West Sussex Catch Report - 30th August 2026

Report by David Lewis

Good evening, firstly we hope you are all enjoying the bank holiday weekend and maybe managing to get out and catch some fish. The fishing locally had been very good last week with huge numbers of Mackerel but a change in the weather during the weekend has meant conditions and target species change and with more winds predicted for the week ahead the fishing should be unpredictable and can vary by venue so why not get the rods out and try your luck. 

Here are Worthing high tides times for the week ahead:

• Monday 31st August: 01:39 (6.1m), 14:03 (6.2m)
• Tuesday 1st September: 02:13 (6.0m), 14:36 (6.1m)
• Wednesday 2nd September: 02:51 (5.9m), 15:12 (6.0m) 
• Thursday 3rd September: 03:31 (5.6m), 15:56 (5.7m)
• Friday 4th September:  04:20 (5.3m), 16:48 (5.3m)
• Saturday 5th September: 05:28 (4.9m), 18:04 (4.8m)

After a prolonged settled spell with mainly dry and sunny weather the winds finally increased Saturday causing the sea to turn choppy and colour up. Next week more winds are predicted so conditions will vary depending on venues fished. 

Mackerel have again been caught in big numbers with plenty of large shoals along our coastline recently especially from Seaford, Brighton, Shoreham and Worthing. The wind over the weekend and the colouring of the water means they might not show up again till the clarity improves. 

Garfish are slowly making a return with a few caught from Brighton Marina and Worthing Pier is usually a good venue for them in September and October. Quite a few Shad have been caught and as a protected species must be returned alive. Brighton Marina has again been the venue to target Scad especially from the West Arm at night although a few are caught from Shoreham and Worthing. 

Recent matches on Shoreham Beach have seen a few Undulate Rays to around 10lb caught with some smaller ones also appearing and there is always a chance of late Stingray or Thornback locally. 

As the nights draw in and the weather becomes more unsettled Codling will become a realistic possibility locally during September or October along with Pouts and early Whiting. Last week saw small numbers of Squid appear from the beaches at Brighton. 

There still lots of Black Bream about with a mixture of sizes ranging from micro to sizable and can be caught both during the day and at night. Shoreham and Brighton tend to produce better sized fish plus there is a chance of the occasional Gilt Head Bream although best place to target them would be Chichester Harbour. 

Regardless of the sea conditions Bass are still a worthwhile target with numerous sizable fish caught during the past week and coloured water means Bass will turn to baits rather than lures which are more worthwhile once the sea calms and clears. The local rivers hold Bass mainly in the lower stretches and other venues worth trying to include Brighton Marina and Shoreham Harbour. 

To target flatfish Brighton or Shoreham are worthwhile venues to fish with worm baits likely to find Plaice, Flounders and some Soles. 

In the right conditions Mullet can be caught from the rivers and beaches with calm and clear water on daytime tides and there are three species of Mullet to target including Thin Lips, Thick Lips and Golden Grey Mullet. Usually shoals of Mullet can be spotted in clear water and are often found in very shallow water. 

During any spells of unsettled weather chances increases of a few better sized Congers along with vast numbers of tiny straps. Brighton Marina east arm often produces fish on the higher pegs even during the daytime whereas Worthing Pier can fish well in darkness on occasions. 

Although not in numbers the following species can be caught locally such as Red Mullet, Smelt, Gurnards, Wrasse, and small Hounds. 

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.

Good luck & Tight Lines!