Horace Hastings with friends

[Good Friday - April 10th 1903]     Walked to Sluice with Bill (started at 9 o'clock & arrived just before 11 o'clock)   after about an hour roach fishing & no bites I started spinning with a spinner made by  myself & caught 2 small jack 1 lb & 1¼ lb approximate weights. 

     [Saturday April 11th 1903]     Harry & I started at 2 o'clock for Portsmouth head wind strong cloudy. We did not feel very hopeful of getting to Portsmouth same day as it looked very much like rain. We stopped at Wilmington for about ½ an hour arrived at Lewes about 4.15. Whilst going through the town I had a side slip & went down a cropper & had a fragment of flint imbedded [sic] firmly in my hand  bent crank of byke which delayed us an hour & cost 1/- & made us Still less hopeful but we said "ever onward" arrived Brighton [missing] 'clock went on through Shoreham past Worthing to Arundel. At this point the wind abated & clouds broke up moon rose & lighted up our road. Left Arundel about 9 o'clock arrived Chichester 10 - o'clock. Arrived at Frank's house at 12.5 found Lou baby & Frank alright [sic].     We had reckoned on a full moon to light the latter part of our ride but we did not reckon on an eclipse which took place about 12 midnight.     Moon rose about 8 oclock & about 11 oclock only a small portion of it was visible.  

     [Sunday April 12th  1903]     We had a look round Portsmouth with Frank.

     [Bank Holiday Monday - April 13th 1903]     Started for Home at 9 o'clock very cold morning north east wind it came on to snow when we were about 10 miles on the way & we had several more showers of snow till about 2 oclock we turned out of main road to Steyning which is about 6 or 8 miles up country & had dinner at Harry's friends arrived at Brighton about 4- o'clock. Here I got on the tramway metals which were wet & slippery with mud & in trying to get off I, performed a splendid somersault. Had tea at a shop in Lewes & arrived home at about 7 o'clock.

     [Sunday April 19th 1903]     Started with Alf about 9.30 (walking) to Sluice arrived about 11.30. Started spinning & caught a tiny little jack about 2 oz & a while later had a rise & a little further on caught a jack of about a pound about 100 yds further up I firmly hooked one but not having a gaff & Alf not being able to land him although I had him (the fish) on the grass half out of the water he broke or bit through the gimp & carried away my spinner to my very great disgust being the biggest fish I had ever hooked. I hooked lightly another near the same spot some time after which might have been the same one but I fancy it was a smaller one anyhow he got away. I have hopes of regaining my lost spinner which I am proud of because I made it out of a bit of tin.

     [Saturday May 2nd 1903]     Started from Home about 2.30 for an afternoons fishing. When I got just down by the Lodge Inn I had a burst [tyre] which took me about an hour to repair. When I got to Pevensey which was about 4 o'clock I had another mishap i.e. a leakage of an old patch which delayed me about another hour. I eventually got to the Sluice about 5.30 had 2 rises lost 1 triangle hook, 1 tin spinner & hooks & 1 trace with swivels &c which caught up on the reeds. The water was muddy and full of reeds because of the recent rains but it was a splendid afternoon. Wind S.E. 

     [Wednesday May 6th 1903]     Harry & I went to Wilmington (I don't remember whether it was this date or a day before or after) & then across to Hailsham & back through Polgate [sic]. 

     [Saturday November 7th 1903]     Went to Sluice to spin for jack. Light Southerly breeze, cloudless. Water running, deep, & rather clear. Did not get a rise. 

     [Sunday December 6th 1903]     Started at 10 oclock on bike for Sluice. The water was fairly clear but of a milk colour & a slow current on. The sun was not once visible during the whole of the day. Slight northery [sic] breeze almost freezing.     First I went over a good bit of stream with spinner meanwhile having a hook baited with worm in for perch & about 3 oclock I tried for roach with paste, but it was an entirely blank day I had not a bite, nor a rise. This is the first time I have fished with my home made greenheart rods & so far they have proved quite satisfactory especially the spinning rod.     I saw one of those most interesting & beautiful birds the kingfishers. It sat upon a post & darted into the water now and again after small fish. 

     [Friday December 18th 1903]     Started about 10 oclock for Sluice. The water was rather clear & slight current. The morning was very dull, the sun did not appear all day. Slight breeze from S.E.     About half past eleven I saw a small jack rise at my spinner & on passing it over him again he rose again but was not hooked & would not rise again. This was in water about 1 yd deep & close to opposite bank to the one I was standing on. After having my dinner I tried again the place where the fish rose in the morning with no result but about 100 yds further down stream in about the same depth of water I landed a very small jack about ½ lb at the second rise. It rained shortly after so I came home arriving att 3.30.

     1904 January 24th. At Cuckmere caught 2 small Roach, using bread paste as bait and float ledger tackle.     At 10' o’clock A.M. I started on my bicycle. The roads were terrible 6" of mud in some places. At Willingdon the back tyre burst & so I walked the remaining distance. I called at Mrs. Bennets at Wilmington & left bicycle there. Found the stream low, the water rather clear and of a peculiar sea-green colour. I covered half a mile or so with the spinner but had no rises. At 2' o’clock I started legering in a[n] eddy which resulted in the capture of 2 small roach. At 3.30 I came away, left my tackle at Wilmington & walked (& ran) home, arriving about 5.15 p.m. 

     Feb 7th. At Cuckmere, using flour paste and float ledger tackle.     Started at 10' o’clock & walked across the hills to Wilmington arriving there at 12 ‘ o’clock. Reached the stream at 12.45. The day was bright with S.W. wind & rather chilly. During the last week the fields had been under water & the flood water was still receding rapidly. About 2. Oclock it Rained hard. I had several bites, but could not hook a fish. Came away at 2.30 stopped at Wilmington till 3.45 & reached home at 5.15. (Water Muddy) 

     Mar 13th. At Cuckmere using spinner bait and home-made spinner tackle.     This being the last day before the closed season I resolved to enjoy a long days fishing but was not able to reach the stream before 12 o'clock. At the pool by the bridge were two anglers fishing for roach & perch with worm. The water was a clear green colour and rather low, The weather mild & cloudy with a light southerly wind. Before commencing to fish I followed up the course of the stream for about a mile and came upon another angler, fishing for pike with live bait & also with dead gorge bait. He had caught a pike, he said, of 13 lb near this spot once, and others of 6 & 7 lbs. During the day I repeatedly saw the tracks of an otter or others on the mud exposed by the receded water. On leaving the pike angler I started spinning and at a large bend in the stream a small jack rose to the bait but was not hooked. Still further down the same thing happened again. At about 4 oclock W.G.C. came up as arranged whereon we proceeded down stream to Alfriston, fishing where the water was suitable, and left Alfriston at 6.30 for Wilmington where I left my tackle. I enjoyed myself very much although I caught no fish.

     [At this point, the diary becomes purely narrative]

     Whit Monday May 23rd 1904:     Started with W.G. Cummins for a days walk at 10' oclock. The morning was cloudless & warm. We went across to Eastdean & then on to Exeat Bridge on the Cuckmere & followed the stream on the Seaford side up to Alfriston. We had hardly gone a hundred yards from the bridge (which is about a mile from the sea) when we saw a fish of a light grey appearance rising apparently for flies or something on the surface. As we got farther from the sea we saw more but they evidently did not go very far up. These fish were from ½ lb to 1 lb. & rather long in proportion to their thickness.     These thoughts occurred to me - were these fish actually feeding on flies on the surface - I could see no flies - if not, what were they doing. & What sort of fish were they, perhaps bass: The only way to satisfy myself would be to catch one and this I resolved to try at the first opportunity.     After having refreshments at Alfriston which is a very pretty, old village laying on the Cuckmere, we came through Wilmington & by Polegate reaching home at 5. 15.     [The fish mentioned above I have since found out were grey mullet which come up the Cuckmere in great numbers sometimes (Oct 26th 1905)] 

     Wednesday June 15th 1904.     Opening day of Season on Cuckmere. W.G.C. went by train to the Cuckmere walking from Polegate Station. I caught him up on my byke at Wilmington. We found the water in good condition, slightly coloured and no current. The wind S.W. & cloudy sky. W. caught 3 small roach 1 small eel & 1 small perch on gentles. I fished in from 3 to 4 ft water with gentles, boiled wheat, & paste and caught on gentles 1 small roach, 1 small perch & 1 small eel. I hooked a good roach about ½ lb or more and brought it to the surface but it broke away immediately. I was using a fine dressed line, fine gut cast, No. 8 Crystal hook and a lightfly rod (split cane) which I fitted with a short top. It is a perfect rod for roach fishing, light as a feather yet stiff enough to strike quickly and about 9 feet long. We came home as far as Polegate together where W. took train & I byked home reaching there soon after 8 o'clock. 

     Thursday June 16th 1904.     Went to Rickney Bridge in Evening reaching there about 6.30. The Water was in good condition for roach fishing & of a brown colour. I fished carefully for 2 hours with gentles paste & wheat but there was evidently no fish about just where I was fishing. It was a bright evening and I could see the float till 9 o'c. 

     Saturday June 18th.     Went to Rickney at 4 o'clc a.m. and fished by the bridge carefully for 2 hours & a half with paste and gentles. As I had no real bite I thought there could not be many fish about near the bridge. There are no weeds nor reeds close to the bridge which I think explains the absence of the fish as they feed principally on weeds in summer time. The morning mists were soon dispelled by the sun and it was a glorious morning. 

     Sunday June 19th 1904.     I had made arrangements with Alec Francis to start with him about 7 o'clock and I waited till 7.30 and he had not come so I went by myself and got there about 8 o'clock. I resolved to try by the bridge first and soon had a sizable [sic] roach. Alec now came along and he fished on the other side of the bridge. We caught only small roach & eels during the morning. After dinner we went up to Chilly bridge. About half way I thought I saw a good place so we stopped & Alec soon had a very good Roach of about ½ lb and soon after a roach and perch at the same time, he was fishing with 2 hooks with worm on the bottom and paste on the upper hook which method I do not approve of. He caught several other fair roach & perch and about 7 or 8 eels (small). I caught several small roach & perch. 

     Wednesday June 22nd 1904.     I got off at about 5.15 and went to The Cuckmere where Bill had been all the afternoon. He had caught 4 or 5 roach. I fished in about 3 ft of water and caught a small bream & a fair size dace. The bream got back into the water as I was landing it. 

     Thursday or Friday, June.     Evening at Rickney. I fished some way from bridge where weeds were very thick but had no sport whatever. 

     Sunday. June 26th 1904.     Mr Francis was before me this time and he had just lost a good roach. As I reached Rickney bridge I got my tackle in and got caught up & lost hook and 1 yd of Cast also disturbed the water somewhat. Suggested to Alec that we should go up to the spot where we had been last Sunday at once as I did not think the fish were round the bridge much at this time of the year. So there we went and selected a spot (my ideal spot for roach in like streams). Just beyond the bank was a growth of weeds from the bottom right up to the surface of the water and beyond the weeds was a Clear bottom so that the fish could not see the angler but the angler could with ease reach the swim where the fish were. I ground baited with bread & bran & a few gentle's thrown in at intervals, the heavy lump of bran let in on the hook so as not to splash and soon started catching roach. I caught 9 good roach up to 9" long and several smaller ones. Alec was not fishing well; he had a headache and he did not care much about the fishing but he caught 1 good roach and several small fish. 

     Wednesday June 29th 1904.     Horace and I went to Cuckmere first calling at Berwick (Hollobones) for a licence for Horace. We did not reach the stream till about 4 oclock, where we found W.G.C. who had caught several fair sized roach. Horace and I fished for a while in the pool just below the flood gates, a spot which I did not like much at this time of year, after which he showed me how to cast a flye which was very interesting but produced no fish. Towards 6 oclock we started float fishing again and Bill had caught a gudgeon. I caught nothing but had some good bites. Horace brought us over some eggs & tea from Alfriston where he went about 6-o.c. 

     Sunday July 3rd 1904.     Went to Rickney with Horace. The wind was very strong and the water in consequence was not very favorable [sic] to float fishing. We fished at my spot behind the weeds for some time and then at the spot lower down where Mr Francis caught the good roach a fortnight since. Neither of us caught any good fish. We came away about 4 o'clock called at Mr Kemps and had a good feast of Strawberrys and came home in the cool of the evening. 

     Wednesday July 6th.     I Rode over to the Cuckmere reaching there about 7 in the evening. Fished with gentles carefully and quietly and only had 2 bites one of which produced a good roach. Bill had caught several smaller fish. 

     Sunday July 10th 1904.     Arrived at Rickney about 11' oclock and found the water very clear and of a brown colour. The sun shone brightly and a light southerly wind blew. After leaving my bicycle at Rickney I proceeded up the stream towards Chilly Bridge intending to fish in the same place as I had done the Sunday before. I had only got through one field when it suddenly struck me that with the water so clear I should have sport by adopting ‘John Bickerdykes' method of artistic roach fishing. I soon had a fine cast and small hook on the line – using a fly rod, and a shot pinched on close to the hook.  Small roach were rising along the stream so I threw some gentles in to attract them and then put one on the hook and at once caught a small roach.  I cast in again and caught a very good roach the best one I had that day. I cast out these gentles on hook where I saw the fish rise and waited for the line to be drawn away when I struck. Presently I came to a large shoal of fair sized roach and noticed that even the splash made by the hook & gentles weighted with one very small shot was sufficient to scare them away but some appeared to rush forward on seeing the lively gentles and one seized them and found a hook inside. I noticed a large tench (about 2 pounds) swimming slowly along close to the bank and later in the day whilst still casting the gentle my heart started beating rapidly at the sight of a large fish which swam slowly past close to the surface and shortly after a shoal of 9 or 10 fish of the same appearance swum by. Of course I cast my gentles as carefully as I could before thier [sic] noses but they were frightened and darted away. I lost a hook in a very good roach and threw back many small ones and in the afternoon tried float fishing at which, I caught six good roach and 1 perch and 8 small fish which I threw back. I lost another good roach through it not being properly hooked. 

     Wednesday July 15th 1904.     After a terrific struggle to get my work done I started with Bill for the Cuckmere or rather a pond connected with it by a ditch. We found Mr Hugget there who recommended the pond to us. He and his brother had both hooked and lost large fish either large bream or carp in there. We did not like the look of the pond which was nowhere much more than 18" deep. Bill caught an eel of about half a pound and several small roach. Mr Hugget caught two fair bream and I caught 7 bream (1 from ½ lb to ¾ lb) and 8 small roach all on gentles. The shoal was no doubt attracted to my ground bait which I put in in goodly quantities. 

     Sunday July 17th.     Arived at Rickney about 10 a.m. About the bridge the water was rather muddy and full off [sic] weeds floating and grass which had recently been cut from the banks. Towards Pevensey the water was so clear and I could see the bottom all along. I caught 6 fair sized roach and 8 small fish on a cast gentle and at Rickney caught a perch on float tackle. The reason of [sic] my missing the larger roach was as afterwards struck me that I was fishing in clear water whereas the water was muddy at the bridge at Rickney and the fish would most probably be in that part which concealed them from observation. Whilst by the clear water I saw a large fish pass. It was perhaps a tench but appeared rather slim for that fish. 

     July 24th 1904.     Rode to Pevensey and followed the Haven for some distance on the bank (where I lost my pump). I regained the road at Chilley Bridge. Here I did some artistic roach fishing, With my light cane rod and a fine line cast & hook on which were several lively gentles. Chilly bridge is across a dyke running into the Haven (about 1 mile above Pevensey). I saw roach of ½ lb rising in the dyke between the bridge and the Haven and walked well back from the stream and then approached the shoal cautiously. When my head was just above the bank I cast the gentles lightly amongst the shoal being careful not to show myself and immediately the line tightened and I struck. I hooked a good roach but I struck too hard in my eagerness and the cast parted about a yard above the fish. A fine perch ½ or ¾ lb followed the gentles as I drew them along close to the bridge. I went on to Rickney bridge and caught several small roach & perch. Alec Francis came along in the afternoon for the first time since his illness. 

     July 31st 1904.     Went to Rickney with Alec. I caught about 1 dozen small roach and perch on gentles. 

     August 1st.      August Bank Holiday. Went To Cuckmere where W.G.C. and Alec were fishing. I was not able to leave business till 1.30 so did not get to the stream till about 2.30. William had caught two nice roach (1 about ½ lb and the other the biggest one I had seen for a year). It was a plump fish 12½" in length caught on gentles in about 3 ft of water. About 4 oclock William caught a splendid bream about 2 lb on worm in only 3 ft of water amongst rushes. The spot was one of my ideal ones. Rushes grew in front and concealed the angler from the fishes [sic] sight and the bottom was clear and hard. I caught but 2 or 3 small fish and Alec caught only 1 little gudgeon. 

     Aug 7th.     Went to Cuckmere hoping to catch a bream like the one William caught on August Bank Holliday [sic]. Arrived at the stream at 8 a.m. and carefully fished (in the place where W. fished) during the morning and had no sizable [sic] fish nor good bites (the water being very clear and still). At noon I went to the sluice gates and had a good swim and then resumed fishing. I was fishing all day with gentles paste and worms alternating and about 4' oclock after using gentles for some time I tried a worm and immediately the float was gently pulled under and then sailed away just under the surface. Then I tightened the line and landed a bream 13" long. Another immediately took the next worm (again 13" long). Then again I hooked another and this was a heavier fish. I was using my split cane fly rod with a short stiff top and this was bent double. I lead [sic] the fish to a place 4 yds to the right where the water was clear of rushes and saw that he was too heavy to lift out. I had not a landing net so I sunk the basket and played him over it after a great deal of splashing. He measured 15" long and was thick for a bream (carp bream). 

     August 14th 1904.     Went to Cuckmere with Alec fished all this morning with no sport and we had a bathe at midday and caught nothing sizable [sic] all day. On arriving at the stream in the morning we found Mr Hugget & his brother fishing there.

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