Brighton Inshore Fishing

Quick one, as I am out with a group chasing squid on the shingle in five minutes First sailing, we tried for bass harder than 2nd sailing. 9 landed, just 3 killed. stacks of squid for those that wanted 2nd sailing was really a squid trip bar me and one other. Just 3 bass landed, one killed. A couple of gurnard And a shedload of squid and cuttle...

Just two hours of first sailing before a very heavy fog appeared, completely un-forecast, and visibility dropped to twenty meters, forcing a return to port. In those two hours we had managed to boat 9 bass, with 5 keepers. Not too tragic

Bass strangely absent this morning on the last of the ebb. squid and cuttle feeding furiously. But it was only in the last ten minutes, which co-incided with the first peep of flood tide, that we found some. Just two of them killed for the table. 2nd sailing a little better. All on the flood, by getting Way from the crowds we found both squid and bass in feeding mood. Ten bass landed, 3 for the table. Plus stacks of squid all round

Finally back out again, and hoping to pick up where I left off. But sadly, the surface fishing wasn't really happening, other than a lad on our first sailing catching his very first bass , and on the surface lure. It took a move to deeper water to take 6 bass, 4 for the table, and if course, squid. 2nd sailing, new flood, and I had to run a bit to find the fish. Finally we found some quality ones, with four killed and the same released. And the squidding we did well away fro

Another great example of late summer fishing. With ever growing numbers of squid around, plus baitfish, plus a velvet peeler moult, there is every reason for bass to be inshore. First up, 4 rods, and all surface action. Maximum kill. Plenty of quality fish also released for the total of 23 landed. No time for messing around with squid on this session. With heavy cloud cover I really expected to just carry on. But on arriving at the mark after a quick breakfast, it sadly had 2

Another great day afloat. First sailing, the first action of a stag weekend for my four guys. Less experienced and I must admit knowing what I had in store for them , initial attempts at teaching them how to work a surface lure was frustrating, in part due to it being quite dark. But as the light improved so did the skills, and we managed 23 bass landed. Plenty of keepers but here lays some irony. No requirement to keep any due to activities so all fish released. Lucky fishes

Very exciting times just now. There is a perfect storm of food items locally. Squid are now abundant and already getting quite large. spratt balls are appearing under the boat with regularity. And as if that wasn't enough, there is as much plankton in the water as I have ever seen. Flying fish in Cornwall? Well Ray Burns spotted a whole shoal leaving the water over towards Anchor lump this morning. I'm half expecting a basking shark next. As for the fishing, that too is a lot

Everything for the reason. I arrived at BIF1, with my crew already prepared that should it be bouncy on the easterly wind, we would transfer it to the shore. But we didn't get that far. On warming up the engine, a "water in the fuel" alarm sounded. It had no logic, as the water separator showed pure fuel and any water immediately makes it look more like a pint of John Smith's. So I suspected a faulty sensor. But no way will I run an engine with an alarm unless my mechanic tel

First sailing, four guys in board, and it very nearly finished as soon as we exited the marina. A big swell was there to greet us, as a South easterly wind that had popped up in the early hours was beginning to die A long swell, and deep troughs, but more akin to an Atlantic sea, with no breaking waves. I decided to give it an hour in tight and see how it went. Fish from the off, on the surface lures And steadily, the swells flattened out a bit. we headed to some squid groun

Three with the whole boat booked for 6 hours back to back fishing. On such tiny tides, with cloudless skies and clear seas, I was concerned it was going to be a complete disaster, especially with one guy who had never touched a fishing rod before. Ive always felt a little looked after in life. And this session was another time. It actually went very well. Bassing as yesterday. Great early on, then steadily declining. squid, well they were quite consistent. A few cuttle also.

