Mike Fox

Hi Gordon, I can help you out with a Safety Check. The service is totally free, takes place on your boat, and relates safety to the sort of boating you do, and typically takes just over an hour. I'll go through the boat with you from stem to stern, look at the safety gear you do have, make recommendations based on proven best practice, and add in whatever suggestions seem appropriate at the time. I'll give you an insight into how you can help prevent things going wrong, how you can get yourself home if it does, contact help if you can't, and outline some coping strategies to help keep you going until help arrives. You have a Private Message. If anyone else is interested in having a Safety Check, please feel free to contact me, complete one of the Sea Check "forms" provided by Brian, the Membership Secretary, or contact the RNLI directly. Mike

Hi Mal, Have never had blonde rays from the Ledge, though odd ones are known there. Are you sure they weren't small-eyed ray? We had two last weekend nearby, and are the same sandy colouring...but with white lines rather than spots. Someone once posted a ray guide on the forum, which I found helpful. Mike

Think the old bridge should be decommissioned and left raised as soon as possible....naturally to save the costs of routine maintenance. Mike

Personally I thought he was milking the puns a bit.... Mike

Frisky didn't do too well on the bass, and only one made an appearance for me. It was weighed on digital scales and gave a steady reading of 1lb and one quarter of an ounce. I had hoped that quarter of an ounce might have clenched it for me, but that was without reckoning on Rob pulling a stonking fish out. Well done all who fished and did better! Mike

1) Court Jester - Neal, Ian Jones + TBC 2) Alfresco - Charlie, Sam, Graham, Craig 3) Gastronaught - Alun and Rob 4) Kingfisher . Chris + crew Jon 5) Sweet Chariot - Nick, Oli, Tim 6) Kind of Magic-Allan Green, Frank Morris and Yann T (Non Member). 7) Sea Sparkle - Derek Taylor and Brian Runyard (If the canoe race finishes early enough to leave us some fishing time) we're a Marshall Boat) 8) Sea Dream - Stuie and crew TBC 9)Imagine - Paul F and Terry Bartell 10)Wishin Too-Nigel,Martin +TBA...keeping an eye on the ledge experts 11) Marine boy pj + crew 12) Yelo Kev Dave E 13) Frisky Fox - Mike and Carol

Sounds good Nigel...but as a livebait for WHAT ??? Mike

2.7 litres per hour = about 2 miles and a bit per litre at 6 knots. I said

Just looked up my last bill from Cobb's. As a berth-holder, paying 60/40 (have heating on Frisky), I get away with about

Brilliant shot! Saw a yacht ram a pontoon at speed once, and it's mast did similar (but alas, no camera to prove it). I think it's a genuine one-off piccie ! Mike

It's time for the Poole Bay Exotics ! Red Mullet Trigger Fish Gilthead Bream All within a mile. Fancy any of those? Mike

George had our only specimen fish of this summer's extended trip, with this fine mullet of 4lb 5oz (and a bit). Groundbaiting bread "little and often" with a mixture of floating and sinking pellets eventually brought them on the feed, and small hook to fluorocarbon proved the successful technique. This was the best of 9 mullet netted in this period, with several lost. Mike

George suggested "The Conservatory". I wondered about "Garden Ornament" Carol took this a little further and suggested "The Gnome" Good luck whatever you do Jim! Mike

1) Court Jester - Neal, Jim, Dave 2) Alfresco 3 Kingfisher 4) Frisky Fox

Hi Johnny, The 3 closest harbours are Yarmouth, Newtown Creek and Cowes. Assuming you sleep aboard, all three will be good. Yarmouth has some walkashore pontoons, some pontoons needing a dinghy or water taxi, and swinging moorings. Loads of pubs and eateries, and nice walks. Harbour Master will direct you to available berths. Newtown has large white numbered visitors berths (fee payable) or you can anchor free. Dinghy essential to get ashore, and the 3 walkable pubs are all a bit of a challenge. The New Inn at Shalfleet is closest, and worth a visit. The fishing there is ok too...with typical estuary fish. Cowes has several marinas, all quite expensive, all walkashore, but you then have access to the whole of Cowes. Cheapest is up river at the Folly Inn...on the pontoon in the middle of the river. Row ashore to the pub, or water taxi. You can have a great break at any of them! Mike

Brilliant stuff Steve - you're an inspiration! Mike

Went down to West Bay in the car yesterday, seeing as there were 6's on the Forecast, and showed some friends around there. The sea was angry - white as far as the eye could see, with waves pounding onto the breakwater, soaking some of the strollers there. The fleet was grounded, no boats were seen at all, and the temporary summer pontoons there appear to have fractured in the swell in the "outer harbour", with warning signs posted. Today, with further 5's and 6's on the forecast, strolled down to Poole Quay, fisherman's dock, and down towards Baiter, and Poole Harbour looked seriously choppy. It was one of those weekends I was glad to be in harbour, wishing I was at sea, rather than being at sea wishing I was in harbour. Hope next weekend it will be safe for all to get out! Mike

So close to the club record Steve! Keep it up, and am sure the record will fall - and first record fish to a kayak? Will be well deserved. Mike

Hi Steve, I have the 6-12lb Kenzaki, as does George. They're light, with sensitive tips, give a decent bend on a smallish fish, and have some power in reserve for something bigger. George's best fish on his was an 11lb bass, and I heaved up a 17lb blonde on mine, so they can take some stick. They're about twice as heavy an action as our light spinning gear which we have used for most stuff. We both have 2oz Ugly Stik spins, which are great for most inshore fishing, and again have a bit of backbone when needed. They've coped with smoothound to 13lb (which should sound familiar) as well as bass and rays to 14lb, tope to nearly 25lb, and one lone conger of 40lb (on Alfresco, not Frisky). As a quick thought - the Ugly Stiks are ok up to 3oz of lead, and the Kenzaki's to about 6oz for our style of fishing. Worth a look, to see what you think? Mike PS I quite fancy the 12-20lb Kenzaki too - having 20-30lb class rods which rarely get used these days

Really well done Steve. That is a cracking session in anyone's book. Don't forget smuts like hardbacks too, as well as rag. Mike

Great report Kam - well done ! Mike

Dave, As many of us return fish, and don't weigh them on registered scales, and "trust" is our approach, is there anything specific needed for the Angling Trust that is practical with these constraints? A photo of the fish? Witness to digital scales readout? Anything else? Thanks, Mike

Flare disposal is tricky, and the tip is not the right place as they contain time-expired explosives. Even the Police and Coastguard don't want to touch them due to the need to handle and store them carefully. The RNLI in Poole will take them by arrangement, and is probably your best bet Paul. Lofty, I'd be nervous about letting off stuff so far out of date. Even the trained RNLI instructors have stopped using out of date flares etc due to a near-fatal accident in a demonstration a few years ago. Mike

Well done Neal and Stuie. Sounds like you snatched the briefest of weather windows, and 4 new species for the year. Definitely a red letter day ! Mike

Sounds a great idea....drifting with livebaits over banks...have only really tried it over reefs without much success. Seems like you've got a great approach there, and I look forward to trying it! Also, have never had a tope on a livebait, and that might be a target now for 2012 Mike