. Im betting that over the high last night visibility was very good but I ddidn’t wait that long too find out. Down towards the 20’s and news of some small(returned) plaice and a little gurnard that took feathers on the retrieve. All in all, slim pickings yesterday on the low tide.
from East too the West(that triggers a fats domino tune in my head !) and again not so many fishing. Some near ready too pack up for the day and others recent arrivals for the night session. Hugh was back with his dog which looked somewhat bored of the goings on and while there I did see him reel in a small plaice and there was a cuttle in a regulars bucket on the extension. A yap with Ian & Wife Sue told me there had been a few mackerel earlier as well as a decent bass on the low bays but things definitely seemed slow going as the tide turned.
Again a similar story on the west as was on the east. too few anglers too really catch how things were fishing but can confirm a few plaice & bream, plus as said a bass on the low bays and a cuttle on the high. Am not sure how the high fished but hopefully Ali may have some info when I see him later too day when I point the wheels down the wall.
Am contemplating fishing tomorrow morning too just after the high as JNR mentioned he fancied a dabble on the wall tomorrow, time will tell.
Thats it folks, not much of a catch report for yesterday unfortunately but hey, as said, I still think for the wall its a bit early and I can confirm the local boats are doing well on the bream and squid atm.
Aaaaannnnddddd so, until the next one, I bid you all ADIEU
F
morning world. No catch report today as walls were shut most of Wednesday and yesterday a windy easterly day meant almost no one on East when I went down and only about 10 on the West wall at the time and most were struggling as the tide hit the low.
Thankfully weatherman who erm never tells porkies say today the wind will/has dropped and is going too be sunny for most of the day and then a little bit of cloud cover late afternoon.
The west wall is open for night fishing today then also Saturday and Sunday nights.
East wall open at 6am daily and closes at 8pm so please help the dudes working and pack up in good time too get off the wall before 8pm so that the gate can be locked for the night(cheers)
Saturday, like today will have next too no wind (hoo flippin ray) but possible showers late afternoon for 2-3 hrs, now, if it piddles down don’t blame me I’m only repeating what said weather ppl are claiming, they also dry overnight.
Sunday sees again a rise of north too north east strongish breezes that settle as we get too the evening (again, allegedly) followed by what looks like a decent clear spell that may just finally see the water push clear of the yellow streak of a silt stream running along the front of the marina meaning the Mondays bank holiday , or as Mr Grinham was want too say ” Bonk Holliday” should in theory been sunny and a decent day on the wall for everyone wanting them red necked sunburns 😂😂😂😂.
Im told the shop will be open until 6pm today and also Saturday and Sunday as the weather looks decent and the west is open at night.
There have been squid and cuttlefish caught on both walls, not massive numbers like last autumn but a fair tick over each day that it hasn’t been blowing a hoolie out there so its well worth digging out those squid jigs or if you need too resupply I have checked with the tacklebox and they have plenty of squid jigs in stock.
Finally with regards too the shop they have some IMAX beach shelters that Phil (owner) Is happy too do a decent deal for so pop down or give them a ring too discuss price.
Thats it for today, and so, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F
Not a lot too say today but more importantly BOTH WALLS will be closed tomorrow (WED) due too high winds. and possible close on east thurs but at time of typing it is expected both will be open.
I did have a dabble yesterday on the west through the dropping tide with a few bites and nibbles but things had died that side. Im aware Chris H did quite well on the east with 9 plaice, 5 dab a small gurnard and a dropped mackerel but as said yesterday I didn’t go over there during the daytime. Am elsewhere today and gather it is quite windy down there as the winds climbs so that is it for today.
Short, sharp & sweet eh. and so, until the next one, yup I will bid you all ADIEU
F
I hadn’t planned on doing a blog this morning being as things were so quiet yesterday what with a few plaice coming up here & there with a squid or 2 on the west confirmed and a couple of cuttle mid wall on the east.
