We had to start quite late (9a.m) as I'd just finished a night shift.The tide was still ebbing hard and rather than fight our way upstream,and waste time, I opted first to try the lower reaches opposite the slipway and just below the Arun yacht club.The previous morning,I'd stopped for a gander on the east works, and spied several mullet moving about along the stretch close to the moored boats which sealed the deal to try there.It's actually against the harbour rules to anchor up and fish in this area but ,being low tide,the river was completely devoid of traffic,and I didn't think the new (more sensible) harbour master would bother too much anyway.
We anchored up at the foot of the ferry jetty in inches of water and,as soon as the mash swirled its way down stream the fish showed themselves.On my first trot down I had one follow my bait as I slowly reeled it back....and then....literally on the next trot down, the float sank and I was in.I deliberately kept the fish deep to avoid to much disturbance, and guided it upstream of the boat,on the river side, before surfacing it ,so it swept into Dave's waiting net.It played out like clockwork-nifty bit of net handling on Dave's part.I couldn't have done it solo.Good pot bellied fish at 4-12 and although barely noticeable in the picture,covered in pale yellow markings.We'd not even been out for ten minutes.
The initial success was however, short lived.We were literally battered by the strong northerly wind for the remainder of the day and, although we stuck it out,and tried several marks on the flood tide all the way up to the flats,that was the only take .I was bitterly disappointed for Dave.
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