Mike Fox

For those of you who think anchovies come in tins... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7170816.stm I remember just three years ago, the Poole boats having anchovies mixed in with the sprats they were catching at this time of year. I bought a carrier bag of sprats from a boat on Poole quay (

Mobile phone piccie of George's best conger...

You have a PM Charlie! Thanks, Mike

George and I bumped into Charlie, Sam and Daniel at the Flounder and Cod Open, and were asked if we might like a trip out on Alfresco! It was an easy decision for us, and arrangements were finalised later. We met Charlie and Daniel at Parkstone at 8 a.m., and trundled slowly out to the chain ferry on a very calm flat sea. Charlie opened it up for us briefly, showing us what she could do reaching 31 knots before throttling back to a "sedate" 20 knots - what a machine! Then we went to a wreck out towards the Needles, and anchored for conger, with a couple of moves to allow for the changing tide. What a cracking morning! Ten good eels came in and all returned, with the biggest about 22lb, 3 each to the resident experts, including the best fish, as we expected! George beat his previous best conger twice, getting an 18lb eel as his new PB, and I had a lovely pout of nearly 2lb, having dropped a couple of eels through leaning into them too soon. Charlie was good enough to wait for me to get one of 10lb (but it was an eel!), before we moved to another mark in the afternoon back toward Old Harry, where we had hopes of big whiting, conger and even a cod - following catches during the previous day's comp. After a while, the whiting found our baits, and came in best on mackerel, rather than squid. We all had fish, with a good average size of 1.5 to 2lb, and the odd small pout. A couple of doggies joined us, then Daniel lost a good fish which seemd to nod more than the earlier eels. Shame, as it was putting up a real scrap. I was having great fun on my trusty Ugly Stik spinning rod with mackerel strip on a 3/0 with the whiting, when suddenly something a bit more substantial took a fancy to my bait. After long powerful runs, and lots of head shaking, I was convinced I was into a good cod, the rod was doubled over, and whenever the fish moved, I had no choice but to let it take as much line as it needed. It moved uptide for a while, thumping steadily as it went, and I was wondering about blonde ray, and after about 10 minutes, I started to get some line on the reel. I was doing ok until it decided to move off steadily towards France, with me having little chance of stopping it on the light gear. I did the drag up as far as I dared on the Ambassadeur 7000, and managed to slow it, eventually getting some line back, and spent another 5-10 minutes getting it up to the surface, where I realised it ws the best eel of the day! Charlie couldn't get it into his oversize net, despite a few attempts, and the eel decided it had had enough of being tickled and daylight, and went down again. I felt really grateful for the chance of bringing it back up again, but this time it was boated! It went 40lb exactly, and gave me my best conger since 1982. After a few more whiting, we upped anchor, and headed back in, using the electronics to check out a few marks on the way back in. A brilliant trip, which we both thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks again Charlie and Daniel for inviting us out. Mike and George

Some great fish Paul and Dan. Leaking Paul ? Sounds like slowly sinking to me...! Mike

Congratulations Alun ! Truly an awesome fish, to a great angler. Mike

Brilliant fish Paul....best way of spending Boxing Day! Mike

That's stunning! Great fish! Who wants leftover turkey on Boxing Day after that! Mike

And the latest weather report is as follows: Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis Inshore waters forecast 24 hour forecast: 1800 Fri 21 Dec 1800 Sat 22 Dec Wind Southeast veering southwest 3 or 4. Sea state Slight. Weather Mainly fair with coastal mist patches. Visibility Moderate or good, occasionally poor. Outlook: 1800 Sat 22 Dec 1800 Sun 23 Dec Wind Mainly southwesterly 3 or 4. Sea state Slight. Weather Fair but with coastal fog patches. Visibility Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Sounds good enough folks! Take care and stay safe those who intend to fish! Mike Safety Officer

Is anyone fishing the Poole Dolphins SAC Open Boat Cod & Flounder Competition? This is on Sunday Dec 30th 2007. I fished it last year, as did a few others, and rocked and rolled off the Needles car park in SW5-6 with a big swell on Neo with Paul Dore. Am still surprised at the nature of specimen comps...my 9lb cod wasn't even eligible to weigh in last Sunday, yet might have been a winner for this one. Not sure my constitution is up for another battering! Mike