That plan changed when I went down for a quick lunchtime look on the extension and pick up my scooter trailer.
A quick update from Mark fairly much confirmed that the daytime yesterday was hard going for everyone other than the few trying for squid & cuttle at various times through the day.
Saturday night did produce a decent squid for Tony who also I’m told dropped a couple of others while down on the west and planned his return last night also, of which he did and managed squid again last night but again things were overnight somewhat quiet. As well as the couple of cuttle I knew about caught over on the east Peter also managed a couple later in the day which Mark posted a couple of pics too the book of face.
This morning on the far end of the west there have been 6 or 7 fishing and can confirm schoolie bass , squid, cuttle and bream coming out so signs of a pick up are there. granted not too the level perhaps of some past years but the wind has calmed and perhaps now the water will have a chance too clear the yellow looking silt out of the water column.
Squid and cuttle have now been caught on one or both walls every day for the last 6 days even though only a handful of regulars have been targeting them. Perhaps it is finally time too dig out those squid jig from the bottom of last autumn’s fishing boxes, that, or invest in some new one’s😂😂 No doubt the tacklebox will have a stock of them for everyone. failing that , give me a shout 😉
I didnt stay long on the west as was only a quick pick up trip and I didn’t venture over too the east so no morning info from over there.
Thats it for now, and until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F
BRUTAL!
Sometimes some days don’t pan out as you would expect and from what I saw yesterday , well yep Saturday was one of those days that my tiny brain looked back on the day and todays title was the thought that went trough my head.
Now that may seem a bit melodramatic and a tad over the top but I shall explain my thoughts a bit further :).
So, for some weird reason I was up earlier than normal, I’m not the greatest sleeper in the world and as a result I sleep less than I doze alternating between the 2 through the night so often sleep if that’s what its called later than most would realise. For this lazy arse 10am is more normal than 8am these days.
Anyhoooo….. yesterday I was up earlier than the norm with the plan of get coffee, start blog, get more coffee and get the old bones and joints flexing. Well that was the plan, I got as far as get coffee when the door bell rang. Now, anyone reading right now expecting a short answer on why my brain went “well that was a bit brutal” don’t really know me and my typing, that or are a new visitor here and dont realise I have a skill too waffle for a while before |I get too any real point or bit of catch info although the title today may be a bit of a give away, Im just adding a bundle of context too it 😉 so buckle up sweeties, its gonna be a while.(more coffee time)
Back too that doorbell… well it wasnt the bell as that was still on charge by the keyboard but the door was knocked. Brain said “who the f*** is that at this hour” & thought.. postie, delivery, crazy neighbour (it happens) but no, it was a crazy angler down from London!, had too be crazy as he was knocking on my door at 8am on a Saturday morning when most know im not likely too be up and more likely too shout from out of the upstairs windows too the tune of
“WTF do you want at this time of day” BUT
Coz there is always a but in these things, as said for some unknown reason( i may be psychic, or psyco..) I was up dressed and had sufficient coffee in me not too shout sod off through the letterbox.
At this point Id say, cut too the short story bit, but, it’s me typing so I wont😂😂
Anyhoo, opened said door too see a wall regular & friend Wayne! stood there, who tbh was the
(*brain* wtf wer’e closed) last person I’d expected although to be fair he had messaged me as some weird hour of the gone midnight hour so hadn’t checked it then nor as I was getting up.
Yes I admit it , I let him in😂, then he mentioned, erm can’t stop friends in car& afterthought , oh and so is daughter, going fishing, “want my rods that I dumped on you for a whole year and forgot you had them” sorta speech followed thus daughter n friends were invited in for a coffee n chinwag etc.
General chit chat ensued and was established they were headed too the west and other than collecting rods tackle & bait wanted an insight on the fishing. This is now partly about that title of the day so sit up, pay attention or I will waffle even longer and you will run out of energy reading this drivel.
