26th March

Brighton beaches

Rainbow over perfect sea conditions. A mixture of colour and clear

Went out to pump some worm, originally with the intention of getting them ready for a predicted INCREDIBLE session on the Suffolk beaches this weekend. But with perfect sea conditions and a rod in the car, I couldnt resist popping back to the spot where I found a few bass last week. I knew I didnt have long, as the tide was already well on the flood, and it is very much a low water mark. I baited with the super fresh worm, cast ten yards, and bang, I was into a fish. It didnt stop. As soon as I could get a bait in the water, I was getting very confident bites. I stayed as long as I could, but was forced back with the tide. Normally the action ends at this point, but I was still getting plenty as my friend Steve arrived, and began hastily setting up next to me. HE neednt have bothered. As soon as the sea reached the beach, the surf dissapeared and the fish with it!!

 

Signs of catch and release. Quite bad mouth damage on this chap

Otherwise healthy, if a little lean

I often get into debate about catch and release, and wether or not a released fish survives the ordeal. Well, at this mark, most of the fish are small, and the vast majority get released. This chap pictured shows that even with quite severe damage, they can survive. By the time the fish had gone, I had caught twenty five, and dropped at least anoher ten. Not one fish would have weighed more than 2lb though, so it was more an excercise in fine tuning rigs and presentation, and to that end it was a valuable session. Feeling bad that Steve had missed the action by minutes (he had seen me catch four or five while he was tackling up) we went on to the marina on the West arm inshore, to see if any better ones had followed the Westerly wind. They hadnt, but at least Steve got a bite, and dropped a wee one as he was winding it up the side.