Urban Fishing for Sea Bass on Lures

There’s something special about urban fishing for Sea Bass on lures, the sound of gulls, the hum of traffic, and the pull of a silver fish on light tackle. This session was all about exploring the urban coastline, working lures through salty water between Brighton’s marina and pier, and hoping for that unmistakable thump of a bass.

A Rainy Start and Low Tide Challenges

The session started with me sneaking off for a quick afternoon of local fishing. The plan was simple, light tackle, soft plastics, and a few hours around the city’s saltwater edges.

Of course, the weather had other plans. Rain rolled in unexpectedly, light but steady. Still, I arrived at the spot just as the tide bottomed out, giving me access to deeper water right at low. As the tide pushed back in, I planned to move gradually back toward the city, maybe even grab a pint and some lunch mid-session, the perks of urban lure fishing!

Starting with Topwater Lures

The water was shallow and clear, perfect for a bit of topwater action. I tied on a small IMA Skimmer and worked it along the groyne, careful not to slip on the green weed. Within minutes, I had a couple of small swirls behind the lure, not big fish, but signs of life.

A seagull swooped dangerously close at one point, nearly snatching the lure from mid-air, typical Brighton chaos. After a few follows and misses, I decided to switch things up.

Subsurface Soft Plastics and the First Bites

I swapped to a 3.3” Keitech Swing Impact Fat in pink, rigged on a 7g tungsten jig head. The plan was to fish slowly, just off the bottom, avoiding the snags that litter this stretch of coast.

Straight away I had some tentative taps, the kind that feel like a wrasse or maybe a micro bass. Either way, it was enough to keep me working the drop-offs and shallow ledges. On low tide, those small contours can hold hunting bass pushing baitfish tight against the slope.

A few more casts, a couple of hits, then nothing. Time to move.

Lunch Break: The Joy of City Fishing

One of the best things about urban sea bass fishing is how easily you can slip back into city life.
A quick walk took me to Sea Lanes Brighton, where I grabbed a burger from Wooden Coal and a pint of Blue Moon from Bison Beer.

If you’re ever fishing around here, this little stretch between the pier and marina is perfect, food, facilities, and a pint between tides. That’s what I call a proper urban fishing session.

Run-and-Gun Fishing Along the Beach

With the tide pushing in, I went back to the water. This time, I adopted a run-and-gun approach, casting soft plastics parallel to the beach while walking, covering as much water as possible.

No bites for a while, so I switched tactics again, tying on a heavy Carolina rig with a small pink worm to tempt flounder or wrasse on the sandbanks. That’s the beauty of lure fishing the coast, you can adapt instantly to what’s in front of you. A heavy Texas rig can also be a winner!

Back to the Pier, The Evening Session

After a much-needed espresso and another pint, for tactical reasons of course, it was time for round two. I returned to the first mark, armed with a slightly longer 9’6” rod to help me reach the deeper water.

The tide was pushing in nicely, bringing cleaner water closer to shore. Gulls were starting to hover and dive, always a good sign. Time to switch back to soft plastics and work that mid-water zone.

The First Fish, Finally, a Bite!

First drop. I saw the line twitch and the rod tip bounce. Fish on! A feisty little schoolie bass hammered the lure mid-drop and fought hard in the current. Not a monster, but after hours of effort, it felt incredible.

That fish hit a Molex 4” soft plastic on a 14g jig head, the perfect setup for reaching fish sitting on the edge of the current line.

The Bite of All Bites

Moments later, another hit, stronger this time. “Full distance on the drop,” I thought, as the rod arched and line peeled off. The fish ran hard, shaking its head, before turning toward shore.

A beautiful, long and lean bass slid up through the surf, around the 50cm mark, silver sides flashing in the autumn light. That’s the moment you live for in sea bass lure fishing, that sudden, savage take out in the current.

The Session Heats Up

Once the first few bass showed, it was chaos. Bite after bite, multiple hookups, and that electric feeling of being in the right place at the right time. A few smaller fish mixed in, all aggressive and full of energy.

Every hit came either on the drop or just off the bottom, classic autumn bass behaviour as they hunt baitfish pushing in with the tide.

Urban Angling at Its Best

Between casts, I spotted a few irresponsible anglers leaving hooks and baited rigs on the rocks, a reminder that we must all respect our coastlines and keep them clean.

But as the light began to fade, I was already smiling. The urban sea bass mission had been a success, fish caught, tactics adapted, and memories made right in the middle of the city.

Urban Fishing for Sea Bass on Lures – Final Thoughts

Fishing for sea bass on lures in urban environments is an experience like no other. You’re never far from a coffee shop, a cold beer, or a conversation with curious passers-by, yet just a cast away from one of the UK’s most thrilling saltwater predators.

Whether it’s Brighton, Portsmouth, or any other city coast, grab a light spinning rod, a handful of soft plastics, and get out there. The next urban bass bite might just be your best yet.

Urban Sea Bass Lure Setup Recap

• Rod: 7–9.6ft light to medium spinning rod
• Lures: IMA Skimmer (topwater), Keitech Swing Impact Fat 3.3”, Molix 4” Paddle Tail
• Weights: FiTU 7–14g jig heads or bullet weights
• Leader: Fluorocarbon 20–25lb
• Best Tide: Rising or first half of the flood
• Key Tip: Watch your lure on the drop, most bites happen then!

Tight lines, and see you on the next session.