So, summed up the weeks blog added a bit more detail for where they were looking too fish.
well wayne, says I…
wind has been a big factor, killed it Saturday, wind eased a bit Sunday n east fished ok & west ticked over but Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, & even Fri the wind had played a big factor in knocking back the fishing with cross winds also dragging heavy loads of silt across the front of the east and in general I suspect put many of giving it a go certainly on the east in the cold wind but part on the west also. That and still being early in the season things had been fairly quiet on the numbers fishing.
Looking out of the window(my weather vane) I said, well winds dropped, suns out and the rate that the water had been clearing I expect decent water quality on the WEST and a yellowish silt line across the front of the EAST (got that right) The sea state is calmed so should still clear further & as a result I recon it could be a decent day as signs are there of a quick pick up being as we have seen through the week tough going but 1st’s of squid & cuttle and even a few mackerel but, should be good and being good can be two very different beasts when it comes too fishing the marina.
With the provided update Wayne & co headed off for the marina west and I would catch up with them some time after 6ish on the west. Once ready I stowed my loaded freeze box and rolled down the hill on the blue quad into the marina and pointed the wheels too the East wall, made a fuss of the cafe hounds and rolled onto the lower level of the east too check out the state of things.
By late afternoon many day trippers were packing up and heading for home so plenty of space for anyone coming down too fish the last couple of hours on the east prior too close at 8pm.
the first 12 bays were already empty and the first dude I spoke too was on a visit from Scotland. A short chat & info share told me he had had a tough day but pleasant day in the sun and was planning a return. next up a regular angler with his family of which his 2 lads seemed keen too fish but there seemed a lack of fish for them too catch. Again a similar story of very tough going but they had just pulled up a small conger that was returned. Rolling up the wall the general story was , “been dead for a while now but hoping for fish with the high at 7.30ish pm. Into the 30s the same things were repeated until I finally found someone with real fish 😉 A couple there had 2 dover soles, one each. Very happily I was told the dudes fish was a tiny tiny sole while his partner chuckled showing off a lovely sole she had caught… the story of pheromones did get mentioned 🙂
I did venture up to bay 60 & then turned the wheels around too head back too the cafe picking some rubish up as I went back. Overall the story was tough going and for those I saw , very few fish . yes the water was coloured with silt but I had expected much better with the much improved conditions and lack of wind.
I am pleased too say that most were in decent moods even though there had been a lack of fish, the bulk of ppl I had talked too had had an enjoyable day on the wall.
Over onto the west i rolled and caught up with Wayne & co starting too pack up, sadly no fish for them but like those on the west had enjoyed getting out and having a go in the sunshine. The west had been quite busy all day and the extension was open and still full.
Quite a lot of regular faces fishing the west so plenty of chin wagging and catch ups done. While chatting with Kadir one dude was leaving and had 2 decent bream in the bag.! yes, fish, someone had caught something too take home. It seems they had been caught earlier , much earlier than the high and probably just before the mid tide level. The west was tbh a tale of a few bits n pieces. A plaice here n there, (I was shown 2 separate ones while there) likewise a bream or two over the high but all in all totally what I hadn’t expected things too be like yesterday.
The morning started off quite well and full of promise & myself thinking, its looking good out there it should be quite fishy, and yet, as I was rolling towards the exit gate on the west my brain was thinking the title …. yep, WELL THAT WAS A BIT BRUTAL.
Now, I realise this post reads a bit like doom and gloom but there are two sides on a coin and the other side of the coin I just painted is a little better. There was a couple of squid caught on the west and also while on the east one regular had a cuttlefish, had dropped another and was trying for more. Out on the boats Simon (ex marina gardener) had had a decent day on the bream and squid and had shared a post with piccys on the marina fb group. There are decent numbers of squid, cuttle, bream, even mackies out there just off shore, perhaps pushed deeper by crap conditions this week , perhaps just because thats what fish do too piss us all off and tease by staying 300 yards away from our lines.
