TomBettle

Lunch? It was lovely. Launch? You've gotta be kidding.

Naaaaaaah Bigger waves than that hitting Baiter this morning.

I think that the owners are also beginning to ge a bit excited as Holger is sending me little email updates and photo's of the area regularly now. I don't mind, I think they are fascinating. I didn't even know they had these pussy cats there. Did you? Anyway, the email from Holger udnerneath the photo kind of sums up the whole ethos of what Troms Explorer will be about. It sums up the people who will be looking after me and anyone else who decides to charter her in the future. Personally I think the whole thing is bleeding awesome. Tom PS: The email came after Holger visited our site and WSF to see the threads that I am using as a kind of blog for the boats build. Hi Tom, Fishing is like to be together with a Norwegian woman. You ever know what you can expect and what you get. Also here the fish is not jumping in the boat. Here comes also more and more light tackle fishing. I

Hi Paul We should be getting half a dozen scales come through sometime shortly, but also, for interest, the Bass was actually 37 inches long. Tom

Quite probably Charlie. I haven't got Sky so haven't seen any of the fishing telly for years. It was a revelation to me to see that Henry had cut his hair off!. Dave Lewis works with the owners already as a UK based guide and John is good friends. Both are involved with the programme we are making so with luck we'll see some more monster Cod and some more of the stunning scenery. No gurantee's, but we are hoping that this programme and fingers crossed, full series, is going to make it to terrestrial TV too.

Coming out of the mould in a fortnight so stil a little way to go , but things are coming on nicely and the first day of filming for a rather interesting TV series about and aboard her involving me and better looking and better known faces than mine at the same time. I am a bit like an excited kid at Christmas and can't wait to see her starting to take shape. In the meantime, attached are a couple of pics tha one of the Norwegian owners, Holger, has just sent through. They are taken at the final home of Troms Explorer. You have to agree, the location is absolutely breath taking. The first is aboard his rib, this Summer. The second was the result of the bend in his rod. This baby weighed in at 23.5Kg, my retarded non mathmatical brain puts that at almost 52lb!!!! The third was taken at lunchtime yesterday - the only time of day with any light. It's taken from Holger's office window! The last one, I think was taken early yesterday morning although I am not sure. It shows his home / office in the background. By way of a credit and thanks for the pics, they are all taken by a guy who I think I will be sharing a few beers with in due course. Holger Buricke of Kvenorskaly Adventures AS

It's the wave heights that I think Charlie was referring to!

You have to add your email addy (confidential) and your contact info along with the numbers that appear on the screen (stops automated responses).

BUMP! Sorry, but I feel strongly about this subject and want to see it stay near the top of the scrolling "last post" banner. If you haven't done so yet, please lobby the addresses in Paul's post at the start of this thread. Tom

My letter arrived this morning from Ian Carrier. I received a copy of the original byelaw and a copy of the letter to the Charter Vessel Association. Unfortunately the wording is what sucks. Whilst it is obviously aimed at commercial vessels they slip up with a couple of words which I have highlighted in bold. Please don't let this one go away guys. Keep badgering Ian Carrier. Make him work, but also make him realise that we want to work with them for a brilliantly managed and sustainable local fishery.... if ludicrous byelaws are rewritten sensibly. The first sentence is the wording of the relevant byelaw. Folling that is my email reply this morning to Ian Carrier. "No person shall use, or permit the use of any vessel which exceeds 12 metres in overall length for fishing or taking sea fish within any part of the District which lies within a line drawn six nautical miles to seaward from the baselines". My reply to receiving the copy letters: Dear Mr Carrier cc Jonathan Shaw cc Boats & Outboards magazine email address Thank you for the copy of the byelaw and copy letter. It does seem that my fears are correct and that this really is an archaic and antiquated, ill thought out byelaw that penalises those going afloat for fun or low level, sustainable angling. I have used the word angling carefully as the byelaw is very clearly written (albeit very badly) with Commercial vessels such as trawlers in mind. Unfortunately, the words, "or taking fish", then mean the inclusion of anglers. Even a 7 year old angling from his father's boat could, in theory, be penalised? I can only guess that this, daft and damaging byelaw (damaging to myself and other local business) has been resurrected by the complaints of some greedy and disgruntled commercial fishermen? Please at least put my mind at rest that Southern SFC can see the ludicrousness of the wording in the byelaw and that moves are being made so that the leisure angler, fishing sustainably from his own or charter vessel will not be penalised. Anglers are usually a quiet bunch who put up with the rubbish and daft rulings that are landed on us (The recent Bass MSL u-turn debacle as an example). However, this time, honest livelihoods are at stake. Most of us leisure anglers run own small private boats, but we do also regularly use local charter boats. Some of which fall over the 12m mark. The owners of these boats have made a huge investment in our comfort and safety. Not so they can cram more of us onboard. No, these boats carry the same number of anglers as the boats which are smaller and not as safe. Nearly everyone of my own customers keep a fishing rod aboard their boats. Many are not seriously dedicated anglers, but like to catch a Mackerel for the barbecue. Am I supposed to tell my customer who is planning on spending