Hi Neal, I might also be interested, especially if dates are good. Mike

It can't be club waters....he's wearing shorts! Mike

Well done Rob, and everyone else that managed to get to the prize table! George and I fished on Court Jester, with Neal and his regular crew John. We had planned to try for conger and blonde ray round the back of Anvil, but the seas were a bit big, and it might have been a bit nasty with the races round there. Instead we fished the Spoil Ground (till the dredger circled us twice, dropping something brown and nasty into the water, then a few marks on the edge of the Slate Beds. True Blue was a mile or two further out at times. We had pout to 1lb 10oz (only eligible fish!), whiting to 1lb 9oz, one lone scrawney doggie of 1lb to George, and a solitary (undersized) cod of 9lb 6oz to me (well netted Neal!) my first real one for over 26 years. We rolled and bounced all day, and in anything smaller, or if the wind had increased any more we would have aborted the trip. The trip back was interesting with seas on the starboard stern quarter, but the Arvor 25 is a big boat, Neal knows it well, and throttled back to get us home in one piece. Thanks again Neal and John for letting us play! Mike

Folks - a front has moved in faster than was originally forecast, squeezing up the isobars, and upping the wind over original expectations. It's not enough to cancel, but all small boat skippers should review carefully and consider implications. Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis Strong wind warning 0348 Sat 15 Dec 1800 Sat 15 Dec Easterly winds will reach force 6 at times during Saturday morning and afternoon in more exposed water. Inshore waters forecast 24 hour forecast: 0600 Sat 15 Dec 0600 Sun 16 Dec Wind East 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at times. Sea state Moderate, occasionally slight at first. Weather Mainly fair. Visibility Moderate or good. Outlook: 0600 Sun 16 Dec 0600 Mon 17 Dec Wind East 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times. Sea state Moderate. Weather Fair. Visibility Good. Am glad I have my worms ordered..... Mike Safety Officer

Sounds a great trip Paul. Would be grateful if you could drop me a PM letting me know where you found the whiting, as I've not found any marks for them around Poole, and I have some time off over Christmas. After the comp, if you plan to fish it yourself? Thanks, Mike

WEATHER REPORT Chaps - I know we've had some rough weekends lately, but this weekend is currently forecast to be similar to the end of this week. The current high pressure system has looked stable for a few days now, and there won't be very much movement in the isobars or fronts. Check out actual conditions tomorrow, and Sunday is likely to be similar. Latest forecasts are for cold, possibly misty or overcast, and SE3-4 or even E. Unless this changes appreciably, the comp in ON. If there is a late change, I will announce this on the forum, but I do not anticipate it. Mike Safety Officer

Nice one Neal! Mike

All the very best Neal! Hope it's a biggun....and you get the bug back for Sunday! Mike and George

I guess we all knew this... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7127761.stm Would this info be any use as a possible reference source for any stroppy letters perhaps? Mike

Then there is the ancient Arabic cure, hidden for centuries by wise men and mystics, hidden from the West through the onset of the Roman Empire, the following Dark Ages and even during the Crusades...... Go and sit under a palm tree ! Mike

Hi Steve, Welcome to what is probably the best small boat angling club in the country! They're a good bunch of chaps (and chappesses) and there's more information in these web pages than a couple of decades of magazines! Pop along to one of our meetings, and meet a few people. You might even get a chance to crew with someone, pick up a few tips on boat or gear buying, and I would be more than happy to help suggest a few things to improve your future boat safety - which would help you relax and enjoy your fishing more! Mike Safety Officer

Thanks Paul - can you pop a sticker on the Home Page poster? Mike

Fridge????????? You might also be interested in this link: http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/?action...ow&id=637&lg=en Mike

Thanks Paul, George and I have now got enough shelled slipper limpets to fill three "takeaway" containers, and have lobbed them in the freezer. Not sure of the best approach for long life bait - but freezing and stuffing squid with them sounds a good technique! For interest, a very full carrier bag can be collected dead quickly, but takes over an hour to shell and separate out the meat, even working a production line approach with two of you! There are literally millions down at Sandbanks, and the smell of them will be natural groundbait for a couple of weeks to come - especially on the bigger tides next weekend. Saw Mike Y. down there, and he reported most of the beach being netted. OK - so now I have all of this lovely bait...which fish find them irresistable again? Mike

We're right on the extreme edge of decent forecasting this far out, and I've also been checking forecasts for the Open too. Lets just say that the experts are forecasting something different for the 2nd Dec with every day that passes, and the weather systems are currently looking rather vigorous. Our best chance of calm conditions needs the Azores high to move NE and build a bit quicker. The current situation suggests a highly intense low tracking across the UK on the Saturday, then funnelling strong cold winds from the North on the Sunday. Too early to tell yet, let's watch this space. Mike