After record temperatures in May and June, we had an inconvenient Jet Stream up in the air somewhere that blocked the warm air from the Continent and channelled a string of depressions across the UK. Net result: wind, rain and very little fishing. A lucky few picked their moments carefully and made some trips out, often very early before the wind picked up. They gave us a taste of what we should all have been enjoying in a “normal” summer month in the Eastern Solent: bass, rays, the occasional wandering conger and bream. It’s very encouraging to see that there are larger bream staying on again this year giving good sport on light tackle. In previous years the fish worth catching swam off after breeding, leaving their little brothers to spend the summer nibbling away at baits too big for them. You may also be as skilled (or lucky) as Luke Scott and boat a decent brill – see the photo gallery below.

This year has also been good for mackerel so far, with plenty being caught by the boats that managed to get out. They don’t seem to be holding on the usually reliable marks so my advice is to just follow the gulls! They have been everywhere from the 100 foot deep main channel to 10 feet of water inshore.

One catch oddity was an Angel Shark reported just up the coast from us. Not really in our area but near enough to get the Species Hunters excited! And on that subject, don’t forget the SMAC Open Species Competition scheduled for Sunday 13th August, from Southsea Marina. Details here.

Have a look at our photos, thanks to Stuart Newell, Steve Kelly, Tim Andrews, Tony Dickson, Jim Atkins and John Dennis for contributing.