Mike Fox

Hi Mike, I know Kimmeridge, but have never fished it, so am not sure what you mean by the "ledges" - how far offshore are these? Thanks, Mike

I remember seeing a small ling caught on the "Slate Beds" about 5-6 miles south of Swanage in the late 80's on a charter trip. Are there any places closer inshore where these might still be found? Mike

To add to the hardy conger theory, I once gutted a conger of around 40lb for a client on board a commercial boat back in 1981. Everyone on board was shocked when we found 11 hooks in it. Most were in the stomach in various states of corrosion, but the eel was clearly still feeding successfully. Imagine, eleven tales of "the one that got away", and eleven successful escapes, probably all in a couple of months max. One tough eel. Also, once found a smallish live conger of 15-20lb on the Gower coast in a dry rock crevice at the mid-tide mark when looking for edibles and lobster. OK the tidal range is huge there (Bristol Channel etc), but it had probably been high and dry for 4 hours. No way could I get it out, and it seemed to back further into the crevice as I nudged it. I was actually quite happy to leave it there! I still reckon dumping. Mike

Wow Fred! Saw Cyclone just before she launched, and she looked really impressive! Tidy looking ship! Mike

It's grim if "catch and release" isn't working with conger. Has this been witnessed before? Is it possible that an angling boat "dumped" dead eels before returning back to harbour? While still unpleasant, it would be reassuring for the future of catch and release if anyone could confirm this. Mike

if you can find a glue that sticks non-slip on.... Mike PS How DOES teflon stay attached to frying pans?

The mullet have made it to Cobb's Quay in Holes Bay. Got back from the comp (out of time unfortunately) and saw hundreds. Mike

Paul (and others) Yes - seems I was spotted too. My attempts at disguising Frisky Fox in "stealth" mode was not entirely successful it seems...but surely everyone knows that sailing boats can't be used for angling...don't they? Could this have been the angling boat you saw earlier? http://pbsbac.co.uk/photoalbum/displayimag...=574&fullsize=1 Frisky Fox is a traditional displacement craft of about 6 tons, with around 6 knots capability in a length of 33 feet, and just happens to have plenty of unconventional handholds on deck. Oh, and it can be surpringly economical on diesel. Mike PS Wasn't it Columbus who achieved thousands of miles to the galleon in a traditional, displacement vessel?

"Frisky Fox" stayed fairly close to Poole following a poor practice session on Saturday, with new members Carol and George (wife and son of 11). Managed to scratch out 49 fish of 7 species (though suspect the poor cod and black goby maybe disqualified in the comp as mini-species), with 16 or 17 fish apiece. We drew blanks in the Swash for bass and plaice; had wrasse on the Poole Patches with small pollack and a bonus garfish (saw one yesterday and thought it worth targetting them for a while!); drew blanks on our previously successful gurnard/whiting marks from last week at two spots near the piers, and had 3 bream, a few nice pout and too many poor cod (plus more pollack/wrasse) later - for mark see Members-Only section. No dogs, smoothies or rays there despite whole squid fished hard on at slack tide. George wondered about claiming a new club record for Black Goby, but at under an ounce (it wouldn't have registered on my scales) this might prove difficult to substantiate! Still, it swam off happily. Mike

Cunning plan indeed Gordon. Shame you were spotted! Mike

Thanks Bob, But have a reputation to maintain of catching small, spiny and inedible fish, none of which would ever grow to more than a pound - which I think is the definition of a "mini-species". Can honestly say I've never caught a blue shark under a pound in weight, so suspect I might be ok there.....mind...not caught too many over that size either come to think of it! Mike

Like the scoring system - gives the inshore chaps a chance! How do I register other species (anything from mighty Blue Shark to the sporting 15-spined stickleback) that might happen my way? Thanks, Mike

