Southwick Beach

Southwick Beach is a shingle-and-groyne shore mark on the West Sussex coast, close to Shoreham Harbour and the built-up Southwick/Portslade frontage. It is a useful, straightforward venue for mixed seasonal sea fishing rather than a remote “specimen” beach, with the best results usually coming from choosing the right tide, water clarity and section of beach.

• The mark can produce flatfish, bass, whiting, pout, dogfish, mackerel and garfish, with other species appearing according to season and conditions.
• It is most often fished with simple beach ledgering gear, although float and lure fishing can be worthwhile when summer pelagic fish are present.
• Expect a busy urban coastline in fine weather; fishing is generally more comfortable and productive outside peak beach-use periods.

Southwick Beach lies on the open coast east of Shoreham Harbour, below Southwick and close to the boundary with Portslade. The fishable frontage is principally shingle beach, broken by groynes and coastal-defence features, rather than the harbour itself.

• Approach the beach via the seafront access points, promenade and public footpaths serving the Southwick frontage; Southwick railway station provides a practical public-transport option followed by a walk to the sea.
• Parking availability, charges and restrictions vary along the seafront and surrounding streets, so check local signs before leaving a vehicle.
• Keep clear of harbour walls, the navigation channel, private port land and any signed working areas; these are not the same as fishing from the public beach.
• The beach can be a long carry over loose shingle, so a compact trolley or a reduced tackle load is useful.

Southwick is best regarded as a mixed-fishing beach, with catches changing markedly through the year and after different weather patterns. Flatfish and smaller bottom-feeding species are regular possibilities, while warmer water brings more varied sport.

• Plaice, flounder, dabs and occasional sole are the main flatfish targets; clean, settled water and carefully presented bait help.
• Bass may show along the beach, particularly in coloured water, around surf and during low-light periods; school fish are more common than large specimens.
• Whiting, pout, dogfish and small rays can feature in autumn and winter, especially after dark.
• Mackerel and garfish may move within casting range in summer and early autumn, with occasional scad also possible.
• Smooth-hound, black bream and mullet are possible seasonal visitors, but should be treated as bonus species rather than guaranteed catches.

A two-rod approach works well here: one baited beachcaster for the bottom and, when fish are showing, a lighter rod for surface activity. Do not assume that maximum casting distance is necessary, as fish often feed close to the shingle edge or along the channels beside groynes.

• Use a clipped-down or streamlined ledger rig with enough grip lead to hold safely in any lateral pull; a pulley rig is useful where larger fish or rougher ground are expected.
• For plaice and dabs, try a light flapper or flowing rig with small hooks, colourful attractors used sparingly, and ragworm, lugworm, mussel or squid-strip baits.
• For bass, fish fresh peeler crab, ragworm, lugworm or a worm-and-squid cocktail on a simple pulley or running ledger; concentrate on the first few hours of flood, dusk and disturbed water.
• For whiting, pout and dogfish after dark, two-hook rigs carrying lugworm, squid, bluey or mackerel strip are practical.
• For mackerel and garfish, use feathers, small metal lures or a float-fished strip of mackerel, squid or sandeel only when there is visible activity or clear signs of fish.
• Avoid casting across occupied groyne bays, swimmers, paddleboarders or other beach users, and retrieve promptly if people move into your line.

The beach commonly fishes best as the tide covers the lower shingle and puts a little depth and movement close in. Exact productive stages vary between sections, so it pays to fish a tide through rather than relying on one short window.

• The flood tide and the period around high water are sensible starting points, particularly for flatfish and bass.
• Low water can expose a broad shingle margin and leave very shallow water close in, making some areas less convenient; use it to inspect gullies, bait-holding patches and the ends of groynes from a safe distance.
• A modest sea or coloured water can improve bass fishing, while plaice and other sight-feeding species often favour cleaner, more settled conditions.
• Strong onshore winds can make casting, holding bottom and safe access difficult; do not fish immediately beneath unstable waves or overtopping shingle banks.
• Summer dawns, evenings and darkness reduce disturbance from beach users, while winter evenings can be productive for whiting and other nocturnal species.

This is an urban beach, but it still deserves proper coastal safety precautions, especially around a rising tide, groynes and rough weather. The shingle is uneven and tiring underfoot, and the beach can become much less accessible for anyone with limited mobility once away from the promenade.

• Check the tide forecast, weather forecast and sea state before travelling, and keep a clear route back to the promenade or access point.
• Groynes, sea defences and wet algae can be slippery; do not climb structures or fish from exposed ends in rough conditions.
• Wear suitable footwear for loose shingle, carry a headtorch for night sessions and use reflective clothing where you may be near paths or roads.
• Give swimmers, children, dog walkers and water-sports users plenty of room, particularly in summer; choose quieter stretches and fish early or late where possible.
• Some promenade sections may be more manageable for a wheelchair or trolley, but reaching a comfortable casting position on the shingle is likely to be difficult; inspect access on arrival.

Southwick is close to shops, food outlets, transport and other services compared with many Sussex shore marks. Facilities immediately beside a chosen fishing position should not be assumed, especially outside daytime or summer operating hours.

• Bring sufficient bait, drinking water, a first-aid kit and a method of taking litter and discarded line home.
• Public toilets, cafés and seasonal beach facilities may be available along nearby seafront areas, but opening times and locations can change.
• Tackle shops and bait suppliers are more likely to be found in the wider Shoreham, Portslade and Brighton area than directly on the beach.
• Use marked bins where available, but take all line, hooks, bait packaging and fish waste away if bins are full.

Mobility is often more important than finding a famous single peg at Southwick: walk the frontage, look for a quieter bay with a little extra depth, and avoid crowded areas. Small changes in beach profile after storms can alter where fish travel and where a lead will hold.

• Fish the sides of groynes and visible gullies rather than automatically casting straight out from the highest shingle bank.
• Start with one bait close in and one at a moderate range, then adjust according to bites, weed and the way the tide is running.
• Fresh worm and crab baits tend to outfish old frozen offerings for flatfish and bass; keep bait cool and protected from gulls.
• If mackerel are absent, do not spend all session repeatedly casting feathers: switch to bait fishing and watch for birds, surface splashes and baitfish.
• Night fishing can be quieter and more productive, but arrive in daylight if unfamiliar so that you can identify safe exits and any local notices.

There is no clear basis to describe the whole public beach as a permanently no-fishing mark, but restrictions can apply locally and can change. Anglers must distinguish the public foreshore from Shoreham Harbour infrastructure, private land and any temporarily controlled areas.

• Read all signs at access points and comply with any seasonal beach-use rules, safety notices, event restrictions or directions from authorised staff.
• Do not fish in the harbour navigation channel, from port structures, or in any area marked as private, operational or restricted without explicit permission.
• Follow current national recreational sea-fishing rules, including any species-specific minimum sizes, catch limits, closed seasons and bass measures; check official UK Government information before fishing because these rules can change.
• Follow Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority rules and any local byelaws relevant to bait collection, shellfish, protected habitats and recreational fishing.
• Return undersized, protected or unwanted fish carefully, and take only fish that you can identify, are legally permitted to retain and will genuinely use.