Brighton Inshore Fishing - Catch report 24th September 2025

First sailing and out with regular Brian, who bought along his friend Steve, plus Miles and Kevin, also regulars. VERY cold. Please do consider winter here and take no chances, especially with this current run of northerly winds. Wrap very warm, particularly if you are on the first sailing. Initially we were thwarted by seals. Three of them around the boat at one point. Grey's. I hope the rescue that is deemed to be releasing them has a suitable insurance for compensation pay outs to affected businesses. Because there is nothing a seal likes better than picking out gill nets, let alone their impact on bass behaviour. In 23 years of living here, there has only been the odd seal, and you were more likely to see one up the rivers than on Brighton shingle and reefs. That is quickly changing.

As were we each time one showed up. For the first time ever, we had a fish taken by one. Miles had a mackerel and the seal emerged, rolled, and took it in one smooth action. This is not a good development. Eventually though, we out-manoeuvred them, and even caught some fish, with twelve being the final tally. Quality among them as well, with the best one just creeping over 60cm.

2nd sailing though was not good. Miles remained, joined by Nick and Steve. Also aboard, young Kas was back and in good form... If only the fish were still where I had left them. Indeed, after 2 hours and fifty minutes, the tally was one mackerel. With ten minutes to run, I tucked in to a super close spot. Here, amazingly, we stumbled on a good concentration of fish. I added 30 minutes to the session, as I had already cancelled the final one based on lack of fish... Final tally was just eight, with two killed, but at least it wasnt the total disaster it had almost become.