[Scowen]

Hi Guys,

I am a long time coarse angler from Oxfordshire. I have recently purchased a boat and would like to take her out for her maiden voyage in late May.

As I am a complete boating novice I want to keep it simple so it is likely to be a social mackerel fishing trip with hopefully the chance of a few bass over the bank holiday weekend.

Can any of you recommend anywhere suitable on the south coast (ideally somewhere between Sidmouth - Bognor Regis) where the fishing is pretty easy, launching and parking a trailer straightforward, no need for expert boat handling or knowledge etc?

Also I don't know what I don't know yet so if there is anything I should know that isn't blindingly obvious I would be grateful.

Cheers guys

 

[Scotiamark]

Try Littlehampton, easy to launch but just watch the bar at the harbour entrance, you'll need to check the tides or you either won't be able to get to the open sea, or more importantly, won't be able to return until the tide is right. In terms of boat handling and knowledge, you need to get yourself up to speed as much as you can via the forums, but more importantly via local knowledge. The fishing is never easy and handling a boat can be hazardous, no matter where you are. The sea can be very unforgiving and conditions can change in the blink of an eye. Get all your safety gear together, flares, lifejackets, navigation aids, VHF radio etc. If you can, then take someone with you that knows what they are doing, it can be a baptism of fire and doesn't come without risk. That said, it is also a lot of fun!

 

[Clinker]

Bank holidays have a way of bringing bad weather, for your first launch, it's a good plan to go out in flat calm conditions - there will be plenty to worry about on your first trip without throwing a rough sea into the mix.

But if the bank holiday weekend does bring fine weather, it's also likely to bring a baptsim of fire for your first launch, especially at a tide restricted launch site which will increase the numbers of people trying to get afloat, so you may well feel under pressure to rush so you don't hold up other people in the queue - better to have the time to methodically go through things at your own pace. There's also an unwritten law that says the more people who are watching you, the more likely things are to go wrong!

Perfect launches are never witnessed by anyone. :laugh:

If the bank holiday is the only option, I would certainly second the above advice to have someone experienced come along.

A good course to do is the RYA Powerboat Level 2 - it will take you through launching and recovery as well as basic boat handling and touch on navigation and rules of the road - there's nowhere at sea which doesn't require knowledge of these.

 

[Scowen]

Thanks for the info so far chaps and thanks for the PM Mr? Unfortunately I can't PM back as not achieved my minimum activity level yet.

 

[Twizzle]

Another option would be chichester harbour , try launching at itchenor , there is what is known as a hard which is a very gently sloping hard shingle area ideal for getting used to the water and on and off the trailer , there is also parking for the car and trailer nearby , I would avoid Bognor at the moment as you will launch into the open sea and unless you get your tides and weather spot on it's not for first timers , good luck

 

[AUTO1]

Hi
I live on Hayling Island and have been using the slipway at Northney Marina (About £20 in and out)
Plenty of parking for trailer
Easy launch and recovery, if you want a hand I am retired and only live around the corner
Nice run down the harbour

 

[Britanichris]

Hi
I live on Hayling Island and have been using the slipway at Northney Marina (About £20 in and out)
Plenty of parking for trailer
Easy launch and recovery, if you want a hand I am retired and only live around the corner
Nice run down the harbour

Top bloke,

Chris

 

[Scowen]

Thanks so much for all the info guys.
My Missus likes the idea of Hayling Island so I may well take you up on your offer Auto. Is the mackerel/bass fishing any good late May?

 

[Steveh24]

I'm moored in Chichester harbor and it's probably a good place for your first launch, if the weather isn't great then you can stay in the harbor and fish for small bream, smoothhounds and Bass, but be warned that both Chichester and Langstone harbors are Bass Nurseries and you should return any Bass you catch.

There should be some Mackerel about by late May, so if the weather is ok you can motor out of the harbor and feather for them, but beware of the sandbar and if you go left towards Selsey, stay away from the shore as it's very shallow for about half to three quarters of a mile out and you don't want to run aground on the sand.

we also get quite a few Mackerel in the harbour's main channel, but be warned the main channel can reach 70ft in depth during Spring Tides and the tide can ebb and flow at great speeds, probably not the place to be for a rank novice.

Good luck where ever you go.

