Brighton Inshore Fishing - Catch report 2nd June 2020

First up, and my first fluff chucking customer of the since lockdown season. Jan was raring to go for sure. I saw he had some nice kit, including my favourite fast sink line, the Airflo Assassin. A very easy line to cast a long way, and combined with Jans excellent and very flowing casting style, resulted in distance achieved, which is very important when fly fishing from an drifting boat for bass. All sorts of things, from tide strength, to depth, to wind direction and speed, create obstacles, that reduce your time in the kill zone. The longer your cast, the best chances you have. Yes, bass often track a fly and smash it at the side of the boat. But it has followed it to the boat. In three years now with BIF1, I have only ever seen bass follow to the boat. Follow a lure or fly. Regularly follow a hooked fish, but never just appear at the side of the boat. Unlike cuttlefish...

The fishing was not as prosperous as I had hoped. A theme that haunted the day where bass are concerned. But it did show how a well fished fly, will out fish a lure. Because Jan's fantastic baitfish pattern, actually tied for Namibian Tiger fish, nailed three bass to my one on the shad. So, numbers not amazing, but smiles, big. I liked being beaten by fluff.

Next up, and Nick and friend Ian pitched up. They too clutched fly rods, as well as lure rods. They wanted a bit of breaming, a bit of bass on fly, and a bit of bass on the lure. I was concerned about the breaming, but should not have worried . Still plenty there, although bigger ones now in more isolated places. Some people would say fished out, but actually, I think it is more about competition for nesting spaces, with the bigger ones winning early on. Once they are done and gone, the smaller ones get to have a go. Something like that. I guess only the bream know. But we found plenty, with half a dozen perfect BBQ size.

Onto the bass. Things got harder here. Neither lure or fly was particularly successful in close. But with the wind that had again plagued the first sailing now abating, I took us offshore a bit. Here there was some action with bass, and very nice bass too, which rather saved the sailing. A plaice, also. On the mighty minnow of course...

Saying goodbye to Nick and Ian, it was time to meet with Asia. She missed out last year with me, but this year, she came, and as she had promised me before, she was very specific about what she wanted. Cuttlefish, Plaice, mackerel and was also very interested to have a spider crab. All a big order. We lure fish. With the exception of bream. I was hopeful she might want bream, but no. No Bream, No Bass. Very clear (she had a cracker of a bass the first time she sailed with me. ) .

At this time of year, all ARE possible. But really, only the plaice would I fish for in confidence. Cuttle, well, we did actually catch one earlier with Nick and Ian. Which jetted all over me of course.. much laughter. So, viable. And mackerel. We have caught a single fish most days this week. Spider crab... Very unlikely..

We began. Plaice fishing. And they were having it. We caught perhaps 20 plaice in the three hours. With all bar 3 being returned. Little Tub gurnards also. And then... On an isome... Asia caught her cuttle. She was soooo happy for it. A joy to behold.

We had feathers permanently working, but nothing doing. We dedicated the last 40 minutes to popping to places I know mackerel like to run. Nothing doing. So, two out of four. Not bad. Asia was delighted.

Final sailing, and fellow boaters, currently without a vessel, father and son Phil and Mathew. I had a fantastic plan, which culminated in beasts out n the deeper water. Snag is, it disintegrated to a single quality schoolie landed, and a few missed. A couple of pout out in deeper water. And that was it. Really pants. And I hate it when that happens. But I also know, it could be full of fish again in the morning. Here's to finding out...