Mike Fox

Well it did seem a little nicer on Monday - so 10.30 bridge it was. Trolled for mackerel on the way East (2 only) and tried our 8th Mark of the weekend - Southbourne Rough. Drifted a favourite chunk of rock, but just one small bream to me. Popped the hook down, and dropped back so that we fished the downtide edge. One doggy to me (first of the weekend), two small pout, a few more mackerel and that was it. Had a few more mackerel trolling back - but the catch rate this weekend is best described as dire. All getting a bit fed up of chasing small stuff. Mike, Carol and George

Might get the 10.30 bridge lift at Poole and head East. Rumour has it triggers are around - and would like one! Mike

Hi Alan, Next time maybe? Good idea regarding ferry routes. Think they'll say somewhere between Portland and Hengistbury mind! Tried in the vicinity of Swanage again today (I should have learned). Mark 5: Anvil Point side of the Whitehouse Grounds off Swanage - one small bass of around a pound or so (returned with a flash of silver) to James, George's friend, one mackerel, and well over 2 knots of tide on the drift. Definitely not worth anchoring, following yesterday's experience. Mark 6: Off Ballard Down, where we have previously had a number of ray. Today it was like the M25 with motorboats and yachts everywhere, an uncomfortable chop and roll with rather stifling heat. One red mullet to me of exactly 1lb, only my second ever. Remembered how good they are to eat - having had one in Greece years ago! Filletted it later - such firm white fillets - no wonder the Romans used to prize them! Tide rattling through at 1.7 knots, making it tricky for a young chap who is used to 3 or 4 split shot. Mark 7: Drifting inshore in Swanage Bay closer in with less lead. Much less tide - but no fish. Got back into the marina, and a regular angler there had a couple of buckets full of cleaned mackerel. He had gone East just a couple of miles - not West. Ho hum. Would be grateful for a clue as to where the bigger fish are!!!! Any suggestions folks? Mike

50 bream and 22 triggers? No wonder I couldn't find the fish - you had them all Simon! What an excellent trip! The Condor was a right pain. I was around 4 miles off Anvil, and heard/felt the engines before I saw him. When he did come into view, it was clear he was going inshore of us at high speed - tall "rooster tail", and his starboard flank clearly visible - so I had only his wash to be concerned about. Then he changed course (think he realised he was going to make landfall in Swanage), and I could see that they were "bows on". A swift radio call to inform him I was at anchor, and to ask if they had seen me, then they turned again about half a mile away (half mile, 30 knots = 60 seconds until impact, I was thinking!!!)and told me he had seen me. We then saw his port flank as he then aimed for the Swash. I was on the point of starting the engine and dumping the anchor! They were fine at the time about it, then about 10 minutes later they came back on the radio, questioning my choice of anchorage. Don't they all know that yachts also go fishing???? Mike PS I was flying the anchor ball as well - but insisting on your rights doesn't help save your life in a potential collision situation, hence the radio call.

George's gurnard... Pictures on the boat didn't come out, but as this will be baked with olive oil, white wine, butter and fresh herbs, it made it home, allowing a second chance. Shame the colours had faded. It was a lovely deep red - with no blue on fins etc, so sure it wasn't a small tub. Even sniffed it - and no hint of "wet dog" as someone on here suggested their tub gurnard smelled like! Mike

