For a round up/ update or what ever ya want too call it 🙂
so, bar yesterday most of the past week has been dominated by a westerly weather system and at times was pushing tons of water over the west wall hence we had too have a few shut downs here n there. fairly typical of a British Autumn.
Yes I hate too say it but we are into the Autumn which means we either get the weather that resembles the old saying of a late Indian Summer or we get Squalls or full blown storms sweeping in of the Atlantic, I hope I’m wrong but the long range weather dudes are already talking doom n gloom with talk of “el Nino” and the gulf stream wanting too play at its worst causing disruption by way of 4-6 day blows !, as I said….
I hope not but summat feels like its crawling up my neck and it aint the wifes fingers!
So on that cheery note you may be wondering if anyone has actually caught any fish this last week.

Well, despite the WEST wall doing it’s open & shut tricks the east has atually fished quite well when open.
Observant visitors may have noticed that we have now adjusted the close time of the
EAST WALL too 8pm too comply with the agreement on when the east wall is open/closed and being as the light is now rapidly going by 8pm that is the current close time of the east meaning anyone fishing that side need too be packing in time for the duty warden too have things clear and closed in good time.

Catches on the EAST have during the week included Bream, Plaice, some very decent Sole, Bass, Congers and European/silver eels Gurnard, red mullet with plenty of smaller species just down the side of the wall such as Gobies & Blennies as well as a lot of , well, I shall call it whitebait but basically a mixing pot of fry from Bass, Mulley and Pollack if you was too look closer. very varied but not all at the same time. Some days there have been hard work and others have been very productive so summing that up Id say somewhat hit or miss days.

I have deliberately not mentioned the obvious species that most ask about and Id hazard a guess that with the naff weather blowing along the south coast last week that the sensible ones that think about conditions, and sorta know what too expect would no doubt think, don’t bother with feathers, water coloured and very weedy from the wind and pointless expecting Mackerel.
Well….

Just too prove a point and make the fish predictions a farce they came out too play on the east most days it was open. By my standards of seeing things on the marina over the years Id say there wern’t load but there were catches almost every day on the east when open. Granted they came in smaller clusters/shoals and mostly over the day time high tides but, just too prove that the normal conditions for catching mackies can be thrown out the window.. well the buggers threw the normal out and sorta rewarded those that got their winter gear on too avoid potential waves and water spouts in the wind meaning that there were mackerel caught near every day last week on the east wall when open.

SOOOOO….. how about yesterday.
Well Lets start with the bollocks bit that prob wont interest many here bar perhaps one of the marina residents who regularly fished the walls until age related health sorta took its toll on him. Id say a bit of an old school type and always makes time too stop and chat and ofetn some days I find im somewhat busy and regret that I dont have time too say hello a bit longer.
Why am I padding this out you may wonder ? well Like myself Resident John has an interest in BHAFC and used too regularly cycle out to Falmer pub on match day…
So the bollocks bit, the game was flipping awful from a Brighton view point, the team were out run, out fought and so disjointed it looked like a game from the next division down, BHA were piss poor for well into 75 mins before the team even got it together, we defo stole a point yesterday and Leeds fans must be very miffed they never finished things off with 2-3 more goals but we snatched an undeserved draw.

So why link in the footy rather than fishing ? well thats how my day went or started and a crap 1st half then got worse. The wife dived out (not literally) too grab us both a beer, Queued up as ya do and as she got too the serving tills a space opened up too her left , a quick look and no one seemed too be there waiting as nearest dude was talking too someone behind em, thus she stepped across & ordered. As she got the beer this dude who was behind got right in her face shouting about queue jumping and somewhat threateningly leaned closer n said in her face near nose too nose ” I now got your face” leaving her well shook up n stressed. Turns out the dude was a Leeds fan in the BTN home section who Ironically was sat 5 rows in front of us, yes he has been reported and the club have the seat number. Needless too say that incident soured the rest of the game and tbh was glad too get away from the ground & calm down a bit.

On the fishing front I got a message about 4.30 saying both walls v busy could I come down early !😂 ah the irony of being asked can I leave a game early when I mock the hoards that do leave games 10 mins b4 they finish! But no I didnt leave early in fact a broken down bus at Falmer station caused widespread chaos around the local roads delaying me even getting home too get the quad out of the shed.

Eventual arrival on the WEST WALL was close too 6.30pm and yes the main white gate was closed, the wall at a glance was rammed and Mark was doing his best too control a very busy wall and the queue of frustrated anglers wanting on the wall despite the lack of room. Needless too say the next 4 hrs were crazy busy shuffling people about, checking tickets and start times while constantly being asked for weights & feathers. Needless too say yesterday was one of those days that the scooter was heavily used but, and this is a big BUT, I didnt have time too load any for the gear onto the scooter so most had too wait until I could find time too get at the weights etc. and meanwhile by 9pm the queue had grown somewhat towards 20 or so people waiting too get onto the wall.
Anyone reading here that were waiting last night I will say ty for your patience, most realised it would take time too get people onto the wall and at times we had more leaving that were being let onto the wall simply because the extension had been fully booked with mark and the daytime anglers coming off while leaving spaces were simply clearing bays for the incoming bookings .

Over on the main part of the wall which is a case of 1st come first serve we had a large number of people of which only half or so were actually fishing as families, friends & partners has all been on the wall for a day out. Needless too say then that more were leaving than going onto the wall and as things got dark we had too carefully monitor numbers on the wall too avoid over crowding.
By 7.45 Mark had too get over too a fairly busy wall too get that one closed down as per agreement with the marina so the gate was shut leaving me too try and wiggle spaces and get new anglers on the wall and I will repeat those waiting were in general patient and did wait without pressing too get onto the wall as we (or I) tried too control the numbers.

By 11pm things at the gate had eased but despite decent numbers of mackerel during the daytime tide it was clear that things last night were much more tougher going. A shad or two were caught Id’d and returned but there were hardly any mackerel and little sigh of anything else if i’m being honest. By time darkness had fully descended I was checking out lighting on the wall and again little too no sign of fish, why I don’t know, but perhaps the west wall had still a load of colour in the water putting the fish off and being as the tide was small… dunno but it was clear it wasn’t happening on the fishy front meaning people were leaving earlier than intended freeing up much needed wall space.
Wile sorting lights there was a fairly steady tick of people arriving and for an hour or so more were leaving than coming in , ahhh that moment of calm!.
Come 11.30pm I was sorting bait n tackle for those in need and the wall again slowly filled too capacity and required a little bit of juggling about for the people on the lower 4-5 bays.
If you was one of those on the lower 4 bays around midnight to 1am, I thank you all for your understanding and willingness too allow a little bit of juggling too fish all into the space that we had free.
Once the groups there were settled I was able too finally knock the day on the head and turned the quad wheels north for home about 1.30 in the morning, yup, a bit later than expected but hey, shyte happens, its only the depth that changes 😂😂
And with that I’m gonna close todays essay/sermon and sign off and until the next one, … bid you all ADIEU
F