Mike Fox

Charlie, There were hardly any British boats over there, just the larger, heavier displacement boats with more experienced crews, who were better capable of handling the conditions. The weather was believed the main reason, but the cost of diesel is apparently hurting many, and the exchange rate of 1 Euro to 80p (instead of 68p last year) were both additional factors. The French are still protesting about diesel prices, and marine fuel there is the same as road fuel, as will be the case here soon. There are many more boats up for sale over there as a direct result, and I suspect there might be bargains to be had. With the French equivalent of the RNLI charging for rescues, and mandatory safety kit for French boats, they generally are very self-sufficient, and come very well fitted out. Other prices also seemed much higher than last year, even taking into account exchange rates, and on Guernsey, we couldn't find a loaf of bread for under a pound! Still, there were gaps on pontoons, and spaces in favourite restaurants without booking. The downside is local businesses were suffering, and some might not survive until next year. Mike

..and my best mullet of 4lb

Cast off from Poole on Friday evening, now nearly three weeks ago, in readiness for our Channel crossing, and picked up a buoy in the Wych Channel while we prepared a detailed passage plan, and waited for first light. The tidal atlas showed a rare opportunity, a tide that could get us to the top of the Alderney Race by mid-afternoon at our customary 6 knots, then a hefty shove down to St. Peterport, in readiness for the next leg down to Norther Brittany. We cast off just before first light, and by early afternoon, Alderney was visible, and as the tide slackened, we got closer, then the promised ebb tide carried us within half a mile of Alderney, missing all of the Race, and down to Guernsey as planned just a few hours later to complete almost 90 miles in 13 hours. After picking up an outer pontoon, and filling in the Customs forms (outside the EEC remember) we popped ashore for a forecast and evening meal (in that order). Next day was calm and glassy, as we left St. Pete we wondered about the dangerous reefs half way across, and whether fishing for bass and pollack might be possible. One solitary dolphin off the SW corner of Guernsey saw us off on our way, but this time the tide carried us well East of the Plateau de Roches Douvres, a fearsome offshore reef, so dangerous, it hadn't even been safely charted. Swells were 7-8' from the SW, and it might have proven tricky to fish, even if we had time. We reached the mouth of the Trieux river after about 7 hours, just in time to carry the last of the flood 5 miles inland between the pink granite boulders to the waiting pontoon. We had a few great days in Lezardrieux, stern on to the flood, with a superb view down river, where we fished for mullet to 4lb and black bream to almost 2lb, all on white bread flake! George had several to 2lb 13oz over the few days, with my best reaching 4lb. Both of us lost bigger fish, that took us deep under the pontoon. We saw one huge beast with a bulldog head that kept nudging the bait, but refused to take the hook. It seemed to be the only one that saw the 17lb fluorocarbon trace! We had it, we had both been broken up on mono, so we tried it! The next leg of our journey saw us dropping down the Trieux again, and heading to our Westward limit. Front after front was already piling up on the Atlantic Chart, and it seemed certain that the weather was due to break again, and I was keen to remain within 2 days travel of home. We cleared the inshore rocks, and following leading lines and the plotter carefully, we threaded between rocks and shallows towards the mighty lighthouse separating Lezardrieux from Treguier, the neighbouring town and river. In previous years, we had passed safely outside, hopping from cardinal mark to cardinal mark, but this year, we had the plotter. This showed us the inshore route, between the light and the craggy shore, and we followed it's guidance to the inch, going over jagged inshore rocks, full of intriguing echos that lurked downtide of the worst snags, as shown on the 200MHz sonar. After what seemed like hours we again found safe water, and continued on the 30 miles or so down to Trebeurden, inside the daunting Les Sept Isles. After a catch of 10 spirited and plump mackerel that took our paravane-based spinners we tucked into the marina, and I took advantage of the calmness to fillet the mackerel and throw the frames over the side. I had one left to do, when I heard a swirl, and looked over to see 5 or 6 of the blackest mullet I had ever seen worrying the mackerel frames like a pack of dogs with a bone! We