Tried a number of marks. No 1: A small snaggy spot a few miles off Ballard Down we discovered a few weeks ago - drifting failed to produce at slack (except one small bream to Carol), and fish finder was quiet. Looked interesting though, and will set the anchor next time. No 2: A deep bank South of Anvil. Worried about anchoring in 100 foot plus, but gave it a punt. First drop, a bass of 3lb 12oz to me on half mackerel fillet, then George hauled in a cracking Red Gurnard of 1lb 8oz exactly. I so wanted it to beat Mark B's fish - but it was exactly the same weight, and steady on the digital scales. We had a few mackerel there, but as the tide increased, so did the lead. I eventually used 2lb to hold bottom, but it was seriously hard work, and a small 2lb pollack was almost undetected. After a little chat with Condor Vitesse who seemed keen on running us down (but missed) we decided to move on. No 3: A long drift in the still-strong tide off the cliffs near Anvil point, going over gullies and banks with mackerel fillet, liveys, whole squid etc. Got a couple of baits seriously chomped - but nothing took the hook. No 4: An interesting bank where we've had specimen thornback, as well as tope and conger. Had great hopes for this one, fishing the last of the ebb at anchor, then the first of the flood. Got three sets of gear in the anchor rope on turn of tide, and wasted a potentially great session. Again, serious snags for tackle and anchor, but our first blank at this mark. Overall - great weather, lovely to be fishing. No rays (our target species), and spookily, no doggies. George's mate James is coming tomorrow, so lets see if our luck changes then! Mike, Carol and George

As evidenced below.... Mike

Frisky and full crew (including ship's parrot) will be out and about this weekend. Will probably be in the Dancing Ledge / Anvil / Swanage area. We will be looking for mackerel (bait) to go with our 5lb box of squid, then targetting rays, tope, conger and anything big enough to bend George's new rod (still not properly christened, poor lad), and Carol's new reel (doggies don't count). We should be fairly distinctive on these offshore marks (mast, no sails, anchor ball, etc) so I guess there will be no hiding. Look forward to seeing some club boats out there - feel free to join us, and scrounge a cup of ground coffee, and tell us where the fish are! Can anyone point me at any pollack over 2lb out there? Can't seem to find any - and they are Carol's favourite. Mike

Hi Rob, If the weather's good we might be out and about, feel free to give us a call on the VHF. Mike

I also believe Option 3 is the best of the limited options available, and reluctantly agree to it. I am frustrated by the NFSA's inability to make effective achievements in the matters of fisheries policy, and feel that we may well be supporting a "toothless tiger". I would want them to make firm commitments to take strong actions in matters of huge importance to all sea anglers, including but not limited to : - minimum bass size increases - stronger limitations on pair trawling for bass - introduction of wide exclusion zones for all commercial fishing - legal prevention of dumping of by-catch and over-quota catches - significantly reduced catch limits for foodchain species such as sandeels - limiting the impact of foreign fishing vessels in British waters - pushing back firmly on the introduction of sea fishing licenses I wonder if the new body might have more effect here? Anything else we really believe they should be doing on OUR behalf? If we don't tell them in conjunction with our response, our private concerns might not be escalated. Mike

Forecast now looking much windier with NW5. Unless there's some improvement, I might not be making it after all. Mike

Striped bass or venison eh? Catch and release either way. Saw a deer swimming off Brownsea island years ago, but it turned back and walked into the woods on the island having given up it's attempt to swim across the harbour. Mike

Neal, Low water Poole Entrance o8.37 and 21:00, and 0.9m and 1.1m above LAT. A middle of the road tide, with neaps next Thursday. Am told the edge of the Whitehouse Grounds is best - in the deepest water towards Anvil, but must admit to not having ever caught a blonde. One would be nice! Mike

Am itching to get fishing again, and Sunday looks good enough - probably NW3 or so, but possibly with some hefty showers. The tides are pretty big though, and after freelining bread flake, 2lb of lead is not a welcome prospect. Maybe a spot of rough ground/banks fishing off Swanage to seek something heavy at slackish water, with a move inshore to duck the worst of the tide as needed. Anyone else planning to be out there this on Sunday? Anyone been lately and can suggest a suitable spot? It's been over a month for me since I fished this area, and am a little out of touch. Would be nice to know what's out there, and who's out there, and keep in radio contact to help boost catches! Mike

Weather does looks grim for Thursday Max. I think it is against your MDL agreement, and they will almost certainly object if you're caught fishing. Holes Bay (along with most shallow parts of the harbour) has loads of mullet, and if you pick up a mooring or anchor, you are almost certain to bring them in with bread groundbait, as above. Also try some of the remote bays at the back of the harbour, especially just after low when they are in the deeper channels. I've found that they will also take an inch of ragworm, spun 4" behind a metal flounder spoon - no weight - just extra swivels to avoid tangles. The top of the flood brings cleaner water in and they will see it more easily, and by trying different depths (pause and count before the retrieve) you can search the water in a clock-style manner at all depths. You'll also take schoolies and flounder this way. Mike PS I don't eat the fish in Holes Bay - too many toxins!

