Mike Y

Adam I fully sympathise particularly as the weather is getting better. Blue Boy is out of commission at the moment as one of the engines has packed up - that is why I am left with the kayak! Good luck with OOTB - you are more than welcome on Blue Boy once it is sorted. Should be ready for my holiday starting on Thursday. Mike

I fully understand. Good luck guys Mike

I will be going out plugging on my kayak. I'd be delighted to enter the competition if the kayak counts. Mike

Can't beat a nice-sized gurnard to eat. Well doen LFE - I am glad you had some success after all your efforts to get out. Apart from early bream I have hardly been fishing this year but I have two weeks off later this month and hope to see you on the water soon. I may even be on my new kayak! Mike

Tom I am very tempted to say "yes" as I think you have set up a superb big game opportunity which, although expensive, represents I am sure the very best deal possible. I am committed to a return to Namibia in 2008 (this time with the family) and Mrs. Y would kill me if I went off on another fishing holiday next year. Good luck with finding the remaining anglers - I look forward to seeing the pictures. PJ - the striper trips described on the BASS website have got my thinking in that direction too. I am off in September striper and bluefish fishing in NYC linked to a business trip but unfortunately I don't have time for a Montauk trip too. Maybe 2009. Mike

Looks great Tom - will be in touch Mike

After good catches of large bream two weeks ago we managed to squeeze a couple of hours fishing in on Saturday after launching and testing my new Quintrex aluminium boat. We fished a mark east of Weymouth. The berley bomb brought the fish round quickly even though the tide was pushing through quite briskly and we were pretty much into bream from the off. In two hours fishing we had a dozen or so up to 3 pounds 8 ounces along with the usual dogfish, wrasse (ballan and cuckoo) and pouting. Cracking sport on light tackle. Mike

Saturday certainly looks the pick of the days. We will be out tomorrow from Weymouth. I just hope the bream are still showing. Tight lines everyone Mike

Giltheads are caught relatively regularly in the Helford River - I know a few spots if anyone is ever fishing down that way. I too hope that the early good weather will bring in a few more exotics this year. Allan good luck over the weekend - I hope the bream are out in force. I'll maybe see you on the water on Sunday although I am likely to be pretty close inshore in my new aluminium boat rather than the Warrior unless the weather gets too good to resist. I hope to read a post next week saying how successful you have been - keep the references to marks general though or I'll never be able to get on them in the future!! Rich - please do pm if you come down. I'd love to pick up the box - I am embarassed at how long it has taken to pay and collect - the interest charge must be mounting! Mike

Afraid I do not have my numbers with me and I am working up in London this weekend but I will pm you some numbers next week if I can get my book. I fish the Weymouth/Kimmeridge area a lot (my parents live at Ringstead) and we have had some good success this year - 4 bream over 4 pounds a couple of weeks ago! I may even be fishing down there myself over the bank holiday and would be happy to point you in the right direction. I'll be in touch next week. Mike

Cheers guys The Coastliner is being borrowed by a friend of ours on a long term basis but in any event it is too heavy to drag up a beach by one or even two people - needs to be winched. Adam if it is not too much trouble and you could find the BFM article a scan would be much appreciated. Tom I will look at the Rigiflex boats again now that I have a firmer idea of what I want. Thanks to you both Mike

I am thinking of buying a 10 foot Pioner boat for my inshore bassing. I will be keeping it on a beach and then using it for fly fishing/spinning/trolling close inshore. Have any of you ever had any experience of the Pioner range?

Cheers Rich - apparently Cabelas have a shop opening in Chicago later in the year! Good to see your picture in the latest BASS magazine! That fish has certainly travelled the media (and time)! See you on the water soon. Mike

Looks great Adam

A bit of a long shot. I am going to Chicago this weekend with work. I probably won't have time to get out to Bass Pro Shops - can anyone recommend a tackle shop in Chicago itself? Mike

If only the Law was as funny as that in real life. Really enjoyed those Thanks Mike

That is a cracking fish - I used to fish a lot for chub on the Stour at Canford but never got close to a monster such as that - well done. I can't wait to see the pictures.

Congratulations Adam on both counts - look forward to seeing the new boat in action on the Shambles soon Mike

There appear to be few saltwater fly options available where we were although there are springer in the Walvis Bay lagoon. We stopped at a dam for the first two days of our trip and caught plenty of largemouth bass. In the evening and early morning we had some great topwater action on poppers and we certainly could have caught those bass on the fly if we had had our gear with us. I should point out that at 55kg my bronzie was pretty small - they go up to over 200kg!! I can only imagine the pain one would have to go through to bring one of the big bronzies in form the shore. The shore fishing is very exciting but the skiboat fishing was particularly productive and relatively reasonably priced. If anyone was serious about a Club trip to Namibia I can certainly help with contacts etc. Much cheaper than going through a tour operator. Mike

Thanks Adam - I really appreciate your taking the time to put these up for me. Good luck in the boat quest Mike

The area is basically desert bordering onto a beach - not necessarily ideal for wife and small kids - good for sandcastles though! The hotels seem fairly basic but there is an aquarium, snake park, day trips to the desert, plenty of shopping in Swakopmund etc. so it is not beyond the realms of possibility as a family venue. It would be perfect for older kids with plenty of adventure activites like kite surfing, wind surfing and quad biking. I understand Swakopmund is where Windhoek families spend their holidays so it must work for them. I have a few photos but do not know how to post them - I think from previous attempts the files are too large. If anyone can help I'll happily send them photos by e-mail if they can put them up for me. Thanks Mike

We got back yesterday from a week in Namibia. The fishing was tough by Namibian standards but I cannot recommend the place highly enough. We mainly fished the beach but had one day out of Swakopmund on a ski boat catching Kob (not too dissimilar to bass) up to 4kg and various other bits and pieces. Best fish of the day was a 25kg gully shark although we had runs from larger sharks - all fish caught on UK 20lb boat tackle. The boat cost about

We will have a go off the beach for the bronzies but will be mainly after the cob and steenbrass by ski boat (which I am particularly looking forward to) and off the shore. We are also doing some freshwater largemouth bass fishing near Windhoek on our way to and from Walvis Bay where we are staying. Just a full on fishing week with my two brothers. Can't wait Mike

I know this firm has been recommended before by amongst others Rich but I just had to post to praise Reel Care of Southampton for their service. I needed some reels serviced/repaired before going to Namibia next week. I sent off a TLD 25 and Penn International 975 LD (which had seized) on Monday and got them back (as good as new) in London on Wednesday. Fantastic service. Reel Care can be contacted on 02380 777232. Website www.reelcare.com. Mike

Really sorry to hear that Adam. You are always welcome on Blue Boy. Mike