Solent morning briefing
Langstone Harbour: early-May sea bass ambushes on new oyster reef
Langstone Harbour and the eastern reaches of Portsmouth Harbour are holding early‑May sea bass along fresh subtidal oyster reef structure. Fish stack in pockets of broken shell and kelp where the flood pushes sandeels and sprats into ambush lanes.
Water clarity is mixed after spring run-off; swell is light and the Solent’s tides are doing the work, sweeping bait into gutters. Rods in the 10–18lb class with small metal lures and soft plastics are producing short, savage takes.
What is biting today
Sea bass dominate the soundings, smaller pollack and stray mackerel turn up off the Beaulieu shore. Anglers report topwater blow-ups on slack water and cleaner hooked fish as light easterlies ease. Expect the best action around mid‑flood and the first hour of the ebb.
There is a wider backdrop at play. Cefas' 2026 assessment finds UK catch limits above ICES advice in 58% of cases, continuing a six‑year pattern: 66% (2020), 66% (2021), 65% (2022), 60% (2023), 54% (2024), 54% (2025), 58% (2026). Jonny Hughes, Fisheries Policy Lead at Blue Marine Foundation, said: "It is beyond shocking that the UK government continues to treat the marine environment as an afterthought." He added authorities had "countless opportunities to improve the sustainability of our fisheries" but "repeatedly choose inaction." Blue Marine warns this pattern is "pushing fish populations towards the point of no return."
Practical kit for today: mixed lures, a light spinning rod, firm boots or waders for the rocky foreshore, and a healthy supply of leaders. Dawn at Langstone shows fish exploding on the surface, a line peeling off and a single sea bass cut free of the new reef in a spray of salt.
Recommended: waterproof chest waders