Practice makes perfect

[crazy fred]

Well the day had come , it was the day of the baracruder challenge. Up at 4.00 am as the taxi for the wife was arriving at 5-00am to whisk her off to Alaska , "bliss" for two weeks just me the dog and a pot plant so if somebody is going to die the pot plant gets it first .

 

So as soon as sue is whisked off in the taxi lee and I lay all the bait on the table and make sure all is ok only one dead peeler crab result.

 

Pete arrives at 6-30 with Lynne who was the assigned baby sitter for the dog . We we're ready for battle to commence only to find out that one of our team members thought we had cancelled so he was going carp fishing . So as not to embarrass this team member I won't mention his name "BIG AL" lol.

 

After signing in and visiting tesco's we were off 7-40. The first fish was landed at 8-09 which was a black bream and we had totaled 5 species in the next 11 minuets not a bad start. After two day's of practicing we knew it was time to start chasing the tide so it was time for our fist move at 8-48 by which time we were up to 6 species.

On the next mark within 48 min we had 4 more species a bass, small eyedray, smooth hound, and a dog fish , once again time to move . Got to the next mark but we knew we only had a 15 min window but it payed off with a blond ray up anchor and away 11 miles to go and the time is now 10-27 .

 

Getting in the swing of this anchoring and retrieving now it's up an down like a yo yo . By 11-10 we are all on our lonesome not a boat to be seen and the tide is pushing hard still. By 11-17 we have our first fish on a nice undulate Ray which takes 10 mins to land in the tide. 11.24 conger , 11-31 mackerel , 12-09 gurnard , 12-50 tope . So this mark had produced another 5 species but we get overrun with tope some of which were over 40 lb and congers some of which were big lumps so we just cut them off . I was now starting to get a bit weary what with the early start and the fishing this is going to be a long day me thinks.

 

Time to pull the anchor yet again but this time with a twist its hung in hard "oops" . It has grand idea's of staying there but we're having none of it , loose it and the comp is over . Out with the big buff for Pete to clip on and if it play's hard to get I've got 900 hp that say's one of us is going to loose . I win with a Big Bang and a nice crack in the the bow sprit which we will sort when out of the water but we live to fight on.

 

Off again , this time to boscombe sewer pipe it's a long way to go from where we are but it payes off with a cuckoo wrasse and a plaice and the time is now 14-55 and so its time to move on again. We are running out of species that we are likely to catch so poole patch gets the vote for the second time today.

 

Fishing never ceases to amaze me because at 15-42 we catch a prime turbot on poole patch "strange" next a bailians wrasse at 15-44 then a Blenny at 16-08 . At 4-30 we decide to have go in the harbour on the way home , but poole patch is fighting back because we probably took it's only turbot and we are hung in big time .

Well it all resulted in cutting off and buffing the anchor which will dive on Sunday morning to retrieve it. So the day came to an abrupt end with 21 species totaling 143 points . To some up 2 days of practicing time and tides it seemed to had paid off but that anchoring has left me weary . The boat ended up with slight damage to the bow sprit but I don't think it was designed for how I'm using it but all resulted in a fine win for the team "job done"

Costs

Miles covered 48

Fuel 220ltr

Bait £46

Entry £40

Practicing we won't count !!!!

[Kingfisher 126]

Well done Fred great result but as you've said it takes a lot of effort. Sounds like you need a smaller boat!!!!!

[Maverick Martin]

Well done Fred on a well earn't result 

[niggle]

Well deserved,well done

[jerry.shutter]

Well done, we saw you heading out and could hear the roar after we couldn't see you any more! Congratulations

[Reel Wizzard]

Well done Fred and crew on winning . I would just like to thank John Stephenson for inviting me out to fish this competition on his boat .we never put in any practice but just fished known marks. We had a great day and a good laugh with John making us hot dogs and pork pie for lunch with plenty of coffee. I got the scoring wrong when I put a Goby down as one point instead of five and it was not until just before the presentation when Alan green happened to mention it that I realised what I had done, quickly got hold of Dave Wilson to go though our score sheet again and the extra four points moved us from forth to second, Happy days

[crazy fred]

Anchor has now been retrieved and I must remember to splice it back together again before the next episode or I'm going to look rather silly . So a big thanks to Pete for diving the anchor which took him all of 5 min as the chain was hooked just under the lip of a rock and the anchor was free and for helping me scrub the boat to death on Sunday morning which took 3.5 hours in total

[Greg]

Great dedication and well earned. And well deserved.

 

Well done for a great report.

 

Can't wait for Dogfish Dave's comp.

 

Bring it on 😄

[great white]

Well done Fred and team.

 

With all that effort and practice not a lucky win

 

After the meeting on Thursday I gave a brief on anchoring and recovery techniques. Out in Swanage today I very nearly lost mine.

 

With other boats, kayaks and pot buoys around me it was a bit tricky finding a route to steam the Alderney ring on.

 

Hope that the crack is an easy fix mate.

[Adam F]

Great effort guys, that's some effort involved and fair play for the win!

[dogfishdave]

Have to say what a great day we had on Saturday, 21 boats and 76 anglers took part in the Baracuda Tour event from Cobbs Quay.  We tried our best on Wishing Too to end up 3rd oh for a Goby.  Congratulations to Fred, Pete and Lee.  A big thanks for all who took part in this new comp, 5 of the top 6 boats were club boats the one that wasn't had two ex world champions and an ex England international on it but not a local skipper, just goes to show how important a good skipper with local knowledge is.  Have to say thanks to the Marlin Master (Chris) when I decided I didn't want to stand up any more and ended up on my arse lying on the deck with my  £300 rod and reel over the side and sinking fast but Chris's quick thinking saved the day as he lassoed it with his line.  So roll on next year, Fred has set the standard.