Steveh24

 

[phissyfingerz]

Cant' go wrong with Littlehampton. There is a public slip by the RNLI or if you don't fancy a crowd watching or getting your wheels wet try the marina as they can put the boat in with a tractor. Fishing wise not bad out of LA. Good marks I used were Black Ledge, The Frode, The Spur of Kingsmere Rocks and a little patch by the Waldrons.

 

[Salar]

Have a look at www.boat-angling.co.uk loads of information for visiting boat owning anglers in the Solent area including marks and launch sites.

 

[Ian B.]

I use the public slip at Warsash quite a bit. It is near the mouth of the hamble, shelered and has a jetty to tie up to whilst you park the car and trailer. £4 to launch and parking is free.

 

[Scowen]

Wow, thanks so much for all the info chaps, this really has been a big help and shows the value of forums. Coming from the secretive coarse world your openness is a revelation!

It looks like I will be turning left off the M3 onto the M27

 

[Pinchers]

Hi
I live on Hayling Island and have been using the slipway at Northney Marina (About £20 in and out)
Plenty of parking for trailer
Easy launch and recovery, if you want a hand I am retired and only live around the corner
Nice run down the harbour

First time out mate in my humble opinion this would def be your best bet first time out , Northney is also useable I think at all states of the tide . Really nice place Chichester harbour 17 square miles of water with the tide in ,good scenery , I have had some good fishing just to the east of the Fishery bouy which is just about where the Emsworth Channel ends opposite Hayling Yacht club . Go to the Chichester conservancy web site ,they have detailed charts of the area well worth studying .If the weather is nice and she is a " going to sea boat " Then you wont go wrong spending some time following Salar;s advice and study his web site . Good luck .Let us know if it is Chichester you decide and when and I will PM you with whats about and hopefully where .

 

[Steveh24]

Coming from the secretive coarse world your openness is a revelation!

Trust me, Sea Anglers are probably more secretive about the marks they catch fish from, if someone tells you they caught fish from a certain location I can guarantee they were nowhere near it.

Steveh24

 

[[email protected]]

Another location to consider is Shoreham. You can launch into the locked basin so there's no real pressure regarding tides. Costs £20.00 ( either at Barnes' shop if open or at the lock control tower ) to launch, park, go out through the lock gates ( on the hour, each hour ), return ( half past the hour ) and retrieve. Depending upon the draught of your boat, try to avoid low tide on a big tide as there's not a lot of water in the lock, and you use the right hand lock on the way out ( and back ), this is for leisure craft. Downside is the location of the slip, it is small and tucked away in a corner and a little difficult to manoevre car and trailer at times. I've got it sorted, but its taken a while. As you say you are a complete novice, I would strongly suggest bringing someone with you who knows what they are doing. This slip is located by the lady B Marina ( you can get a good view of it on Google Earth ), there is another tidal slip further upriver at Emerald Court. This is quite easy to use and there is on street parking nearby, but as its tidal there is only about a four hour window to launch, go out and return, unless you want to stay out a longer time and come back in on the next tide. This is effectively free as nobody from the harbour has ever, to my knowledge, come to collect any fee. I don't imagine the mackeral are in in any numbers just yet, bit early, but it sounds like the plaice are here. If Shoreham interests you, let me know and we can try and get in touch and I'll give you a bit more detail. Somene above suggested Littlehampton, that's a definite two handed job I'd say. Good luck.

 

[Pinchers]

Wow, thanks so much for all the info chaps, this really has been a big help and shows the value of forums. Coming from the secretive coarse world your openness is a revelation!

It looks like I will be turning left off the M3 onto the M27

Sent you a PM mate .

 

[birdy06]

@ Scowen - just a thought... is there a lake or other inland body of water near to you that will let you launch? When I first bought a boat some years ago, we launched at a water sports place near Rotherham for an 'engine test'. It was really useful to get used to the ins and outs of what you need to do and in easy conditions. I seem to remember my brother in law doing similar near Peterborough (probably Tallington).

 

[Scowen]

Hi Birdy,

Although I do hope to do several marine trips a year and get my sea legs I am a coarse angler at heart and based in the middle of the Country so the boat will mostly be on the Thames and Windermere during the winter in search of pike. I have been out today checking out the local slipways on the Thames with a view to a test run next weekend. As you rightly advise best to iron out any problems on an inland water first!

 

[Scowen]

Cant reply to PMs as not posted enough on the forum yet so info duly noted, thanks.