Smoothhound Season - Eastbourne and Pevensey Bay
Smoothhound Season - Eastbourne and Pevensey Bay
By Ollie Franks
June 2026
As spring comes to an end and summer begins to take hold, anglers along the south coast are fortunate to enjoy some great smoothhound fishing from our local beaches. Widely regarded as one of the best sport fish to target in uk waters, smoothhounds caught from local beaches can reach double figures and always put up a fantastic fight.
Times and Tides
When targeting smoothhounds from the shore, we generally find that the most productive tides are the first of the making tides, whether on the longer or shorter sets. If possible, it is well worth planning sessions around evening into night-time high tides, as smoothhounds often move much closer to shore once light levels begin to drop.
We also recommend fishing sessions that cover part of both the flooding tide and the ebb. During these periods the tide is typically running at its strongest, conditions that smoothhounds seem to prefer when feeding along the beaches.
No matter which venue you choose, my own personal experience and my conversations with local anglers suggest that these conditions provide the best chance of success when targeting hounds from the shore.
Rigs and Bait
When targeting hounds, I prefer to keep rigs as simple as possible. I usually choose a pulley Pennell rig, typically around 4–6ft in length to provide the best bait presentation. Hook size will depend on the size of the bait being used, but strong 1/0 to 3/0 hooks are generally ideal.
The reason many anglers favour a two-hook Pennell setup over a single-hook dongle rig, often used for rays, is because smoothhounds tend to hit baits very hard while also having relatively small mouths. This can sometimes lead to missed takes or dropped fish if hook holds are not secure, and using two hooks greatly lowers the chance of this happening.
Despite the use of two hooks, it is very rare to deep hook a smoothhound due to the way they feed, making the pulley Pennell a reliable and safe rig for fish care when used correctly.
Bait choice for smoothhounds is also best kept simple. Along the South Coast, there are a handful of proven baits that consistently produce fish, with the main options being squid, prawns, ragworm, and crab.
All of these baits will work effectively on their own, but many anglers prefer to use them as cocktail baits to add extra scent and attraction. Popular combinations include ragworm and squid or squid and prawn.
Any of these baits are capable of catching hounds when presented correctly, fished on the right rigs, and used in the right time and place.
Jim Calnan 16lb 6oz Smoothhound, Local Sussex Beach, June 2025
Venues and Weather Conditions
When smoothhounds arrive in numbers along the South Coast, they can be caught from the Holywell end of Eastbourne seafront right along through Pevensey Bay, Normans Bay, and even Bexhill seafront. Because of this, the exact venue you choose is not always the most important factor.
In my experience, weather conditions and tides play a much bigger role in success. Smoothhounds tend to feed best during still settled weather or after a calm spell, with clearer water often offering the best chances of action.
If conditions are favourable and sessions are planned around the right tides and times of day, the fishing can be excellent, with many local anglers fortunate enough to land multiple quality fish during relatively short sessions when everything comes together.
Rods and Reels
Most 7000–8000 sized fixed spool reels are more than capable of handling smoothound fishing and are generally what we recommend in the shop.
Penn do a great range of fixed spool reels, including the Penn Tidal XT Long Cast 7000 (Top 20 Deal) or 8000 (Top 20 Deal). Penn also do the cheaper Surfblaster III Longcast 7000 (Top 20 Deal) and 8000 (Top 20 Deal) all of which are more than capable for smoothhound fishing.
These reels work especially well when paired with braided main lines, offering ease of use when casting and superior bite detection at range.
Rod choice, however, is slightly more important when targeting hounds. Because anglers are often casting larger leads and bigger heavier baits, it is important to use a rod with enough power to handle the extra weight comfortably. we find rods with a casting range of around 100g–250g ideal for this style of angling.
Some of the standout rods we stock that are suited to this type of fishing include the new Penn continental rods, for example Penn Tidal XT 453 K-Hybrid Sensitip 4.5m 100-300g (TOP 20 DEAL) or the Penn Tidal X 453 K Hybrid Sensitip 4.2m 100-300g, long with some of our Blackrock rods such as the newer Blackrock Competition Surf 2G Edition. These rods have ample power for casting heavier leads and bulky baits the required distance, whilst maintaining great playing action ensuring the fish stay hooked but still give great sport.
