West Sussex Fishing Report - 4th May 2025
Report by David Lewis
Good evening, we hope you are enjoying yet another bank holiday weekend and pleasing both the weather and the fishing at certain venues have been good through the last week and there are a vast variety of species which can be targeted locally and the likelihood of bigger fish moving in during the next month or so, so why not get the rods and give it ago.
Here are Worthing high tides times for the week ahead:
- Monday 5th May: 06:04 (4.5m), 18:53 (4.7m)
- Tuesday 6th May: 07:28 (4.4m), 20:07 (4.8m)
- Wednesday 7th May: 08:38 (4.6m), 21:05 (5.0m)
- Thursday 8th May: 09:29 (4.9m), 21:52 (5.3m)
- Friday 9th May: 10:13 (5.2m), 22:32 (5.5m)
- Saturday 10th May: 10:51 (5.4m), 23:09 (5.6m)
The past weeks weather has mainly been warm, sunny with light winds and calm and clear seas. The forecast for the week ahead is for cooler temperatures and at times a brisk north easterly wind but remaining dry.
Black Bream have been caught from many venues during the past week both during the day and at night. There currently is a mixture of size of fish with darkness seemingly seeing better fish caught. Areas to target them include Selsey east beach, Bognor, Shoreham and Brighton Marina.
Mackerel have been caught in small but increasing numbers from Brighton Marina and Shoreham Harbour. Garfish remain scarce with very few caught this spring.
Some better sized Smoothounds have been caught with Selsey, Pagham and Bognor seeing a few fish caught during darkness. Other venues are still producing some very small hounds around 1lb and towards the end of the month some big hounds are likely to be caught locally.
Undulate Rays have made an appearance mostly from venues between Bognor and Selsey although the odd one is caught from Shoreham to Hove. Thornback Rays are likely to be caught from Hove, Bognor and Pagham in the forthcoming week on the evening tides during darkness. Conditions have been ideal for Stingrays but there have not been many reports of many landed recently, approximately half a dozen have been caught this spring but tough fishing with anywhere from Climping, Bognor, Aldwick and Pagham are all liable to see one show up to baits such as king rag or crab.
Plaice are still being caught in reasonable numbers from Shoreham and Brighton to worm baits as are a few Flounders, Dabs and occasional Sole. Best venues to target Flounders is from Kingston Beach or Shoreham Harbour to red rag baits. Sole numbers should slowly increase with a few being caught during darkness.
Again, Dogfish have been plentiful and have been caught throughout the region. This time of year, they are often caught both in the day and at night regardless of whether the water is coloured or not.
During darkness Conger are a reasonable target to large fish or squid baits although majority of fish are straps with the occasional better fish a possibility.
There are plenty of other species which can and have been caught locally recently which include Wrasse, Pollock, Whiting, Gurnard, Red Mullet, Herring, Blennies, Bullheads, Smelt, Pout as well as Mullet.
A few sizable Bass have been caught recently, and catches should continue to improve with more Schoolies likely to show soon and depending on venues, different techniques and baits can make the difference in catching a Bass or not. Lure fishing could be worthwhile whilst the water is clear from the shore with a few fish caught recently on the spring low tides although mainly small.
Prime Angling 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.
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.