I stated too some yesterday that if things continue too clear and stay calm I wouldn’t be surprised too see mackerel bridge the gap too be caught on the walls come Tues/Wed this week ahead.
There are signs that this year can or could be better than the crap that was last year and while we may have “MAY ROT” looming, things feel too me at least on the up for a change.
Final update of todays extended yarn is about NIGHT fishing and an update of last Sat night and just gone Friday night. Catch report from Mark for both nights.
M/”well there were only 5 fishing”
me/ when , last sat or last night
M/both,
me/ any fish ?
M/ 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Okay… em , no horse mac yet folks , other than that, erm, I guess, no one really fishing .more reports too come if I get any !.
No info how last night finished up through the 7.30ish high as thats when I left the wall.
And finally, with that, I’m gonna sign off for the day and simply say, Until the next one folks, I bid you all ADIEU
F
To talk
Ya know it makes sense and yesterday was a good case in point. Why ? read on coz I’m gonna pad this one out a bit…. Are you all sitting comfy ?, if no naff off as you most likely are in the wrong place and don’t realise i’m about too start waffling and perhaps mention a fish on the bottom line of this yarn 🙂 but, more seriously you may save time if like some (I suspect) simply jump too the last three paragaph sections too save time and being bored sh1tless!
So where too start. Night opening.
As some should now be aware especially if you check the home page rather than just hit the blog and disappear after reading the blog that, we have had a couple of nights fishing on the west with last night being the second and the west will again be open tonight all night as well as Sunday night(tomorrow).
I believe the plan is too open most weekend nights if the trade is there. it would be nice for some of the regulars if mark opened every night straight off but obviously costs need factoring in and lets face it if only 3 people fished each night Mon to Thurs that has too have a warden working (all night) and somehow said warden will want paying and I doubt 3 ppl would want too cover the wardens dosh each night . Thus, we are , or should I say Mark is opening at weekends when he would at least expect too cover the cost of staffing the wall each night.
So what’s been happening(resisted the Marvin Gaye reference this time;) ) ?well the biggest feature this week hasn’t been a fish its been tht flippin wind. It seems too have started blowing last weekend and simply not giving up trying too chill the brass balls off them three monkeys everyone talks about.
I’m gonna put the somewhat crap fishing last weekend and the main chunk of the week down too this wind that has either howled a fairly strong easterly or its sat north too north east making things unpleasant for most especially as the sun has been out and the air without that wind has been t-shirt weather. The one real benefit of the winds being mostly north have been that the water is clearing out v fast and depth visibility is very good. thankfully that wind is fading off and its almost feeling like the summer is on its way fast-ish.
so, yes Im getting too the report bit, all two lines of it 😂😂
Mon too thursday there has not been much too report, mostly due too the lack of people fishing when I have been down thus accurate info has been a bit hard. ironic that many who have had a go have caught even on the east in the face of mother nature.
So, tough going the last week on the east shaken up with a few fish of the usual suspects of mostly plaice, a bream or two and a giant sea slug aka conger here n there. it truly hasn’t been great although it has been nice out in the sunshine. Yesterday there were a few more on the east but catch rates were very slow and is a bit hard too big up other than saying today as I look out the window the tree tops are still and its sunny out. its gonna be a warm day now that the wind has all but beggar’d off.
Over on the west things have been a bit more sheltered and is beginning too show signs of “almost summer” and yesterday there were a few more fishing than the prior five days & possibly more there yesterday than those five combined. Now I realise that makes the west sound rammed but hardly the case and reality is that the wind and slowed up catch reports have likely as not put people having a go.
Has anyone started too wonder when I’m gonna get too the title of todays yarn ? well hang in there as Im almost there.