The mullet were the fishing highlight of the trip. - The Rips didn't produce for us on two visits (one cookoo wrasse and a cuttlefish - both to George); -Certain offshore banks of turbot and brill fame were unfishable when in the vicinity due to strong winds, fierce tides and distinctly whumpity conditions; - Our least favourite offshore jaggedy reef had huge swells and adverse tides preventing us getting the bass we had sought, and gobbling huge amounts of tackle; - And when off our favourite bunch of offshore rocks, George failed to smash the club garfish record that he had his eye on - despite over 20 livebaits being taken by them, some right beneath the boat in gin-clear waters. They're awesome predators, scrappy fighters, and a real shame they don't grow bigger. Saw Court Jester leaving at 7.15 a.m. on Sunday, Neal, and suspected the lure comp was somehow still on, despite the Strong Wind Warning. Whatever would the Safety Officer have said? We spent Sunday morning packing down, and hosing off, etc. George had a great time, Paul, and can't wait to get out again, maybe to try some of those rocks and pits that we investigated on our way back in on Saturday, or have a crack at some of the rays that seem to be around now! Roll on the weekend. Mike

Again I couldn't live up to George's yardstick, getting my best at 3lb 8oz exactly. I was broken up by a huge fish the same day, which I never saw. It had taken sinking bread, just beyond the limit of visibility, and was much heavier then the earlier 4-pounder, fighting much harder and deeper. I wondered if it might have been a bass? It eventually straightened the No 10 hook.

We moved to a third spot, also in club waters, and tried to repeat our luck. George's best fish here went 3lb 9oz.

I couldn't match this, but my best went 4lb 0oz exactly. Unfortunately, I dropped the fish between netting it, and this photo, and I was spined by the fish on my bare leg. I forgot mullet had spines.

We then went to another spot, this time in club waters, where George and I had a great day of sport. George had the best, a specimen thick lipped grey mullet at 4lb 14oz.

With the recent poor weather, and a fair amount of time in harbour, I've spent a lot of our recent holiday teaching George the art of groundbaiting and freelining for mullet, and getting resoundly beaten by him. The best bait we've found to be the cheapest white sliced bread you can find. Groundbaiting while fishing by always holding a slice, and tearing off fingernail-sized bits of crust or white flake, and keeping a slow but steady "little and often" pattern of groundbait at the back of the moored boat, with a mixture of floating and sinking (squeezed) baits drifting slowly away. The fish find the outer edge of the groundbait trail, then work up towards you. The secret is then to drop their preferred style of bread close enough to them to tempt them. We used light spinning rods, with 8lb of clear trace with a No 10 hook, no weights or swivels - just freelined. Most fish were "cherry-picked" as they were spotted with polarised sunglasses. To start with a cracking golden grey mullet of 2lb 6oz to me - from a spot outside of club waters - so this one I haven't declared officially. Mike

It would be nice to spend a few decades fishing without those annoying work breaks! Have a great time Alun, and save a few club trophies for the rest of us! Mike

From BBC news: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...ire/6906239.stm I feel so sorry for the families of the victims. Had the missing woman been wearing a life jacket: - she might have been recovered alive; - even if found dead due to the nature of the accident, at least she would have been found by the rescue services. Imagine the anguish of the families not knowing. - In the event of a person remaining missing at sea, the coroners will not release finances (mortgage, pension, endowments, etc) for 7 years, irrespective of will arrangements. The families will continue to suffer. Remember - life jackets are USELESS, if not worn. Am sorry if this is a little harsh, but it's reality. Mike Safety Officer

Great report Tom! Mike

Charlie, Am sure a blenny comp in a decent rock pool would have pulled in as many, if not more after the weather in the last month! Mike