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First trip out over the sand bar, well I got over it ok. It would have been better to travel a bit further beyond the last yellow marker on Starboard side. say 80-100mtrs past and then head straight at the Needles. The Harbour is very shallow at the moment, I only had 2.4ft in places, we need some cruisers drawing 1 mtr to stir it up. This was a shakedown trip out at Sea and the Auto Pilot is not playing ball, "go to Sea they said and it will reset after a couple of turns" oh no it didn't. You sure miss auto pilot when it is not working. I gave the Rays a good go and managed 1 spotted, to catch that I had to wade through 30 plus doggies, they are really wide spread out there, on every bait as soon as it hits bottom. Managed a few whiting that I could see on the sounder, then back in over the bar. I had to jump out of the cabin whilst on the way in by the first yellow and stop an idiot steering directly over the sand bar, just saved him by 50 yards otherwise he would still be there. Auto pilot a bit disappointing means more effort to get it sorted. Then the marina wanted me to go on another berth while they work on mine, what a pain setting up all new ropes on a fixed pontoon. Big wash down and home absolutely shattered.

Having seen lots of reports of some decent Pollock being caught, yesterdays weather window and tide to good to miss. 7.30 bridge and a lovely calm sea and a good run just over two hours at 23knots bought us to our first wreck. Two shooting friends and Dogfish Dave on board, the two friends were new to wrecking so i had tied up lots of rigs!!!! First drift an 8lbs Pollock for Baz, his first ever Pollock so over the moon and a good Red Gurnard to Dave and a fat Pout for Piggy. The sun came out and it was glorious, nearly 200ft with a maximium 3 knot drift all the ducks were in a row! A reasonably steady flow of fish throughout the day with some smaller ones managing to be put back. I christened a new SPJ outfit with first a PB 15lbs Pollock, then a 19lbs Pollock then an 18lbs fish!!!! All the fish gods were smiling on me that day for sure. With 3 Pollock each i decided we should head for home for the 4.30 bridge, after 10 minutes we hit a VERY thick fog bank, about 50m viz, radar on 3 other very experienced Yachtmaster crew on board helped one watching the radar, and two on watch was good for confidence, encountered one small boat off Durleston on the radar then one total ejit in the Swash doing 20knots with no radar echo on a rib!!!! Luckily we made the bridge with time to spare, none of us had seen fog in the forecast. Really red letter day for me and a great all round craic.

Apologies for AGM Meeting. Sorry but I can't make it. Don't know the rules but . . . . . . If any of our fantastic committee wish to stand again then they have my vote and my thanks.

Apologies from me too - we have family visiting. Have a good one

Sorry I can't be there with you clubmates, thanks to the chairman and hard working committee who toil on our behalf. Hope you will all stand in your elected places for the coming year, best wishes and congratulations to those receiving awards. Colin.

Apologies from me also.Hope the meeting goes well and you get a good turnout

I would have sleepless nights if I had to negotiate that each trip!

Come and support your club AGM tomorrow, meet you fellow members and watch the Trophy presentation. Grab a raffle ticket and have a drink. We would like to see you.

Go get them Terry

A belated report as it has taken me this long to recover, on Sunday after a Saturday visit to an adult panto, we ventured out on Kingfisher Martin, Mal and Chris. Certainly one of us rusty from lack of use, similar to a reel handle of mine. We had plans to go far off, however the weather and sea state put pay to that. We stopped short on 6mile banks as did a few others. With great expectations, a breakfast roll inside us from the cafe on the quay and wearing most of a cup of coffee, the first lines were over, we waited and waited. Then a rod bender, it fought like a cod, it couldn't be could it, no of course not it was a Conger. Followed by a few more and a few Whiting in between, a couple over 2 pounds. We had a grumpy commercial doing a ridiculously close drive by to his buoys for a net he had laid, later he must have taken some happy pills as he was waving like a close friend, funny bunch the commercials. We did not see much in his very long net. The weather was windier than forecast all day with one small lull, there was a few rogue waves amongst them that made me over balance at least once. We did try hard to find something other than above, with a few drop backs on anchor and a couple of moves, just not a lot out there it would seem. A good wash down and a visit to the bar for a quick Guinness and home, a fourteen hour day and a couple of Whiting for the table. Great day out, memories made with some great friends what more do you want out of life.😊

Well done to Bobi for finding a Unicorn in the RNLI Flounder comp. She managed 2nd place with a Flounder of 1lb 2 oz. There were only 3 Flounders weighed in . There was a good turn out of 14 boats with 36 anglers.

A trip out on Wednesday with my mate Rob Rennie having not caught up with him for 2-3 years proved pretty slow to say the least. Rob catches huge numbers of sharks in the Celtic Deeps and i wanted him to approve my set up and rigs etc as the few times we have dabbled with little success. I know some chaps who fish our area sharking a lot, with great success with Threshers and Porgies, but the numbers just are not in our waters so more time and effort needed. Well i was glad everything i was doing was right, except again no sharks around yesterday!!! 0-3mph wind forecast, however it was a horrible lumpy chop 18 miles off with a lazy swell mixed in somehow. We drifted 6 wrecks which we felt all had nets on as we left over a dozen shads on to our annoyance with not even a Pout to show for our troubles. Slack water approaching and not a fish on the deck i decided to anchor a wreck in 140ft, well first attempt spot on, except the anchor dragged straight into the wreck after 10mins!!! Not happy i played the dart board game and luckily after 15mins we got everything back and the anchor hadn't even tripped. I decided some banks close to the wrecks a better option. Rods out and a really good chum trail nothing was happening except the usual congers to 25lbs and only 2 Pout!. The tide swung round and after a bit of knitting with shark rods we settled for a couple of hours on the flood. Not the best anchoring while sharking but at least we had a chance to bottom fish whilst a toothy bait was out. Getting close to pulling stumps Dogfish had a nice Huss just over 10lbs followed by second next drop 14lbs a pb for him so at least we had achieved something. Real last knockings i had a bite which proved to be a 6lbs Bass. Homeward bound we had a nice but choppy dry day, put the world right about 100 times, bacon butties, crab sandwiches, about 50 cups of tea, very few fish. I think i will wait for the Whiting to come before my next trip out, unless the weathers right!!!!!