Catch wise on the west things have picked up having had the first squid of the year a few days ago someone else had another yesterday of decent size. Now I realise two swallows does’nt make a summer or so the saying goes and I know 2 squid have happened in the past and then crash, no more until the Autumn but looking around the walls over the last ten days and picking bits of news up from other anglers and boat skippers this year is starting too look at least promising, that or its just being cruel with an early teaser followed by …pfffft… but lets face it last year was dire, id use other words but I believe some younger ppl read here also, so best keep it cleanish tho I know many U15’s that swear like sergeant majors!
So how is it picking up IMO ?
As already said in other blogs, this year we have seen at least three types of Ray in undulates, thornbacks and at least one small eyed (according too general ID)ray. Last year rays were almost non existant. Again as said we have had squid and cuttle fish caught on the walls. granted only a couple of each confirmed but I think or can only recal one squid last year so already an improvement. Bream have been scattered along the higher bays of the east and while plaice numbers arn’t that great they are ticking things over on the EAST wall and on the WEST they are also a regular catch at the moment. Add too the above and we have DAB making itself seen again in a decent number for the marina and frequent catches have been on the east wall.
John H had a decent sized wrasse in the last week giving a hint that their number may be recovering and high bays on both walls have seen guilthead bream. Not convinced >? conger numbers are up and there have been a few bass pushing up to the 5lb mark already.
Yes we have been plagued with dogfish followed by hound pups, nothing that unusual I know but now the water is clearing fast I expect too see those numbers drop as they get replaced by summer species.
No real signs of garfish yet but again they cant be far off as the decent weather arrives and water temps come up too summer levels. We have seen early mackerel bursts on the east, could this be the return of a spring run ? 10 days too 2-3 weeks prior too may rot. Im told there have been plenty out at the 2 mile regions so with luck they will make the hop inshore for those armed with feathers.
Back onto the wall, in particular the west wall I did venture up there for a mooch about sixish and a chat with friends Sue & Ian who fish the walls regularly when like myself health allows and the usual chin wag with other anglers also … see it is good(the title) but why I can hear in the background. Wellllll……
well, when I got onto the west it seems that things were very show and there were plenty of bored or glum faces if you don’t count the new arrivals. I did see a small bream come up too my left and also a conger of 8 or so LB’s but little else seemed too be happening. Sue & Ian in the middle of the wall had not anything too show other than a tan forming and the bulk of people that I said hit too indicated they were so far blanking. I will try and dig some info on how last night fished for tomorrow if I remember too accost Mark 😂😂
And so we get too the “it’s good too talk” Prior too my leaving I had quite a long chat with marina regular Tommy, part catches and part general chit chat &chewing the fat as some say. Now Had I not stopped for a chat I would fully have missed his info being as he had fished a big chunk of the afternoon/day up close too the tower block.
He had posted too the facebook group last night after I’d left the wall that he had had 7 bream and 2 were sizeable but more importantly he also gave me a bit of round up of what he had seen and there were a few people that had already left who also had caught bream some well before the high tide.
Now I have had bream on the low tides on the west but too be fair the bulk of bream catches have been either side of the high water marks and it seems yesterday the bream had got active 2 hrs prior too the high all proving something that I keep banging on about not only on the walls but also the marina FB page. Chat too your neighbour even them weird looking weird speaking white English dudes. Some of them have useful info, tips and perhaps a spare hook or two for when them spider crabs stat hacking up rigs without you realising they got the bait and the flippin hooks!
Yes there are spiders about & yes they seem too enjoy cutting lines so ya may want too invest in some pop up/floating beads.
So, as a quick round up (ok i dont do quick) spring has sprung and signs while not great quite yet they do look fairly decent with in the last 10 days despite the frikin winds the following, Plaice, Dab, Flounder, bass, conger, dogfish, hound pups, Mackerel, yes mackerel, spider crabs are arriving, squid, cuttlefish, sole, wrasse, black and guilt head bream, a few whiting, mullet (A) Dev D knocked off a debated is it A or B as in either a juvenile Turbot or Brill and tbh Im not gonna stick my neck out and say which because Im not 100% sure of what I think it is but was a nice catch for him of a local beach. A nice Topknot was landed on the east wall and there are red mullet and gurnards out n about already so while the numbers may not seem huge its not bad going for what has been quite low numbers on the wall. I do expect things too keep picking up as we do seem too be entering a better period of calm weather from today onwards so fingers crossed, the hints of fish out there seems too be better than last year and on the improve at the moment… there may even be some horse mackerel this weekend.. watch this space.
