Paul D

Alun, Search this site for "Ron The Seal" ! Link to the post showing how to catch them ( thanks to BB ) here :- Squid catching ( Ron the Seal )

So did I

18 lb 6 Oz

Also I have a trip booked on Valkyrie going from Hayling Island ( I can provide travel from Christchurch if needed ) on September 30th. 1 or 2 places free for this.

The one in the picture above ( ie. car tailgate )

My car tailgate

Not sure why I am posting this in Catch reports given that we didn;t catch anything worth reporting. The day was far from uneventful though. Up on Sunday at 5-30 AM for a 6AM launch at Wick ( very early start for me ). Temp as I drove over the Avon was a chilly 3 degrees. Met up with my crew for the day ( Steve a work colleague ). Saw Manatee with Paul J and Les at the slipway. Launched and attempted to get into the boat over the cuddy ... bad move as I almost broke it. Chained up the trailer to the railing in the trailer park and parked car in usual "cheap" place. Absolutely stunning views as we steamed through the harbour - mist slowly rising from the water, swans cruising around with a beautiful sun rising behind them. Must get a photo for my work photo competition ( this months theme is "boats" ). Camera left in car .... damn. Steamed through the run and off to the end of the ledge - like a millpond out there. 45 mins to one hour later we have caught a grand total of ONE mackeral ( and that was on the first drop ! ). Decided that we should at least give the bridge a go on the last of the flood. Steve fished the mackeral, I fished stormies. No luck. Headed further out to the spoil ground where we found some mackeral and then headed east further towards St Catherines. Tried drifting with no luck. Tide slackened so moved back over to the spoil ground and dropped the hook. Fishing with my new 20-50lb Solid-C rod. I had a small tope up to side of boat and then dropped the bait ( was only a pack tope though ). Then a small bream. Then a HUGE tug on the rod followed by a run and then all slack. Reeled up the slack and the fish took off again. 10 secs or so later, nothing. Retrieved and fish had bitten through the trace. Switched to using wire - no more bites Steamed back over to the needles ( which looked stunning in the afternoon sun ). Tried the ledge and after two doggies moved to another spot further along the ledge. Nothing showing so decided to follow Maverick back and head in. Maverick was having fun going through the channel toward the run, easy I though ( only small draft ). Had an attempt to fight against the 5/6 whatever knots but prop was hitting bottom ( and getting steadily destroyed - not that I cared as I need a new one anyway ! ). Gave up and had to sit it out for a couple of hours ( No water coming from telltail now - must clear out all the grit this weekend ) Eventually got through the run and up through the harbour ( 1 1/2 ft in places ). Water at WIck was just at the edge of the slipway...... Went to unchain the trailer and found that I couldnt move the padlock and chain. Obviously the trailer had expanded in the heat and the chain was taut against the railing. In attempts to free the padlock broke the key ..... Luckily Martin had a hacksaw to hand, so cut the padlock off. Phew ! Retrieved NEO from the shingle to the edge of the slipway - easy enough. Maverick was being retrieved from the "main" slipway but the trailer had gone over the dropoff. No chance ! I then offered the services of the X-Trail to pull Mav out. No chance - wheel spin on all four wheels. Smoking ! Took Maverick off the trailer - a reverse and quick pull had the trailer back out and then put the trailer into the shingly part. Retrieved after a lot of whell spin again and plenty of rubber burning. ( Note to self - X-Trail no good for 1 1/2 ton boat out of shingle ! ) Re attached Neo to the car and my friend pointed out that the hatch was sitting under the boat and getting a bit ermmm bent Took boat off and noted that a trip to the repairers is now needed Strapped boat down and headed home ( around 4 hours late for "dinner" - brownie points now heading for bankruptcy ). Expensive day out, financially and brownie point wise but still, strangely, enjoyable.

Coddy, Last year it was separate charges for trailer and car ( at least I got a ticket for both when I forgot to pay ).

John, Were you anchored up close to another boat ? We came along, fished for around 15-30 minutes and then moved off. Maverick was anchored close by as well. Channel 6 is the channel to be switched to. I was listening out but didnt hear you call.

Definitely worst Gordon. I will write a report when I get home ( not enough time at work ). Lets just say it was not an uneventful trip

Dan, Alternatively, up past the "surf shop", turn left and next road on RHS has plenty of free parking. Approx 10 min walk. And too many people here spelling it Muddiford - it is MUDEFORD

HW at Freshwater bay is at 10:07. Will let you know re: mackeral when we get out there I fished the bridge using stormies a couple of months ago and we had two fish each that day, so that will be my backup plan. Also, I think we will be fishing Freshwater bay as well ( will decide when we get there ) Launching from Wick at 6.00 AM and I think Manatee is launching at around 6:15-6:30 ish ( I need a head start ). I will be fishing on Neo with a work colleague.

