Capt Bruce gets today's "Smile of the day" award...

Capt Bruce and I arranged to meet at the boat late morning. Not to take her out, but to address a few things we had so far failed to address in our eagerness to be on fish. Some more fenders to be purchased from the chandlers. A full tank of fuel. Most importantly, sort out the tackle and get it into airtight and watertight boxes. Why not out? The forecast was for a stiff SE wind all day, and SE is about our worst wind for getting out on. Except... as we drove down, we thought the sea was very flat for a big SE wind. And that was the case, because the wind was ESE... How does this make a difference? Seaford head. and the cliffs all the way back to Brighton do not face South, but more SW. If the wind has enough east in it, there is an element of shelter from the bigger swells. And that was what we found ourselves looking at. Bumpy for sure, especially around the mouth of the marina. But once through that, perfectly safely fishable for BIF1.

We of course headed out. Tide was just beginning to ebb, and we fished for about an hour. However, we really needed to go out onto the offshore reefs, as the Easterly had bought the remaining May rot back hard against the east arm of the marina. With the ebb, this stream of gunge was an issue. It is so nearly almost gone it hurts. But those days it re-appears, are rarely good fishing days. And so it was to be, with just a single gurnard for Bruce. Time to return in, and get all our original targets achieved, which we did without incident.

I said goodbye to Bruce and headed home. When it occurred to me I had nothing to do at home. I determined to head down to the marina and bag one off the wall. With the time now at early flood, I set off. Driving down though, the sea looked even calmer. The breeze was now completely Easterly and dropping. I rang my friend Luke who lives in the Marina. "What you up to?" "nothing..." came the reply. Fifteen minutes later Luke and I were aboard BIF and heading out for the last hour and a half of daylight.

Luke made a big attempt for the title with this smile...

There was still a lot of may rot around, and not so much bait in the places I would have expected. I spotted some marks on the sounder that screamed Bream. Luke was game to fish a bream rig. Snag is, those marks were not Bream, but Pollock...

Nope... more of a grimace...

The light dropped and I was thinking there was not much point in being out, when my rod was almost dragged out of my hand. A very spirited fight from a 2.5lb fish. Next drift, a repeat, but from a 3lb fish. Next drift, the wind built, the darkness was worrying me, and we headed in. I said goodbye to Luke and headed to my car. But I still wanted one from the shore. It was now pitch black as I found myself wandering the marina arm with a rod and a drop net. The tide was absolutely perfect with pace just beginning to back down. First cast, and the HTO Mighty Minnow was rammed on a slow retrieve. A nice fish of about 3lb. Another ten casts, and a chat with the main marina man David Grinham later, and it occurred to me how tired I was... Time for bed. Well, a blog update, then bed. Although,.. the tide is right for a spot on the river in an hour. And I do not know what to do with tomorrows shore clients... James, if you are reading... dont get up too early.. you might have to have a long night... and I have to have two to confirm they are there. So, actually, blog update, three more hours of fishing, then bed...

Not even trying to smile.. and I can see, I actually do need a new hat... Loser!!!

FOOTNOTE - HTO Mighty minnows are a very basic, very simplistic, very cheap and very devastating shad. At £3.99 for one complete, and two spare bodies, and with over sixty bass in three days on them, I can happily say they get the fishyrob seal of approval. But do not overwork them. They are not a SG sandeel. Subtle bounces and straight retrieves work very well. You will know if you are putting too much action into them as you will retrieve your lure with the hook through the paddle tail...

See the Magic Minnpw peeking from the fishes mouth? They hit them hard...