quickly rigged a rod, and George freelined a piece of mackerel flesh on a No 10 hook to fluorocarbon, and took a fish first drop! It was a thick-lipped and gave a spirited fight before being netted and weighed at almost 2lb 7oz. We popped it back gently, but it was a little dazed, until his mates came over and escorted him off! It was the last we saw of them! It wasn't until we went ashore later that we saw the "No Fishing" sign...! The weather did break, with F6-7 and a day of persistent rain, and the weather window that followed was forecast to be less than a day wide. We left with a forecast 5-6, which contradicted the Atlantic chart, keeping most boats in harbour, but we had a look, found a SW 3-4, and dashed back to the Trieux, retracing our steps in brilliant sunshine, and seeing 3 ocean sunfish en route! The first two were basking lazily on the surface huge circular fish over 2' long with a milky white sheen and a lazy slow tail motion, with the upper black lobe slapping the water in their characteristic fashion. Carol saw the first, and George the second. It wasn't until we were almost in the river when I heard a splash, looked forwards and saw a milky white shape speeding underwater towards the boat, which then jumped a good 2-3' clear and splashed within a few feet of the hull - a third sunfish, which we must have almost run over! The next decent fishing session we had was after a few days of day trips, and was on the Schole Bank between Guernsey and Alderney using mackerel we had caught and fridged the day before. Using the technique described earlier on the forum, we used 5/0 hooks to 6' of fluorocarbon, hooking half mackerel fillets once through the wrist of the tail. We fished the uptide end of the bank first, being carried at 2.5 knots over it diagonally, and drifted again and again in rolling ugly westerly swells of 5-6'. It wasn't comfortable, but first a good mackerel of about a pound to George, then as we approached the down-tide end, I had a take, which made me free-spool for 15 seconds before lifting gently into a small brill of about 2lb. George then caught a lively bass, but repeating this drift didn't get any more action, and we were running out of tide on our trip to Alderney. The skies were blackening, the strong wind warning threatenedd to cause us problems in the upper Alderney Race, so we made best speed up to Braye. The rain beat us, as did the squalls, and when we tucked inside, every buoy was taken. We grabbed a private buoy and hoped for a departure, but no-one was leaving. Eventually we tied up alongside a boat of similar size, with a separate rope to the buoy, and popped ashore for a stroll. That evening George and I broke out the inflatable again, and donning life jackets and spinning gear we trolled dead sandeel along the inside of the breakwater, catching 3 pollack to almost 2lb, a beautiful mackerel of a pound or so, then George had a take that bent his rod to the butt - but didn't stay attached. We drifted the same mark again and again, but after we moved, I had another take that I was convinced was a bass. A lovely pollack of around 4lb broke surface, and with a shake of his head, snapped the trace and was gone. George's fish would have been a lot bigger! The next day we planned to see the other half of the island on foot, but the forecast from Jersey Radio was grim. Leave in a NW 5-6 with a strong wind warning, or wait for the gales to come. We had little choice, so we cleared out just before the tide started to flood in our favour. We did have the option of Cherbourg and ferries home (for work) if needed, but it was worth a look. The SW swell was huge - a good 8' that blotted out the horizon as soon as we cleared the harbour and the lee of the island, and much shorter than before. The NW wind had put an ugly wind against tide chop of 5-6' on top of that, and insisted in blowing the tops off at us. We shouldered the seas aside, and started the long slow climb home, making 6-7 knots through the water. Soon the tide changed, the seas flattened off as wind started going more "with" tide, and the ride became smoother. The trip took just over 9 hours to the Bar Buoy, the last 5-6 miles in the lee of land with the seas flattening beautifully. Saw Charlie and crew briefly on Alfresco, and had a short chat on the VHF, then after waiting on a buoy for the 9.30 bridge, we saw Warren with Rich and crew returning under the bridge. Last Saturday we cleaned down as the wind howled, and the rain lashed. It did the same Sunday, and I knew we'd been lucky it hadn't come through earlier. It was a good holiday, not our longest, or most adventurous, but we managed a 14-day holiday afloat, with a little fishing for good measure. Mike, Carol and George

