Dell Quay

Dell Quay is a quiet, strongly tidal upper-harbour mark on Chichester Harbour’s Sussex side, valued more for subtle estuary fishing than for long-range sea angling. It can produce enjoyable sessions for flounder, mullet and occasional bass, but success depends heavily on tide, access and treating the mudflat environment with care.

• Best approached as a sheltered estuary and creek mark rather than an open-coast venue.
• It is particularly suited to light, patient fishing with small natural baits.
• Catches can be very tide-dependent; a good flood can transform an otherwise lifeless-looking channel.
• Do not assume every piece of quay wall, foreshore or mooring area is available to anglers: private and working areas occur around the harbour.

Dell Quay lies at the upper reaches of Chichester Harbour, near the historic quay and its narrow tidal channels. Road access is straightforward from the Chichester side, but the immediate area is small, popular with walkers, sailors and pub visitors, so it is not a venue for obstructive parking or sprawling tackle.

• Fish only from clearly public, safe ground or where you have the landowner’s permission; avoid private jetties, boatyards, moorings and areas signed for harbour operations.
• Parking is limited and can be under pressure at weekends, in fine weather and around meal times.
• Keep vehicle access, gates, slipways and turning areas clear at all times.
• The mark is better for a short, tide-planned session than for a heavily laden all-night expedition.
• Check the route out before dusk, as the lanes and waterside paths can be unlit and awkward after dark.

The staple fish are estuarine species, with flounder usually the most realistic target in the cooler part of the year. Thick-lipped mullet may appear in warmer conditions, while bass, eels and occasional school fish can use the channels when there is sufficient water movement.

• Flounder: the principal target, especially from autumn through winter and into early spring; fish the flooding water, channel edges and softer, food-rich margins.
• Mullet: can be present in late spring and summer, often visible but notoriously cautious; bread-based tactics may work where local conditions allow.
• Bass: smaller fish may move through with the tide, with better chances around bait-rich periods and low-light conditions; release undersized fish carefully and follow current national rules.
• Eels: a possible warm-weather by-catch on worm baits, particularly around dusk.
• Whiting, small pollack and other marine visitors: possible farther down the harbour system or during suitable seasonal movements, but Dell Quay should not be relied upon as a consistent specimen or winter-cod venue.
• Crabs and small estuary fish: common enough to strip baits, particularly in warmer water.

Simple estuary rigs usually outperform heavy beachcasting tackle here. Presentation, fresh bait and placing a bait on a moving tide matter more than distance.

• For flounder, use a light running ledger or one- or two-hook flowing trace with size-appropriate hooks and just enough lead to hold the bottom.
• Lugworm, ragworm, maddies, small strips of squid and carefully presented peeler crab are useful flounder and bass baits; match bait size to the relatively modest tidal flow.
• Cast towards the deeper channel rather than blindly trying for maximum range, but avoid casting across navigation space or into moored craft.
• A short beachcaster, light bass rod or stout spinning rod is generally more manageable than very long-range gear.
• For mullet, travel light and fish discreetly with small hooks, light line and minimal disturbance; use only modest, responsible loose feed if it is permitted and will not inconvenience other harbour users.
• Carry a landing net where a safe landing point exists, plus a long disgorger and unhooking mat or wet towel for careful fish handling.

The incoming tide is normally the key period at Dell Quay, bringing fish and food up the harbour channels. The ebb can still produce fish from deeper water, but exposed mud, reduced depth and stronger channel currents make many spots far less practical.

• Start around the lower half of the flood and fish through high water where access and the chosen position remain safe.
• The first part of the ebb can be worthwhile if you are positioned beside a defined channel, but plan your exit before the foreshore becomes isolated.
• Moderate tidal movement is often easier to fish than an exceptionally large range, when currents and muddy margins can become more troublesome.
• Coloured water after rain can improve confidence for flounder and bass, although heavy freshwater runoff may temporarily push fish farther down the harbour.
• Calm, mild weather is pleasant for mullet and general estuary fishing; dusk, overcast skies and a moving tide can favour bass and eel activity.
• Wind can make exposed parts of the quay uncomfortable, but Dell Quay is generally more sheltered than the open Sussex beaches.

This is not a casual mudflat mark despite its peaceful appearance. The harbour margins can be extremely soft, rapidly covered by the tide and cut by channels, while boat traffic and shared public space require constant awareness.

• Never walk onto mud you have not assessed: estuarine mud can trap boots and legs quickly, and channels may be deeper than they look.
• Check tide times before travelling and leave a generous margin for returning from the water’s edge; do not rely on a phone signal or a last-minute scramble.
• Wear boots with secure grip, carry a headtorch after dark and keep tackle compact enough to move promptly.
• Fish well back from slippery edges, especially if accompanied by children, dogs or less mobile anglers.
• Do not cast where lines could obstruct boats, dinghies, launching activity or navigation channels; retrieve immediately if a vessel needs room.
• Access is not ideal for wheelchair users or anglers with limited mobility because surfaces can be uneven, narrow and muddy, and suitable safe fishing space may be limited.

Dell Quay has the character of a small historic harbour settlement rather than a purpose-built fishing complex. Basic refreshments may be available locally, but anglers should arrive self-sufficient and should not assume that pub or business facilities are public fishing amenities.

• A local pub provides food and drink, subject to its own opening hours, booking arrangements and customer policies.
• Public conveniences, bins and parking arrangements can change, so confirm what is available before a long session.
• There is no dependable tackle shop at the mark; buy bait, terminal tackle, food and drinking water before arriving.
• Take all litter, discarded line and bait packaging home if bins are full or unavailable.
• Avoid cleaning fish, leaving bait residue or washing muddy gear where it could affect public areas or harbour businesses.

Dell Quay rewards observation more than brute-force casting. Spend the first part of a visit watching where water funnels, where birds are feeding and whether mullet or small baitfish are moving along the channel edges.

• Arrive early enough to identify a safe fishing position in daylight, even if you intend to fish into dusk.
• Keep baits compact and fresh; oversized, static baits are often less effective than a neat worm bait worked on a moving tide.
• Use a small selection of leads, as the required weight can change markedly between slack water and the main flow.
• Travel quietly and keep lights low around dusk, particularly when targeting mullet or bass in clear water.
• A few casts or bait placements along a channel contour can be more productive than repeatedly casting into the same shallow patch.
• Respect the harbour setting: seals, wading birds and waterfowl may be nearby, so retrieve line and hooks promptly and never leave tackle unattended.

Fishing at Dell Quay should be treated as conditional on the exact place from which you intend to fish, rather than as a blanket right to use all quay walls or foreshore. No clear general prohibition should be assumed either way: obey on-site notices, harbour directions and landowner restrictions, and move on if asked by an authorised person.

• Check current Chichester Harbour Conservancy information, local signage and any applicable landowner rules before fishing.
• Do not fish from private pontoons, boatyard property, moored vessels, launching areas or any structure marked as restricted.
• Observe current national sea-angling rules for bass and all applicable minimum conservation reference sizes, retention limits and seasonal measures; these rules can change, so verify them through official government sources before keeping fish.
• Follow any Sussex inshore fisheries byelaws and harbour-specific controls that apply to bait collection, shellfish, fixed gear or protected areas.
• Avoid disturbing protected habitats, nesting birds and wildlife; Chichester Harbour has important environmental designations.
• A standard Environment Agency rod licence is generally not required solely for ordinary sea fishing, but separate rules can apply to migratory fish and freshwater-connected waters; check official guidance if your fishing could fall into those categories.