South Coast Spring Bass Bite: Pollock, Rays, and Prime Tide Action

G'day, mates, this is Artificial Lure, your South Coast angling guru, comin' at ya live from the salty shores on this fine evenin' of 18th April 2026, 'round 10 PM. Weather's mild tonight—light southerlies at 8-12 knots, patchy clouds, temps hoverin' at 12°C droppin' to 9°C overnight, per Met Office charts. Sunrise tomorrow at 6:05 AM, sunset 8:15 PM, givin' ya a solid 14 hours of daylight to chase the bite. Tides are prime: high water at 11:45 PM tonight in Southampton, low at 5:30 AM, then floodin' back up by noon—perfect for bass and rays workin' the moving water, accordin' to BBC Weather and tide tables. Fish activity's high with spring warmth kickin' in; solunar peaks say major feedin' windows 'round dawn and dusk. Recent catches? Local lads reportin' steady action—pollock to 5lb on lures off Brighton pier, mackerel shoals crashin' in from Selsey Bill, smoothhounds and thornback rays up to 12lb on the wrecks, plus codling and whiting from Shoreham. Bass are showin' early, with a few schoolies to 4lb temptin' spinnin' rods, straight from Angling Trust logs and Sea Angler mag. Best lures right now: silver/blue Dexter wedges or Fury 2.5-inch paddletails for pollock and bass—work 'em fast on the troll or cast. For rays and hounds, 4-6oz black/pink jelly eels bounced along the bottom. Live baits? Ragworm or peeler crab on the three-hook rig for rays; mackerel strip for codling. Fresh sandeel on the float for early bass. Hot spots: Hit the Needles off the Isle o' Wight for wrecks teemin' with pollock, or Portland Bill for bass smashin' lures in the tide rip. Rig light, stay safe, and mind them currents. Cheers for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for weekly updates! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn