Shore Fishing for Plaice along the Sussex Coast
Shore Fishing for Plaice along the Sussex Coast
By Kevin Morgan
Plaice Fishing Season
Plaice fishing around Eastbourne and Pevensey Bay typically begins in mid to late February and can produce good results through March, before often tailing off during April and May.
Activity tends to pick up again in September, when some of the larger fish move back inshore.
Where to Fish
Local hotspots are mainly found around Eastbourne, particularly from Langney Point to the Sovereign Centre (BN22 7LQ), as well as from Splash Point through to Eastbourne Pier (BN21 3EL).
In Pevensey Bay, productive areas include White Horses, and the beach by Timberlaine Rd (BN24 6BY) Flats, with good plaice also being taken near Pevensey Bay (Centre) Car Park when conditions are favourable.
Kevin Morgan with an April plaice caught at Pevensey Bay
These marks all offer suitable ground (clean, sandy, where the plaice can feed easily) and access to slightly deeper water, where plaice are commonly found.
Tactics and Rigs
Larger plaice are often (but not always) caught at range, meaning the fish can be further out.
Most anglers favour Two-Hook Clipped or Beaded Dropper Rigs, which help you cast further. Size 1 or 2 hooks work best, with brightly coloured beads on the hook lengths to add extra attraction.
If this approach doesn’t produce positive takes, try switching to pyramid leads and slowly moving the rig, small amounts at a time. Plaice—and flatfish in general—are often attracted to movement and disturbance along the seabed, and this can trigger bites when static baits are being ignored.
Kevin Morgan and Ollie Franks Plaice Fishing at Splash Point Eastbourne, February 2026
Conditions
Spring tides generally produce the best results, especially the early making/flooding tides. Plaice are most often targeted during daylight hours, especially in calm conditions with clear water.
Tackle
There are rods and reels to suit all budgets that are suitable for plaice fishing. We have a range of rod and reel combinations instore which, when matched with the right end tackle, are capable of putting you amongst the fish. A good example is the 14ft Twin Tip Rod and Reel Beach Combo, where the lighter tip is ideal for plaice fishing.
The modern continental style beachcasters with built in Hybrid tips are fantastic for plaice fishing. These rods combine power and casting distance with ultra-sensitive tips, so the soft tip bends easily to show bites at long range, especially if used in conjunction with braided lines, such as Berkley Ultra 8 Fireline or Berkley Forward.
The Blackrock Scaramanga 2G 4.5m, the Blackrock Twin Tip Fooza 2G 4.2m or the Penn Tidal XT 453 K Hybrid Sensitip 4.5M (TOP 20 DEAL) are all ideally suited for plaice fishing, especially if combined with reels like the Penn Surfblaster III 7000 (TOP 20 DEAL) or 8000 (TOP 20 DEAL), or the Penn Tidal XT 7000 (TOP 20 DEAL) or 8000 (TOP 20 DEAL).
Bait
Bait of choice is usually lug worm, sometimes tipped with razors or squid. Ragworm can also tempt the plaice too. Click Here for information about our fresh and frozen bait available instore, subject to availability.
Fish Care & Size
Although plaice are considered good eating, they are often quite lean early season, having only recently spawned. While the legal minimum size is 27 cm, many anglers choose only to keep fish over 35 cm, returning smaller ones that offer little in terms of quality.
Jason Carter with a 42cm February plaice caught at Langney Point
In Summary.
Using clipped rigs at range with brightly coloured beads on calm, clear days will often produce the best results at local plaice fishing ‘hotspots’. Continental rods with very sensitive tips work best especially if used in conjunction with braided line.
Only take larger fish that you want to eat and take old bait and rubbish away, keeping the beaches clean for other users, including the next angler who wants to come and have a try!