Frisky Fox will be having a go, with Carol, George and I playing. Do we have the numbers needed now? I make it 9.... mike

I have the handheld Cobra VHF, and it works fine, but haven't worked out how to remove the annoying beep every time I change channel. It was a budget radio, bought the same time as my fixed DSC radio and when I was checking out plotters last year. As such. I guess I shouldn't expect perfection. Features are pretty standard with 1/5W, channel up/down. Dual Watch, and Scan capabilities. I have spoken with club members off Christchurch when I've been off Ballard Down, suggesting 5 miles range (as per 5W) is definitely achieveable. I often have it on in the cockpit for easy access, when the main fixed radio is less accessible. at my chart table, down below. Would I get another? I'd certainly consider it, but would like try a few others first in the same price range, and maybe try to stretch the budget next time if possible. Mike

Sounds like these finger-sized mackerel are this year's stock, and the 6-8oz or so joey's we've been seeing are last year's! Always thought the 6-8oz stock was the current year's, so that's quite a surprise. We had two hits on trolled 1" mini-shads that shook the hook after tripping the paravane. Wonder if they were the micro-mackerel mentioned here? Mike

Oops Paul! Means I claim the lead with a 1lb 11oz doggie!!! Caught off a bank South of Bournemouth Pier, together with a feisty little tope of about 2lb (not weighed, but quickly returned) on a whole frozen mackerel fillet, some tiny bream, , an even tinier pout to George (he claims 2"...but I thought that a bit generous...definitely too small to weigh!!). Yet again we struggled! Mike

Late decision... George and I will take part on Frisky! Mike

Is the comp still on? Am working this weekend, but might get a fleeting chance of a possibility... Thanks, Mike

Found this on one of my regular sites, and wondered if it might be of interest to the modern seafarers in the club. http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/06/20/r...e-egyptian.html If nothing else, it shows how little some things change, and on the other hand, how the levels of onshore storage security have changed! Mike

Found this, wondered if it might be of interest: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7463421.stm Mike

At the risk of being controversial, I didn't take part because I didn't believe I had any chance. With almost no reports of quality inshore fish, and almost the entire focus of the club these days being on the offshore Alderney/Wrecks/Rips brigaid, what chance does a slow inshore boat have? We went out Sunday, and had a disastrous trip - 3 dogfish, 3 mackerel, and about 5 bream under half a pound - between 3 of us! I'm finding it hard work this year, and the lack of catch reports for inshore marks suggests I am not alone! Mike

Gutted mate! Mike PS They should be!

Hi Simon, One is my old Plastimo 2.4m, which have used from new over 10 years ago. One of the "carry points" has peeled away, and it just looks generally "tired". complete with pump, oars and nylon bag (zip probably corroded). Wooden transom allows a small outboard to be used and when last used stayed inflated for 3 weeks. Bought a similar model again this year, as it can carry 3 adults comfortably. The other is a 2.35m inflatable, I inherited with the current boat. It looks a simlar age and material. I've put oars with it, it also has a pump, wooden transom, and a faded canvas bag. I recall that one of the valve covers is missing, but it's also air-tight over a 24 hour period. The tubes are a slighlty smaller diameter, and Carol hates getting wet in dinghies, so it has never been used by us, as the old Plastimo was so buoyant and was retained when we sold the previous boat. Neither are brilliant, and have been kept in case I ever need a swinging mooring, but this is looking less likely as the amount of kit taken aboard each trip increases! Mike

You looking for a rigid tender or inflatable? I have a couple of old inflatables in the garage I was going to pop into a boat jumble for

Give it 50 years and: - They'll be using sailing trawlers, longliners and rod and line boats for all fishing; - They'll ban the use of engines outside 100m of a safe harbour; - Fish stocks will recover enough to make this viable; - Food prices will remain high enough for a modest catch of fish to allow a living; - Angling clubs will have 100s of members. Oh, and any boat with patio doors will be re-rigged with a keel, mast and sails. Mike PS Nice to be ahead of the curve for once!

