ChrisE

Sounds like an excellent week's fishing. We're off there on 12th June with Chris Caines, can't wait....

We will cross, we're over with Chris Caines starting on the 12th.

Well, best of luck lads. I hope that the weather holds out for you. Don't dispair, the weekend's forecast is changing all the time and as I write it looks OK for the trip over, a bit bouncy later on. But bear in mind that a few days ago Fri/Sat/Sun were calling for 20+ knots in The Solent (I have a yachting rally to attend) and now it looks as though we might well be motoring all weekend. There's hope for you yet! Chris

At the risk of not being the most popular poster here's how I see it. This is specifically not aimed at anybody just expressing a point of view based on the postings here, elsewhere and what I've seen whilst fishing On the ledge during this bream season there have been 20+ boats most days of which 4 or 5 were charter the rest privateers. So that's conservatively 50 guys fishing. If everyone takes say half a dozen that's 300 bream/day, and that's Fri, Sat and Sunday with maybe half to a third that number mid week say 100 bream/day. By my reckoning that's at least 1000 bream each week and that's not a bad haul for a trawler. FWIW, I believe that if we are going to keep the moral high ground on this we should be thinking of two or three max per person per trip. If you think that I'm being alarmist consider the bass fishing in the deep channels off Hurst Castle which until a couple of years ago was quietly spectacular with 7-8lb fish common together with a fair sprinkling of 10+ fish. The charters and the privateers *found* this three years ago and they had a good year. There are now very few fish in the deeps and certainly none of the biggies. Everyone there was being very good and only taking a fish or two. But when you have 10+ boats all taking a fish or two, soon you don't have any left. Perhaps I'm being a bit OTT but perhaps worth a thought? Chris

Mike, thx, you've confirmed what I'd heard. Might waste some time looking for an early bass on lures instead, p'raps. Chris

Oh alright then, seeings as you insist.. We're heading out at 9, have a little dabble off The Shingles whilst wind and tide are together then perhaps offsky up The Solent to see if the hounds have arrived. On day of the Charles and Di wedding I managed a 10lb trout....

Thanks all, I'll add the Kenzaki on to my list. I had on one of the earlier versions and found it v light but managed to smash the tip after a couple of seasons, perhaps I'll fare better with the new version. Chris

Thanks all for your thoughts. Nigel, unfortunately back at work as from next week, based in Wales, club meets will be out for a bit. Interesting observation on the power of the rod tho' and best of luck with your engine. Dicky, as it happens I'm over to Alderney in June with Chris Caines, so will look in shop, although I suspect that money will have burnt hole in pocket before then. Keep the thoughts coming. Chris

Thanks for the thought, as it happens I already have that Ugly Stick, great rod but I was looking for something light to hold most of the day. Chris

I'm minded to get myself a nice 12-20 class rod. The three I've been looking at, on the net, are the Diawa Team Z, the MTI 15-20 and the Islander 12-20. At present, I'm leaning towards the MTI as it is the longest rod and I like long rods, also the cheapest, which is good. Has anybody got any of the above and are there any others in this class I should be looking at? TIA Chris

I bought myself a couple of pressies to celebrate re-start of work after 11 months. I bought a 9' Abu Revo and matching Revo 50 reel, neither cheap but I'm impressed with both and looking forward to bending into a bass or two in the near future.

I'm thinking of giving it another go on Thursday, I'll report back. Chris

Thanks for the thought. I'll stick with what I've got tho', I fished all of last season without a problem with the set up, I'm putting this down to bad luck. At least I've removed a potential hazard from the Ledge....

We didn't have such an exciting day as John (thank God!) but we did get out and spent a couple hours on the Ledge to confirm that the bream have yet to arrive. Alan on Gastronaut came across to confirm that he, too, was breamless. We managed a couple of obligatory pout and a doggie, my brother managed to haul up a good sized edible crab that had grabbed his lead of all things. We decided to move off and guess what? Anchor stuck again! This time we persevered until we eventually got the anchor free only for it to jam into something else. We pulled from different angles and it came free again only to find that we picked up something heavy. It was too heavy to haul in, so we decided to run into deeper, clearer water whilst we though about what to do. Whatever it was it was way too heavy to haul aboard and was beginning to think about running the boat into successively shallower water until we could get to it. In the event whatever it was came away whilst we were running for shallower water. I'm guessing that it was either a lost pot or a lump of old net. After this we headed for less rock strewn areas and proved that the doggies were still in their kennel off the Shingles but other than that fairly quiet. The bream can't be far away and I'll probably have another look later in the week.

We're going to continue to drown squid off the Ledge to verify that thr bream are still not here. Will be there from about 930 on Sunday for a couple of hours of the flood then we'll see where to blank next.

Neal, I'm sorry to read of your woes and I hope that you are insured for your losses. If it is any consolation, 4 years ago I had my boat stripped of about

If you are a member of the RNLI AND can show them your card, Yachthaven offers a 5% discount. Not a lot of people know that. It saves me around

Whilst it is true that the higher the radome the greater the range, you'll will lose targets once close to them if using conventional radar which has a dead zone close to the ship. As I said earlier, the Condor has very sensitive radar so how they missed a 30' ship I don't understand. I'm sure the inquiry will find he answers.

Somewhere on The Ledge, will be there from about 9ish.

I'm thinking of seeing if the bream have arrived yet, probably fish the ebb.

I read the report and was surprised that the cat had hit anything. Pre 9/11 I was allowed up on the bridge of the ferries and was impressed just how much their radar could see even in the thickest of fogs. Still, I suppose there's always human error.... I'm gald that no one was hurt.

Hmm, you're right, you learn something everyday Like you say, tho' difficult to enforce on yachts or powerboats. Chris

I stand to be corrected but my understanding is that this by law extends only to skippers who are fishing commercially, ie as fishermen or as charter skippers. Leisure craft, including yachts and fishing boats, are outside of the loop.

Yes, I can see that putting through holes on a trailered boat is asking for grief. Best of luck.

Well, for a different point of view I have a couple of through-hull transducers on the yacht, as do most if not all yachts. Not many sink My through hulls have been across the Atlantic and into the Arctic Circle with no problems. Provided that you follow the manufacturers instructions there is not need to worry they are designed to be safe.