Coddy Posted January 6, 2008 Report Share Posted January 6, 2008 (edited) I was kindly invited out on Alfresco by Charlie on Saturday which got me out of the usual household jobs. What a pleasure it is to walk down a pontoon to a boat ready and waiting in the water, it was a bit cold and ice under foot but it felt good to be going fishing. As we were motoring out I noticed Adam cruising in the harbour and followed us out, seems he forgot his electronics this morning so tagged along. I used this opportunity to take a picture or two. We seemed to skip over the water so effortlessly at 20+kts and it was soooo nice to sit inside a cabin instead of an icy wind blasting in your face. Charlie dropped the pick close to where some numbers he had but someone had beaten us to the exact mark. Dan was soon into whiting and it soon became the norm to get some good sized ones aboard. The best went to 3.5lbs Dan was into to a good fish which turned out to be a lively conger, seems it broke the boat's record, I will let Charlie tell all. Charlie also managed to pull out an eel but a bit smaller than Dan's. In getting all the rods out of the way for this fish, I had just caught a nice whiting but it managed to flick itself out of the nearly full fish box and back into the sea! This is now the best sort on catch and release method I can think of! As the wind increased so did the swell and we soon had had enough so packed up and headed in. Thanks to Charlie for the invite and Dan showing us all how to catch big conger. Coddy Edited January 6, 2008 by Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Toss up between continuing to repair Neo and go fishing. The latter obviously, so as Gordon H was looking for crew, I offered to crew on Fugazi. Lymington 8AM launch and headed out to where we suspected the 34lb cod may have been caught . Nipper was already there and given they had followed Mustang-On out there, this was a good enough indication for me Slow fishing but Gordon showed the way with 2 Eels in quick succession. Apart from these it was Pout and dogs. We then headed closer inshore, waiting for a tanker to steam through the inshore mark ( never seen them in that close before ). before dropping anchor. Had a solitary whiting whilst at the new mark. Swell was picking up fast, so headed around the corner to be joined Nipper and Mustang-On. Fished there for 1 hr before heading back to Lymington. Slow fishing but great fun and good company on Fugazi. Next time must go to West Lepe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hi The skip was filled on Sat so I had a late pass to go out, a quick check on wind Guru and a call to Dave to see if he wanted to join us and we had a plan established. The forecast seemed to rule out a run to the Car Park so we decided on more general fishing closer inshore, in an area known to have Whiting, Rays, Conger and maybe even the ellusive Cod. Just as we were leaving Adam called me to ask if we would guide him out as his electronics were at home. which we were more than happy to. It show the sense of leaving the essential kit ready as we had VHF and mobile contact with him. On a fl;at calm sea we cruised out at 21knots to the chosen area to find several boats already there. we anchoed up at slack water and started with light gear that rapidly started indicating the whiting were feeding. As the tide increased my anchor slipped and we prepared to reset as I am sure Adam would not want us any closer, It was then that a whole mackeral Flapper that Dan had decided to use to get a conger did just that. after a brief fight and a swift netting a very stroppy eel was onboard and refusing all attempts to keep it in the net, so eventually I put it in the big hold out of the way. To be safe we then picked up the anchor, to find that like Adam I had left something at home, [My big scales] a quick call to Adam and a carfull manoever alongside saw us pinching Adams scales to weigh the eel in the net at 44lb [inc the net at 2lb wet weight] Another specimen for Dan and the biggest to date onboard at 42lb. I am sure it took longer to start catching specimen congers on Great White We then reanchored a bit more uptide of the mark and steadily filled the box with a few good whiting, we were only keeping the best fish and were releasing the rest, but Coddy showed us a new trick with one of the better fish releasing itself by jumping out of the fish box bouncing over the side and swimming away strongly. I then had a conger of 30lb in the full run of the ebb tide, which was hard work. By this time there were about a dozen boats in the area and it was reported that a couple of Cod had been landed. The nearest boat to us looked to have a good fish on that I thought was another eel but proved to be an excellent cod When weighed on the boat it took the scales to 31lb At least it proved the theory that we were in a good area The weather was starting to make fishing more difficult so before slack water added to the problem I took the decision that a slightly early finish was in order. We managed to run in at a reasonable speed and were soon home cleaning the tackle and the fish. Thanks for joining us at short notice Dave and Adam for the use of your scales, [How can I get them back to you?] It beats the hell out of loading a skip Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinbad Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Sounds like great fun, charlie.... Just tell your wife she can have the whole garden cleaned up every weekend in February and March.... just as long as you can use Alfresco during Jan!! Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corky Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Have the Needles shrunk ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Nice to have an action shot, Thanks can you email me the originals full size will be fine the broadband should cope Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corky Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 no problem charlie if you pm me your email I will sent the three pics I have ( I cant find a way of attaching through the site email - or am I just a plonker ??) chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Great fish Dan, and superb skippering Charlie! Alfresco is on a roll! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just add water Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 thanks mike and a great fish on the spinning rod i might have to get one of those lucky spinning rods dan.c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted January 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Added some pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Adam - OOTB is looking a little high at the bow, lack of ballast? From that I assume this was the day you forgot you giant plotter!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Thanks dave can you email me the pictures at full quality Cheers Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Cracking pictures Dave. What camera are you using to take these ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted January 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Cracking pictures Dave. What camera are you using to take these ? Hi Paul I have a Fuji Finepix A500 5.1 Megapixals with optical and digital zoom. Small, cheap and chearfull. This is the second Fuji Finepix camera I have used and both have been great for my simple uses. Oh, work bought if for me! Nice of them wasn't it. Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alun j. Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 Rob, I don't think so! We were doing about 20 knts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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