thats it, honest I’m gonna stop now.. well almost & thats too say the usual sign off. Until the next one… I will bid you all ADIEU
F
Due too a lack of anglers yesterday I sorta lack any catch info, there were only 2 on the east yesterday one under the steps at 29 and one high about 55 but both had avoided blanks with a small plaice each in what at the time was challenging conditions with a strong wind chilling push from the east.
Ironic that the water is starting too look quite clear with a decent visibility depth.
The west was little better with a group of four high that seemed too be slowly packing and a few other souls mostly feathering lower down. Defo a quiet afternoon and I lack any other info beyond that. Tuesday I stayed away due too heading too the AmEx too watch Brighton take Chelsea apart.
Todays weather looks (from indoors) almost identical too yesterday so when I do venture down Im not really expecting too see many people.
A reminder here that the WEST wall will open all night tomorrow night (fri) and will remain open through the entire weekend with night fishing Fri/sat & sunday night.
Affter a message from Lee in the shop I can also confirm that the TACKLEBOX will stay open on all three days from 6am and close at 6pm.
Bait orders should be phoned in so that it can be reserved as they dont take any form of online orders either throught the shop or via the website email that comes direct too me at home. If you wish too contact the shop, the usual method is too phone them directly on 01273 696477 Emails as said too the site come to myself.
And thus, no catch info too pass on and a shrt post today. all this means that, yup, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F
Spring that is, don’t believe me , take a look at the galleries where a few piccys have been uploaded, I shan’t say how many as that would spoil my fun with this teaser.
Want further proof ? well ok read on, are ya sitting comfy ? good , I shall begin.
And so, having woke late yesterday and sorted the blog at lunch time (sort of lunch time) I didn’t spend much time on facebook and somewhat unlike me I didn’t look at the marina group so hadn’t seen any pic Mark had uploaded earlier.
And thus out came the the quad and loaded with a bit of bait and the the wheel form my larger trailer loaded in the scooter backseat bag (a separate story) I headed down the hill and rolled towards the east wall.
An east wind had picked up making things somewhat choppy with cold air blowing cobwebs every which way but loose it was quite obvious that many had already packed up early and headed too the hills with many saying “its quiet m8,but there were some fish seen earlier” … hmmm, Thought Id investigate , but guess what… a lack of frozen in the wind anglers made it a tough task. Bay 60 is always a decent source so longer story short pressed the pedal too the erm cardboard and shot up the wall at a blistering 8mph! too bay 60… empty! oohhhkay… what too do?…..
I took a slow roll down the arm chinwagging with those that left and was tood the usual.. saw some mackies earlier, saw some bream.. no wasnt me that caught, ya get the picture, vague answers and little too no confirms… another conger down there m8, plaice , some dab again! but no confirms. No sign of Mark too ask so decided best i could do was head over too the west and hope someone had some firm info.
Onto the west the first faces I came across was a couple of squid regulars and James W walking towards me like he had given up so things were not looking great.
That was when I was told Pieman(phil) had caught a squid on the end of the west. Now stood on the upper I could see the west extension had all but emptied and the easterly wind was hitting the back of it quite hard so it couldnt have been too pleasant up there and he was now on his own. When i entered the marina there were at least 6-7 fishing up there.