Been a while since I've been able to sail thanks to wind. Been making the most of the time with plenty of shore guiding, as I still keep my guides and ghillies insurance policy running for exactly these situations. Keeps the wolves from the door at least, although less lucrative than the boat mostly. A big problem with not having sailed is what changes have happened. Big seas have certainly dispersed the bait shoals locally, but squid are now there in large numbers, and squid

Amazing fishing first sailing. Good numbers of bait fish in tight, with a newly flooding tide. A great combination. Started well close to the marina, and got better after just one move. 53 fish landed in total. Max kill at 3 fish per angler (sizes were in the 2-3lb range, which is the bulk of the current bass stock). And the best bit? All fish were taken off the top. I have two spaces on tomorrows 0600 sailing, which could be the last sailing for perhaps ten days. 2nd sailing

Two sailings today, with a forecast South easterly wind robbing the 3rd. A morning of lots of mackerel around. Six bass landed on the first sailing, with 2 killed for the table. Just one killed from 2 bass landed on the 2nd, again with supporting mackerel. Hard times on tiny tides. Looking like Wednesday before we sail again...

A very brief update mostly due to the fact my phone is at the bottom of the sea with all the photos from yesterday. Something immediately obvious to me returning to the marina for the first time since the weather change, was how there were no bass in the marina. Plenty of big mullet, but the bass, of which numbers were great, seem to have all left. And this is mirrored outside also. Suddenly very hard to find any bass among the huge shoals of brit and mackerel. The bass we ar

A single sailing today with wind robbing the rest of it. And it looks the next few days as well. I must admit it will be nice to not set an 0400 alarm for a change tomorrow. 0600 should be plenty... Just two rods aboard today for a whole boat charter, and they did very well, with 15 bass being boated. All on surface lures. Only 3 bass were required for eating, so only 3 bass were killed. Wind actually finished us arriving on Q. A very pleasant morning.

A cracking first session. four rods, all regulars, boated 24 bass, all off the surface. About as much fun as it gets. Max kill, and even a too big, with a magnificent 69 cm (circa 8lb) fish returned. great way to start a day. 2nd sailing, and still a struggle. Four rods. Cloud cover meant that a slightly better session than recent 2nd sailings with 6 fish landed and a couple take for tea. Mackerel feathers carefully managed sorted out the BBQ requirements. The feathers came

You could pretty much repeat yesterday's blog for today. They really are not liking sunshine. First sailing, four rods, fourteen bass landed, six killed All off the top. A great session. 2nd sailing, 4 rods, just a few splashes off the top. 3 schoolies and feathers were deployed to honour BBQ intentions. We did have a 3rd sailing today. A friend was involved with an event called "Mackerel mayhem" at the west pier sailing club. Basically a cook fest, with £3 pints. They had 10

Another day which highlighted how much the high sun can affect the fishing with the current clear seas. First sailing was interesting. Matt bought along his brother in law Mick. Poor Mick literally fell off the back of a lorry in 1984, resulting in paralysis below the waist. Not my first wheelchair user aboard, but the first I have allowed to straddle the stainless on the bow. A man that takes it all in his stride, it was my privilege to have him aboard. His first fishing tri

1st sailing, 4 regular rods, lots of laughs, 12 fish landed and a fish each killed. Good trip 2nd sailing, two lovely guys, 36 degrees centigrade, sat on fish all 3 hours, just one hooked and dropped. Obviously heat and sun affected, I moved the 1400 to 1700 A good move. As my 4 returnees on the now 1700 managed 14 fish , with the max kill of 8 (Bif1 rules). Plus a cuttle, some mackerel, and the sight of 250kg of bluefin tuna throwing itself gracefully through the air. Add a

wind has seen me cancel both Tuesday and Wednesday sailings, but a change in the Wednesday forecast saw me float the idea of a 1700 sailing on my BIF1 short notice WhatsApp group Trip sold fast, and four rods were on there way out at 1700. It was still a little bouncy but started well with surface lure action. A trip to deeper water with shads was less good, but from that we finished off in tight back on the surface lures 11 bass landed just the one taken for the table.