The following will mean it will not be possible to take the road from the "peanut" roundabout to head towards Wick slipway. ======================================== Christchurch Borough Council is working closely with Southern Gas Networks (formerly Transco), to ensure that a new gas supply that they must install through Sopers Lane causes as little inconvenience as possible despite the necessary road closure. Work is due to start on 26 September lasting for three weeks. The work is essential to ensure a continuing safe gas supply but is complicated because of, amongst other things, tree roots - meaning that the excavation is down the centre of the road. Liaison and planning between Christchurch Borough Council and Southern Gas Networks has enabled the work to be scheduled outside of the busy summer period and before the Christmas rush begins in order to minimise any disruption. Additionally, to cause as little disruption as possible to town centre traders, the public and Twynham School, the work is being undertaken in two sections. One section will be Wickfield Avenue to Bank Close and the second Bank Close to Barrack Road.This will ensure that access to the car parks for shoppers is available at all times during the work period. Extensive temporary signposting is also being installed to guide motorists. Because this is a main route to Twynham School safe access for pedestrians and cyclists is being maintained throughout the period of the works. Said Bob Baker, Highways Design Manager: "We are very conscious of the need to keep the traffic flowing and the problems for town centre traders and the public when there is traffic disruption. Hopefully our plans will keep any disruption to a minimum. We have also taken the opportunity whilst the road is closed to carry out some routine maintenance which we have delayed from earlier in the year and which would normally have required a road closure or at the least temporary traffic lights." Contacts: Bob Baker, Highways Design Manager, Christchurch Borough Council - 01202 495083 Phill Bell, Southern Gas Networks - 07970 239482

Hi Chris, I am pleased you like the site. regards Paul

Les, If you haven't crew then I would be up for an IOW trip Sunday. If you have crew then I could take Neo and hopefully find crew.

Gordon, If the shield is not earthed ( still puzzling how you managed not to do this ), then this would def. not help and I would bet this is your problem. The shield is there to err umm ... shield the wire from electical interference

Gordon, Just looked at the forecast and I see what you mean. I might go for a Sunday trip ( I am going to see if I can persuade my son to go ) as the weather looks the best for then. If not then I could be up for a Saturday PM trip for Conger on the ledge ( dependant on how much of a swell is left from Friday ).

How does a swivel parting / line snapping / knot breaking have anthing to do with the reel in use ? I had a line snap twice in succession when dropping mackeral feathers ( duff braid ), Never had a knot break ( apart from when stuck on the bottom and deliberatley pulling the line free with a piece of wood. ) Swivel parting, surely is a function of the swivel as opposed to the reel in use. I would suggest the people around you had problems due to incorrectly set clutches as opposed to using inferior reels.

Gordon, Saturday PM evening is looking a possible for me ( post football though ). Friday afternoon / PM is definitely possible ( I will need to check weather though ). Fancy a Friday trip ?

TLD20 for

I use a TLD 20 and am well pleased with it. However, I suspect it will be a bit too heavy/big for the Fladen rod. I am tempted to partner mine ( when I get off my backside and down to Lymington ) with a Charter Special as I have been well pleased with the one I use on the Abu Conolon.

Duncan, I hope you are talking about the rope as opposed to the MOB on a serious note - I can now see a reason NOT to keep the end of my anchor rope tied to the cleat permanently as this makes it harder to ditch in an emergency.

I have arranged a work charter trip on Valkyrie II from Hayling Island on the 30th Sept. A couple of people have pulled out, so I am looking for one or two people to take their place. Cost is

Electrical tester kit is cheap - I bought a circuit tester in BandQ - ( If I can remember where I put it, you are welcome to borrow it ). However, all it will tell you is what you already know - ie. The cable has a bad connection/break in it. Are you sure the bad connection is not where the cable connects onto the key ? ( It is more likely to be a bad connection than a break in the cable ). If I were a gambling man, I would place a bet on the problem being a bad connection on the joint between the wire and the switch

Had a great day out on Phaeton. No record breaking rays for me though. However, caught the first ray of the day a small undulate of around 2 lb ( my first ever undulate ). We then moved to another mark and fishing was slow. Duncan had a nice Undulate. Paul J had a bass. Duncan had a tope and I then caught a Blonde Ray of around 5 lb which seemed much bigger as it had the trace around its tail. Still my first blonde ray as well. Mucho impressed with Phaeton - want one please Many thanks to Duncan for the trip out.