Adam F Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 Good to be out again!! This morning broke clear and bright, and the journey down to Portsmouth uneventful. The plan B slipway that Gordon found was cracking and once again put Poole to shame. A wide, concrete slip, not too deep and with moorings available. We were all in the water by 8am and steaming across the Solent en-route to Utopia. Macky were scarce and with about 1/2 dozen in the bucket we had enough the start, so at 8.30am we were anchored and ready to go. I was kitted up for some arm aching action that I had heard the mark was famous for with 30lb rods, and 150lb traces loaded with macky flappers. After 30 mins a few smoothies had shown an interest but no tope, so I scaled down the heavy gear as it was an overkill for 10lb smoothies!! As the tide died so did the fishing, so into the galley and fresh mackerel with fried fresh tomato and homemade bread for breakfast!!! Mmmmmm, 2nd course was pan fried calamari!! and all topped of with BLT's and a cold Stella!! In danger of eating all the bait, the tide now turned and like a light switch the fishing improved - and in the course of an hour we had about 20 smoothies to 12lb and a handful of pack tope. Unfortunatly by 1pm, the breeze had increased to a f4-5 and the sea started to lump up, so a slow run struggling to keep 12 knots back into the lee of the IOW was called for. It really was a day of 2 halfs, as the afternoon drew a total blank. Thanks to Gordon for a smooth, well organised trail-away, but alas it was more No-topia, than Utopia!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alun j. Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 Perhaps.......... 'Few-topia'......... as we saw a bit of action! Thanks Adam for another brlliant day out.......feels like a day and a half after such an early start and as I'm now stiffening-up!........but have just made some more fresh bread for tomorrow's sarnies. Perhaps I could start a little side-line in forthcoming retirement?? You didn't give away our secret 'edge' over the others with the special 'stinky-worms' bait additive! Whilst the fishing wasn't memorable, the company and sunshine were; couldn't think of a better way of spending the day......... ending with 'special calamari' supper for one........and crabs cooked for tomorrow's. Thanks again........here's to a few bass next time? Alun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted July 9, 2007 Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 Fished the trailaway with Gordon H ( Fugazi ) and after an uneventful trail to the slipway we all launched and set off to grab some mackeral. Found mackeral ( or rather a single mackeral ! ) at the concrete barge at Dean Tail, whilst the boat alongside us was pulling up whole strings of them ! we the caught up the others who had made of to the marks which I had fished 3 weeks ago and last year. Reassured to see the charter boats around the mark we were fishing. Anchor down and into the first smoothy after around 15 mins. We then had a few smoothies up to the slack along with some medium sized Tope ( 10lb ish ). Had a good run on the mackeral flapper and made contact with the fish for a minute but it dropped the bait Slack water came and had an Undulate Ray as the tide turned. Gordin had a tope as the fishing picked up on the flood, but the wind was picking up and the thought of an 8 mile steam back against the wind made me decided to head for cover ( Wise move as it turned out ). Passed Nab tower and some nasty conditions ensued. Back to Dean Tail and then headed for Hayling Island where we fished more in hope than expectation. After bream rattles, hooked into a bass but so shocked to catch anything I rushed it and lost the fish on its second run Called it a day then and steamed back to Portsmouth, through the gap in the blocks and kept to the RHS of the channel with Enticer behind us. Got stopped by the Harbourmaster as we should be in the small boat channel. - A friendly lecture was given and we now know how to enter Portsmouth harbour . Pleased to find I had used 20 litres of fuel in total for the trip. Will be back again though as I know the fishing can be much better than this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted July 9, 2007 Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 Some Topia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted July 9, 2007 Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 and forgot to mention it took me only 1 hour to get home, which is actually about the same time it takes me to get home from work in the rush hour ! Scared Helen's pet hedghog to death ( literally ) when I nearly reversed the trailer over it on my return ..... there go the brownie points Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugazi Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 If I go on any more trail a way's with weather like last Sunday's, I think, to quote a well know line from Jaws, "were gonna need a bigger boat". Anyway I did manage to take a few photos before the weather deteriorated, but had to put the camera away because it didn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugazi Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 Sunday Photo's (I hope) Gordon H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugazi Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 another 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugazi Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 And finally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alun j. Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 Well done Gordon, I always have trouble posting pics. ; perhaps you can show me the quick / easy way to comvert 1+ Meg photos into the thumbnails.? Alun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fugazi Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 Alun, It's not easy, especially if you are trying to reduce 6meg pictures. Open the picture in Microsoft Photo Editor, click on image, then resize and keep resizing down until you get down to <128k. Gordon H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 If you use "proper" Outlook and not Outlook Express there is an easy way to do it is to select the pics in Windows explorer and right click - choose "send to"....."Mail receipt" Outlook will now prompt if you want to keep pics the original size or make smaller for emailing. Choose make smaller and continue. Outlook now resizes them and attaches them to a mail for you to send. Instead of sending the mail just detach\save the now smaller pics to your desktop and upload! Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Like it Rob, that is a nice easy way to resize, will have to try that next time. Thanks for the pics Gordon, just sent you my e-mail address and found them here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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