West Sussex Catch Report - 24th May 2026

Report by David Lewis

Good evening, firstly we hope you are enjoying both the bank holiday weekend, warm and sunny weather, and hopefully getting some fishing in. There is still a good variety of species worth targeting locally both big and small and plenty to keep the rod tips rattling and with more nice weather predicted plus evening tides approaching there should be some good fishing on offer so why not get the rods out and give it ago. 

Here are Worthing high tides times for the week ahead:

• Monday 25th May: 07:26 (4.8m), 20:00 (5.2m)
• Tuesday 26th May: 08:27 (4.9m), 20:55 (5.3m)
• Wednesday 27th May: 09:20 (5.1m), 21:44 (5.4m) 
• Thursday 28th May: 10:07 (5.2m), 22:27 (5.5m)
• Friday 29th May:  10:50 (5.4m), 23:08 (5.6m)
• Saturday 30th May: 11:30 (5.5m), 23:45 (5.7m)

After a brief spell of unsettled weather at the start of last week this weekend has seen the sun return with light winds and increasing temperatures. With a bank holiday weekend, the beaches have been extremely busy with sunbathers. Weed has not caused too many issues this week and with dropping tides next week should be fishable from most venues. 

Smoothounds have continued to be caught throughout the region especially when the water had colour midweek with fish caught both during the day and at night with crab the best bait although they will be caught on other baits too. Fish showed from venues including Worthing Pier, Bognor, Aldwick and Pagham. When the water clears the night tides will produce more fish usually. Although there have been occasional fish to around 12lb the big packs of Hounds have not arrived yet but should do within the next few weeks. Tope should soon make an appearance from marks around Selsey. 

Conditions have been ideal for Stingrays in the last few days, but beaches obviously have been full of sunbathers making some spots hard to fish. The occasional fish has been caught in darkness and evening tides next week should see fish caught at dusk with venues from East Preston in the East to Selsey in the West all possibly holding Stingers. Other Rays are also showing regularly including both Thornbacks and Undulates. Thornbacks are more widely spread and caught both in East and West Sussex whereas Undulates do tend to be caught more in the West and a nice fish of 13lb was caught from Worthing Pier midweek. 

Other species of summer fish are being caught with some superb Wrasse of around 3lb from Brighton Marina, Mackerel should appear from the Marina and Harbour with dawn and dusk best, and Garfish are about but numbers certainly down on previous years. The Marina can be worth casting a squid jig in the right conditions with a few Cuttlefish and Squid caught most of a good size. Various species of Mullet have been spotted in big shoals but very few caught recently. 

Black Bream remain quite prolific still and are frequently caught both during the day and at night and depending on venues fish can show at different times of day. Spots like Selsey East Beach, Brighton Marina are the most reliable areas to target Black Bream. 

Lure fishing for Bass could be worthwhile at venues with good water clarity with early mornings and evening sessions usually accounting for reasonable catches. Schoolies are showing to worm baits and crab baits have accounted for some sizable fish. Depending on venues live baiting can work especially from the Marina. 

There are Flatfish to be caught with Shoreham and Brighton still seeing fish showing but Plaice average sizes are down with smaller fish moving in. Flounders are still randomly caught along with a few late Dabs and Sole numbers should increase.  
  
Other species caught include plenty of strap Congers with the occasional bigger fish from the Marina, Dogfish, Bull Huss, odd Silver Eels, Pollock and Pouting. 

Prime Angling usual opening times are 8am till 5pm Monday to Saturday and 8am till 4pm Sundays. We are located at 26 Marine Parade, Worthing, BN11 3PT, just to the east of Worthing Pier with limited customer parking available at the front of the shop. For bait availability it is advisable to phone us on 01903 821594. We also stock a large variety of frozen sea baits as well as a wide range of freshwater baits and tackle. 

Visit our online website at primeangling.co.uk with plenty of new stock regularly added so keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates which will include plenty of new items from Japan. 

Please send us pictures of your recent local catches via our Facebook page messenger or email and we will aim to publish them for you in the weekly report. Please note we DO NOT claim ANY FISH used and mentioned in our reports are caught on our baits or tackle, it is a report to show what has and is likely to be caught locally.