Sussex Diving

[eric aqua]

Sussex area really starting to come to life but slub weed increasing, Danny B and Kev both had a 2 kilo bass each today and Lee started his year off well with a Bass of 13 lbs. in prime condition. All these fish were caught close inshore. Viz on average 2 mts. I picked up a hand full of dogfish 3 in total on one dive looks like huss for dinner tomorrow night.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Great fishing Eric. You certainly get some amazing bass down your way.

Dave

 

[spearheads]

13lb bass what a way to start the season, well done.

 

[Mr. X]

Good to see a Sussex thread up & running. Sounds like you are getting better viz than the area has a reputation for. Big fish too - but we already know to expect that!

 

[Huw]

Hell of a fish! Also nice to see another UK area about to be discussed here! I look forward to reading your trip reports throughout the season.



Huw.

 

[KWM]

A number of good bass to over 12lbs taken last week as well as a load of very good bream. Biggest bream taken so far over 4lbs. I have also heard of a huge plaice being shot, but won't put any size up as I am trying to confirm the actual weight. (The plaice weighed 7 1/4lbs. )

 

[eric aqua]

Lucky we held the comp last week the slub weed has closed the viz down to three feet, we are still catching bass by tucking our selves into the wreckage and waiting for the fish to come to us useing short guns with triton heads. The bass are the only fish that are showing in the gloom as their gill plates reflect the light.

 

[Mr. X]

Are you diving from the shore Eric? I know a couple of guys who dive round Bognor but they use a RIB (for off shore sand banks I think).

I was thinking of getting a shorter gun last year (maybe 65/70cm Rob Allen or Commanche) but figured in the end decided to put that on hold for a while as: (1) I never see fish in v. low viz (i.e. when I can't see the end of my 90cm gun) & (2) I tended to get nausious! I will give your "hide" approach a try next time I find myself in murky water (which is quite often) - it might solve both problems.

 

[eric aqua]

I am diving from a boat most of the time it is no good diving on open ground you need to go to where the fish should be on wrecks or rocks. The technique is to lay on the shingle or sand as tight into the wreck as possible and look out into open water you will hear the bass most times before you see one. Leave the bottom quietly each time no finning untill at least ten foot off the bottom this way the bass will come in time after time. Mind you even my short gun was to long off Brighton today the Bass were banging about for at least four dives, big fish as well but viz down to a really bad three foot. As you gain in experience it is possible to tell the size of the bass and how scared they are by the noise they make. I had a seven pound fish yesterday firing in the direction that it gone, straight through the gill plate with a single point.(Some say I'm lucky.)

 

[eric aqua]

Just a quick word to say we are blown out at the moment after seven weeks of solid diving but we needed it The Plankton bloom had reduced the viz to two foot and where the local dredgers had been dumping mud out from the harbours it was laying on the bottom 75 cm thick in places. It gives us a break to keep in contact and catchup with maintainence on the boats and gear.

 

[eric aqua]

The viz on our local wreck the Indy went from 1.5mts to 10mts overnight the slub weed seems to have gone in that area. The bream are still around we shot one to eat and took four bass and seven pollock to fill the frezzer up. Whats happening in the rest of the country.

 

[eric aqua]

Sussex, Clearing fast I must be getting old I missed a 12lb Bass from a foot yesterday came down right on top of it in a tight gap. Clean miss though nice to see it, we will meet again.

 

[Mr. X]

Sussex, Clearing fast I must be getting old I missed a 12lb Bass from a foot yesterday came down right on top of it in a tight gap. Clean miss though nice to see it, we will meet again.

You'd think the big ones, presenting a larger target, would be easier to hit & perhaps slower but they seem more alert, wary and faster from what I've seen. To get so large, perhaps they had to be. I unknowingly trapped one in a hole with my body recently & it eventually panicked & wriggled out past me. It was too close (by my chest & arms) and then too far as I saw its tail disappear off into the murk.