A quick catch up with those squidding on the lower bays and then James arrived and said he had a bass of 55cm or so and no squid for him as he was climbing over for a final few casts on the low bays with a jig. By time I left all three had also gone leaving a fe hardy souls on the wall who all looed somewhat cold.
grabbing a few bits of info on the way too the toilet block I was told of Plaice, bass, one or two mackerel some reasonable bream over the high and of course most knew Phil had managed too get the first confirmed squid of the year off the last bay of the west wall. (well done him, there is a pic on the galleries as is a couple of cuttle pics… yea I know I didnt mention them earlier when posting east nes. Why ? coz I want aware of catches on the east until I had actually got home and properly caught up with messages and posts via the book of face!.
So why has spring sprung ? (imo) well as I said, there was late evening news, not only were there bream bass and mackies on the west. as said Phil who had been trying all week had his efforts rewarded with this years first wall caught squid and there were also plaice scattered along the west wall. While not huge numbers they are ticking over nicely on the west, more so than the last couple of years and this weekend also saw sole on the west so for that wall Id say yes spring has sprung., especially with the catch info for the east wall yesterday.
Monday east
So it took a couple of calls and a few later piccy posts but I can confirm that the EAST yesterday also saw bream over the high tide as well as some mackerel… now before the gangs of riders collect and charge the walls, this is usually a small spring run of 5-10 days and they dont usually shoal on the surface like the bigger mobs in the latter summer but… yes there were mackies over the high for a short while.
Again plaice ticked over on the east side mostly over the sand. As almost usual of late there were also dogfish and a smattering of hound pups.
And now for something different, Clive H a member of the LISA anglers group had visited the Marina with a topknot as his target species and so as I believe it he arrived with a bit of local knowledge (see its good too talk) and set up on his advised bay(s). I shant post here which bays as that for me is part of the joy of visiting a venue in that its worth learning the various features and catch areas . self research is so much more satisfying when you do the work rather than have it on a plate but I digress. Method, bait, bay etc I will leave out for the angler too share (or not) but I can confirm that his target species was landed and the proof is also on the flatties gallery. so Well done Clive on getting a TOPKNOT from the east wall yesterday.
The final it of spring info/round up I have left until last prior too a caught species list from yesterday. Regular angler and visitor too the wall and decent squid angler Larry was prior too my arrival also on the EAST and also clocked up his first cephlapods, yes plural of the year, this time it wasn’t squid but he did get a lovely brace of cuttlefish from his chosen bay. defo not too shabby for what had sofar been a poorish start too April and so this time I am going too post up a list of catches for the weekend and Monday too show why I chose todays blog title..
This weekend caught on the wall despite unpleasant but oft sunny conditions have been, in no particular order…
Plaice, Bass, Flounder, Mackerel, Sole, Bream, Conger, Dab, dogfish, smoothound pups, rays (3 species), Topknot, Squid, Cuttle, Horse mac(a few)Pouting, whiting, Sprats, whitebait, Red Mullet, and Blennies. Not that is a decent list and while many may not have caught or even seen a fish for mid April vers how things were in March Id say that fairly decent and yes
SPRING has SPRUNG 🙂
With that, one final note. I wont be on the marina today as Brighton are at home & play the Brighton reserves better known as Chelsea. and on Saturday there is also a high chance I wont (but might) be down after Saturdays home game vs Wolves.
Thats it, all done for today, and so, until the next one, I will as per, bid you all ADIEU
F
Pieman with the first squid of the year , caught on the west
A late night up watching the tv till the silly hour and what does the body do? yep, wakes me up at the crack of dawn ! Thankfully Dawn didn’t mind and the wife doesn’t read this very often 😉 plus I have a GP appointment later due too the spring vampire wanting their regular arm load of blood too test ! Anyhoo….
Whats going on,? 3 posts in a row, anyone would think I’m about too post a fishing report ! most unusual this early in the year. So, fishing report or just a catch up ? well more a catch up tbh plus a bit of news for a Monday morning.
As ya’ll recal Saturday was a bit of a shocker once the unexpected wind set in and did it damndest too freeze the brass balls off the three wise monkeys, well Sunday it was a case of chalk & cheese with regards too the sun coming out and the wind swung more too the easterly than anything else, was less fierce and erm it became very spring like, yup, spring had sprung.
