Whitstable Harbour! Dogfish, Whiting & A Cheeky Seagull!

Some fishing trips go exactly as planned — and then there are days like this one, where everything changes before you even leave the house. But honestly, those are often the days you remember most. This trip to Whitstable Harbour with my son Connor (better known in our videos as Tides & Tribe) definitely falls into that category.

The plan was simple: wake up early, hit the beach, stay for a full session, maybe even chase something a bit more exciting than the usual harbour suspects. But life had other ideas.

First, we overslept. Not by a little — by enough that the whole beach plan was basically ruined. On top of that, I’d been battling a cold and flu for a couple of days, and woke up feeling far from fresh. The kind of morning where you debate staying home… but the sea was calling, and Connor was buzzing to get out with the rods.

So, we pivoted. Instead of the beach, we headed to Whitstable Harbour, partly for convenience and partly so I could duck back into the warm car whenever the cold cut through me.

Whitstable Harbour has a charm of its own — boats, gulls, salty air, and usually a crowd of people wandering about, even on crisp winter days. The sun was bright when we arrived, but the wind was something else entirely. That sharp, coastal cold that hits your fingers before you’ve even set up the first rig.

Still, the fresh air felt good, and despite feeling rough, there was something refreshing about being out by the water. Connor got straight to work sorting his gear, while I tried to warm my hands enough to tie a simple knot.

We set up with simple rigs — nothing fancy needed for the harbour — mainly targeting whatever was around. This isn't the kind of spot where you expect monsters, but there’s always a chance of a surprise. Mostly, though, it’s a playground for dogfish and whiting in the colder months.

By the end of the session, the tally was:

Connor:

5 Whiting

4 Dogfish

Me:

5 Whiting

3 Dogfish

A close match, but Connor took the win — and believe me, he didn’t let me forget it! He was grinning like he’d just broken a personal record.

Every harbour session seems to come with its own cast of characters, and today’s main one was a seagull with zero respect for personal space.

From the moment we unpacked, he hovered nearby, eyeing our bait and fish like he owned the place. He strutted, he tried to sneak in, he stared us down… the full seagull intimidation routine.

Eventually, we gave him a few whiting that wouldn’t have been kept anyway. After that, he relaxed and hung out like part of the crew. We joked that he was waiting for his appearance fee.

For a session that started late, abandoned the plan, and took place while I was half-dead with a cold, it turned into a genuinely great day.

Sometimes the best parts of fishing have nothing to do with the fish.

It’s about fresh air, laughs, shared moments, small wins, and just being out there rather than stuck indoors.

Despite the cold, the slow fishing, and the general chaos of the morning, spending that time with Connor made everything worth it. These trips remind me why we keep filming, keep adventuring, and keep creating memories together.

Here’s to the next trip, whatever surprises it brings.

— Tides & Tribe

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