Just received a rather uninforming reply frm Ian Carrier saying he has posted me a copy of the Byelaw and the same explanatory letter that was sent to the Charter Angling Vessel Associations. I am sure it will be stimulating reading, but not sure if it will make any sense. We shall see. Tom

You are probably right Duncan, but I've done it now. It was sent from my work email, complete with signature. Have you sent one yet yourself? I think if we all simply bombard them, they'll have to take some notice. Tom

Well Peter Seeing as you believe I am as silly as you look, here is a copy of the email i sent yesterday at 15:48. It may not be perfectly worded or grammatically correct, but I was rather angry about the whole thing when i sent it. Email reads**** Dear Sir I am writing with some concern about the very ill thought out plans to ban all vessels over 12m that engage in "Fishing" from within 6 miles of land. I am sincerely hoping that I have simply misunderstood and that this will, of course, purely relate to vessels engaged in commercial fishing and not angling charter vessels or even private pleasure boats that happen to be wetting a line. Please can you put my mind at rest, or at least give me the detail of the plans. I can't believe that a charter boat with 12 anglers and is 12m long and another with 12 anglers and is 10m long can be viewed any differently as they will only catch the same amount of fish which will be a tiny number compared with a beam trawler and the like. In addition, I find it rather laughable and can't imagine anyone would be so daft as to stop a chap in his pleasure boat from angling from the back of it. Please help set the record straight as clearly either I am very confused or there is an extremely ill thought out plan afoot. Yours sincerely Tom Bettle

Also heard a rumour (unsubstantiated and third hand) that young Tommy Lapdance may have had three Cod today aboard Illusion. A codling, one of about 10lb and the other at 21lb. They are there if you can find them! Tom

Olly, the angler that caught the fish has just called me after I asked for a scale. Nice guy and speaking to him it would have been a very tough call as to whether or not I would have kept the beast. Anyway, he has kindly said he will send me a scale which I shall pass to the nice people who help out with BASS at the next club meeting. Tom

Paul I do think that the ruling is ludicrous, but you will find that very few of the charter fleet are 12m or over. ..not that is any concilation for those with 12m+ boats. The vast majority of the cats are 11m and below. Tom PS: Sent my email

Here's the link to the WSF thread: http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91601 Alledgedly there is also another claim in progress for a record Bass of over 20lb caught and released a while ago from South Wales. I can't substantiate that, but the rumours seem pretty good. In addition: It now appears that a record can be claimed assuming it is witnessed, correctly identified (easy with a Bass eg: no gill raker count, tooth shape etc) and the scales used to weigh it on are checked. So, there is no longer a need to kill the fish.

There is a very extensive thread about it over on WSF in the general sea fishing section. The guy chose to keep the fish (which apprently you no longer need to do when claiming a record) and is getting the usual flak for doing so. Whatever your feeling about him keeping it, it's huge and the picture of it is quite amazing.

Hello sTTu and any other interested parties! Just so I don't misquote or open my rather large and vociferous gob incorrectly... Below are cut and pasted directly from Suzuki's website. 1) 5 year warranty: 5 Year warranty - Suzuki autumn offer Sep 2007 Now customers can take advantage of an additional 2 year extension to the existing 2 year Suzuki warranty and 1 year extension when they buy a Suzuki outboard for leisure use this autumn. All outboards bought and registered on the warranty data base between the 1 September 2007 and 31 December 2007 will now come with this 5 year cover for leisure use, from the lightweight 2.5HP to the class leading 300HP. Richard Whittaker, Sales and Marketing Manager for Suzuki GB

Suzuki too Their rule is for it to be registered by 31st December 2007. Also get a free first service. Pretty sure their will be some conditions, but it can't be bad. Tom

And us silly southerners always think they are a Summer species. Who needs Scrabster in the winter?

Superb day's fishing Andy. The stuff that dreams are made of... my dreams anyway.

Almost undoubtedly it was chasing the same squid shoal as the fisherman. The worst part about it is that it was well and truly alive when the skipper raised his nets. If it was already drowned then fair enough, the skipper could fairly sell the catch for the pitence he got, but to slaughter it for peanuts was such a shame.

Great stuff Rob! I wouldn't have the balls to getstuck in like that. Salt X would love to see the results of your work, you may be lucky enough to get some freebies off them if you send them your pics.