Want proof ?, well it seems that with the morning tide came some fish. yes real honest a’ gawd fish proverbially and quite literally hit the wall.. or at least the middle of the east from about bay 18 up through the forties on the high mackerel yes , real mackerel started too be caught in fairly decent numbers. Mark even got a few pictures posted even though im not sure why he was up because I swear john was working yesterday 😂😂
Now if mackerel aint your thing I suspect you havn’t been paying attention too the fishy news about failing stocks, increased quotas and dire warnings from the conservation fish stock counters. Thus mackerel on the wall mid April is either a damned good thing too see, especially when what I tend too call the spring run of mackerel hasn’t been seen on the marina for two years, and, if its not, well, let me put it like this.
The last 2 years past we have not seen a proper spring run of mackerel, nor the early squid, last year the spider crabs all but failed too reach us and sardine has been missing from shop shelves for over 18 months meaning for me there is something wrong going on with the fish stocks. I could dig deeper and list many more changes that may seem unconnected but food chains connect the world and if part of a chain fails the whole chain fails …., ya know, plankton gets eaten by little fish, med fish gets too eat little fish, little fish feed the mammals in the sea, they all get too make bigger fish happy and well fed. until we get too the whales, sharks, the cod we all love too eat and the big fish we all want too catch, fek with part of the food chain and ya suddenly realise something is missing and its that something that is missing people say “oh where are the COD” or the mackerel, or the pollack or the spiders and squid, it paints a start picture tbh.
Anyhoo enough of the gloom from me, yes there was a smallish spanking of mackerel on the east wall yesterday and too add too that I was told that there were also quite a few DAB caught along the wall as well. add too this a tick over (ok a slow one) of plaice, the usual for the time being of dogfish, hound pups, conger, bass pouting, flounder and other bits n bobs sorta shouts too me hello spring. I ddnt hear of any bream yesterday but by time I was onto the wall quite a few were leaving as the tide dropped.
Now I know the palace pier group had a match on the east yesterday but I have no info from that as everyone fishing with them had left by time I showed up, soooo, if anyone from the pier group are here reading, please let me know how it went, fb message or even a short email too the addy on the home page will reach me.
Chatted too quite a lot of anglers on the walls yesterday with plenty out enjoying the better conditions. The water state was defo better than Saturdays blast of wintery wind but still has some way too be clearing ready for the summer.
We did have one incident on the east wall that trully should not have happened and as I understand it some fekin eejit decided that when he hooked into a decent bass and lacked a drop net rather than shout for proper help he managed too borrow a 20ish gallon rubber bucket and jumped off the wall after the flippin fish.
Stupid, infact bloody foolish, the currents along the walls mean near always entering the water from the wall is life risking, means 99% of the time a lifeboat needs too be called out, the water is shock inducing cold and lives can quickly be lost. This time the dude was lucky and a nearby kayak came too assist prior too the life boat being called out too them for a needless rescue.. Trust me, the lifeboat has better things too do on a busy Sunday morning without having too muster too a needless and preventable emergency. Thankfully this idiot was pulled from the water and Im not going too comment further on his bit of stupidity.
On the west wall late afternoon numbers had thinned quite dramatically and it was slow going as the tide was closing on its lowest point so catch info was very sparse.
Over all yesterday things were much better, the catches were on the increase(not that saturday was that hard too out do.) I still lack decent catch info for the years first night session but if I get any other than the hound & dogs I will post it up.
I’m gonna whisper it quietly but things are seemingly looking up for this year, I may be wrong but, at the moment as I type there seems too be a feel that this year feels better than last years poor showing on the walls, cross ya fingers, ya never know I may be for a change calling it right 😉
And with that I’m gonna clear off and prepare for the vampires down at the GP’s thus, until the next one I will as usual , bid y’ll ADIEU
F