Thanks for the tips chaps....food for thought there. Was down in Fowey a few years ago, and a very fresh tuna (still had a pinkish "sheen") of about 20lb was on display in a fishmonger's window. I asked, and was told that it had been caught that morning by a small local netting boat that normally operated within 50 miles. Am sure they're there! Mike

What's the best commonly available lure to troll for these beasties at 6 knots on my next venture across channel? Would love to hook something interesting! Mike

Glad all ended well Martin, agree textbook approach, and a Pan Pan to alert the coastguard was very prudent. Was the anchor shackle "moused" with monel wire? Have heard of a few falling off without! I'd recommend that for ALL members. Grim losing all electrics - and good to hear those emergency power packs do work. Hope the upgrades make the difference! Mike

Has anyone seen one of these before? http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=9186 Two were caught on Poole Outer Patch in our species comp (by the opposition), and I'd never even heard of them. Frankly, I thought it was a pink-finned Ballen Wrasse, but Rich put me right - they catch a few in species comps down at Weymouth. Mike

Wow! What a fascinating experience! Thrashed on our home patch by pretty well every other team! We caught fish, but just lots of old faithfuls (but not all!) and almost none of the mini-species. Where did we go wrong? Chaps I was fishing next to had done this before - lots. Things they did we didn't included: - using 3 No 14 hooks on a flowing rig (a.k.a. 3 down?), from a single paternoster boom for mini-species - almost tangle proof! - bait preparation - loads of different small baits, pre-prepared in trays/compartments - use of tiny white rag and maddies as bait (half inch long max) - they targetted each major species individually - they targetted minispecies by careful use of baits and presentation - they typically had 3 identical tiny baits at a time - they worked as a team better, with each trying for different species on different parts of the boat - once they caught a target species, they changed tactics to reduce the chance of catching that one again - long telescopic rods with quiver tips to keep away from hull etc - fixed spools to flick lightweight rigs away from the noise zone - experience and knowledge of mini-species that gave them several more species than us (black goby, baillon's wrasse, goldsinny wrasse, etc) Am sure the others could add more! What can we as a club do differently in future, if the club is interested in doing well at this type of event? My first suggestion would be to open up our species comps to ALL species - minis as well. How about a bonus 5 points for EVERY unlisted species on our current list (to max of 4 as per current rules). It might help us get to know the small stuff, and learn how to win these big prestigious events, and get the club name out there! My second suggestion would be to have team species comps, with up to 4 anglers on the same boat. We don't do this. Others do. It seems to work! My third suggestion is that generally, we don't fish species comps and specimen comps together. Why not? The event yesterday also had a specimen element (won by a huge tub gurnard on our boat of 3lb 4.5oz), and the two don't clash. If we ran these in parallel, then it might add a separate fun element for those who can't catch a big one! Otherwise, a great day out with some great blokes, and a good laugh - even though it was incredibly frustrating at times. Thanks for Neal for organising, John for the lift and sorting the bait, Alun for giving us all hope, and Rich for all of the tips and hints! Mike

Have caught plenty of cuttle in the past, and the best technique with them is simple - bounce them in the landing net in the water until they discharge ALL of their ink. I put most of mine back, but having witnessed a boat full of ink years ago, I do this every time. Mike

After catching a cuttlefish last week on Court Jester (donated to Neal for bait), I quite fancy having a go at the squid! Would any live or deadbait work? Do you need a squid jig to assure a hookup? Will just retrieving slowly allow it to be netted on the surface? Do they taste good? Mike PS What constitutes a "good" one?

Am really looking forwards to this, but to help the PBSBAC teams, can anyone advise what's the best "generic" rig to use for this? I was thinking tiny 3-hook paternoster, but I experimented with a 2 up / one-down rig at the weekend which seemed to offer the prospect of a large bait as well on the bottom hook. What do you think is best? Mike

Excellent example of superb seamanship - well done Charlie and all. Mike