Had a few fish on board on the drift over Easter (mainly to my wife and son!), but I had nothing worth an official report... Poole Patches: 4 skinny pollack of 8-10". They looked half starved. Wonder if the silt had anything to do with it. No bream or bream bites. Might be nets on the marks, as lots of snags above the bottom. Southborne Rough: best marks netted (for cod apparently), or with commercial boats in attendance. Small wrasse, pout and one pollack to just over 2lb (full of sprats!). Again, no bream. Hard work in SW4-5. Boscombe foul ground, just offshore: quite a few small boats there. We had 2 grey gurnard, one small whiting, and a wrasse. No other fish seen caught. Wych Channel: no plaice or bass over sandy marks on lower end - just crabs. Mind, it was blowing a cold Easterly 5 gusting 6. Swash channel: Nothing. Other small boats also drawing a blank. Bitterly cold in NW4-5. Brownsea Castle: one good wrasse of about 3lb, another lost. Thought (hoped) it was a bass. Well, gave it a try, but I guess the water is a bit cold still. Mike

Damn! Will have to saw a bit off the blunt end and sharp end and see if my "too small" 5 kg Bruce will then work better. Mike

Love the patio doors at the back....think they'll ever catch on? Mike

Good points Mike, I've just bought myself a 6kg Bruce clone from Cobb's Quay chandlers (think it was

Hi Allan, Sounds like you have some pretty heavy gear that should hold in normal conditions. Just to clarify...what pattern of anchor is it (CQR/Delta/Bruce/Danforth are good general purpose, but grapnel/fishermans best for rock)? What bottom material are your trying to anchor in..sand/shingle etc? What length do you let out, and have you marked the rope so that the actual length used can be clearly seen ? With a short chain and floating rope you might need 5x depth or more. All chain might let you work with 3x depth, as the weight of the chain makes the pull closer to horizontal, and it will dig in more effectively. Does your definition of "suitable" mean sufficient to counteract chafe on the rope, or sufficient to achieve a horizontal pull in most realistic depths? It might be something as simple as marking the rope and letting more rope out! Mike

Tom, Male plaice reach sexual maturity between 2 and 6 years, and females between 3 and 7 years. The length/size of the fish depends upon the growth rate, which in turn varies by diet, location, temperature etc. Male plaice of 2-3 years are typically around 25cm long, and females of 3-4 years are typically around 25-30 cm. Correlation between age/length and weight is not widely documented, but a plaice of around a pound in weight is just about mature on this basis, and may have spawned just once. Keeping tiddlers is clearly not a good idea! Mike

Good luck Gordon! Mike

Hi Allan, Am not sure where you live, but in case you live in or near Poole.... I just replaced mine with a pack from Force 4 at Parkstone that seems to be offering low prices, flares "expiring" December 2009 (4 seasons-worth). Didn't recognise the brand, but was assured they were all quality checked. Piplers, Cobbs Quay and Salterns were both more expensive for "equivalent" packs. Hope I haven't bought the equivalent of a few Roman Candles and a few sparklers... Regards, Mike

Have just returned from a quick visit to my boat, during which I checked under pontoons carefully. I wonder if you have the only shoal in Poole, Tom ! Mike

Trev and Andy, If you ever get back in appalling weather and retrieval looks dangerous, see if you can leave the boat on the trot moorings off the Christchurch sailing club, just above the Clay Pool. This might need an "exploratory" visit one day to check it out, and the low tide depths (around 3-4 foot on neaps I seem to recall) - but it might just give you an option. If you can get ashore via dinghy (or the club can help?), then it's not too far back to your car. Just a thought. Mike

Not sure if anyone is planning a shore-based weekend for a change (!) but if you are, and need a boat-based activity to preserve sanity etc, I found this link: http://www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20060228111145mbynews.html I have no personal contact with this event or any exhibitors, but I berth nearby, and hadn't heard about it until today. Regards, Mike

The use of the "Lloyds Open Form Agreement" is often used in these instances. Plenty on Google, but try http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/shiplaw/fulltext/lof2000.pdf The way it can work in practice is to arrange to have the coastguard overhear an agreement for a commercial tow between the two vessels to a safe place (another benefit of VHF over mobile phone). This is then recorded automatically. If a price to get you back into a safe berth is agreed, then salvage to the value of your boat cannot be claimed. I believe that salvage can also NOT be claimed when in harbour, and when there is no actual risk/danger to the rescuing party. I'm not a lawyer, and marine law in notoriously tricky, but if I were ever in these circumstances, I would ask the Coastguard for advice at the time - stating the urgency, the immediacy of any dangers, the ability to control the situation (e.g. anchoring to avoid drifting into rocks), etc. Easily said, but difficult to remember when the brown stuff hits the whirly thing. Mike

Rich, Have sent you a PM. Mike