Gruffy

"In the end, most fishermen and conservationists want the same thing - sustainable fishing which has limited impact on the marine environment." ......South West Inshore Fishing Association said: "It's catastrophic for inshore fishing. We feel let down, disappointed and disgusted." ......the South West Fish Producer Organisation said: "I'm devastated, it will mean a

Blimey, that was a quick response....I only asked for help 5 minutes ago! Thanks Mike The boat is in Ferndown....I'd be very happy to cover all costs to get this fixed properly Mike, so I will very gladly take you up on your kind offer if Ferndown isn't too far out for you?

Whilst swinging on her mooring last summer, my boat suffered some damge from the engine of the boat next door...the result was a chunk of fibreglass was ripped out of the bathing platform as can be seen. I'm hoping I can repair it before launching in a week or two, but I'm not too sure how to go about it the right way. Can anyone recommend somebody who might be willing to carry this repair out, or alternatively offer any advice as to how to do a proper job? Many thanks if you can help. Allan

Commons debate on Bass MLS decision Take a look at this....our well briefed MP Martin Slater who represents anglers challenging the new Fisheries Minister over his decision to renage on the Governemnts promise to increase the bass MLS.

I do. Can't seem to catch a cod to save my life PJ thinks the big squid baits are for cod but they're really there for an 11lb bass. Can't let Alan Mc Avoy take that bass C&R award again, he'll think he owns it.

I like the cut of your jib Martin.....if we had like minded people at the helm of every other angling club in the country we might be able to do something about this mess. There is absolutely no doubt that the commercial sector fully intend to try to use this isue of by-catch for their own benefits. They already have in fact, successfully. Their argument is so totally wrong it makes you want to vomit. Over-fishing reduces stocks, even a five year old could grasp that concept. There are so few fish left because we are taking them from the sea faster than they can replenish themselves....Doh! The stocks that are left before the fishery collapses are going to be juveniles, those fish that entered the stock mass in the last year, so eventually catching under-sized fish is an unavoidable and totally predictable natural consequence of over-fishing....particularly if nets are cast at whatever shows up on the sounder. Even more likely to happen if you think that displaying masses of dead fish being thrown over-board will help strengthen support from Joe public, who in the main knows diddly squit about what's going on. They have managed to turn what is the greatest evidence of their own greed into a publicity stunt that bizzarly, gets the public on their side. Who wants to see dead fish being thrown overboard...nobody. So don't deliberately catch them! Morals? Spare me please. This could back - fire of course.........if only the public were more informed that this is a deliberate tactic to further the financial interests of the relatively few commercial owners of these fishing vessels/ fleets. The recent debacle over the bass MLS is a great example - if the MLS had been raised to just 40cm from 36cm, the commercials were organizing a mass culling and discarding of juvenile fish which would have been filmed for public consumption. You think I'm joking? Ill informed Joe public would have been outraged. This is what the commercials threatened to do and it scared away the ounce of courage from the new (totally incompetent, ill informed, spinelss snivelling useless excuse of a ) Fisheries Minister Jonathan Shaw. Heshould be sacked for his display of total and utter incompetence, then used as pot bait. Unless we see some co-ordinated effort put in by representatives of our angling communities very shortly, we are in for a very tough ride ahead. Most people have absolutely no idea what we have coming our way in the very near future. There are plans affoot that will so dramatically threaten the future of our sport, and the prospects of our kids having the chance to do what we love doing....and we are so fragmented, disorganized, ill informed and downright lazy we will not be able to stop it happening. No take zones. Bag limits. Licences. And all these things will be implemented to do what do you think? I'll tell you - to protect the interests of our commercial fishing industry. Laughable isn't it? No, not really.

That man Mr. McAvoy again eh? He's good isn't he? So exactly how big was the fish do we know?

What is the heaviest bass that has been released so far this year?

Hi Mike, it's all about personal choice as you rightly say. Whilst I might personally hope for all 8lb plus bass to be returned by recreational anglers, and commercial fisherman as well for that matter, I will defend the right of anyone to take the cccasional fish for the table, whatever the size. I can understand why some people may have written to you expressing interest / surprise / even disgust that you have taken a 14lb 6oz bass for the table, and I'm glad that people feel they would have returned such a fish.....but we should all still respect an individual's choice to make their own decision about whether or not they should kill their fish. If the commercial pressure on bass was less than it is, there'd be a lot more big bass out there for us all to catch and it wouldn't be so unique to catch such big fish. My own desire to return big bass is threefold - firstly, because I think we need to set an example, and every time we do it we have an opportunity to turn the release event (via photo's / publicity / lessons to our juniors etc) into something beyond the mere release of a fish. Secondly because a big bass is still a fish of a lifetime for most anglers and the longer they live, the bigger they get, and the more chance there is of another one of us catching it again if it is still alive; and thirdly to support the stock, long term. A big bass of the size you caught may not be the most prolific egg carrier anymore, but such fish do possess the genes that helped ensure her longevity. She was (hopefully) caught a few times in her life and released to be caught again....a nice thought, and a scenario that is becoming ever more likely I'm glad to say. I know of almost 20 double figure bas that have been caught and released by BASS members this year, most from the shore. Many were probably caught and released when they were smaller fish as well, a sobering thought. In the BASS presentation that was given to PBSBAC last year, it was mentioned that the biggest bass are not necessarily the most fertile of fish, but this should not be taken to mean that BASS supports the killing of large bass as a preference over the killing of smaller fish. A I mention above, there are other good reasons to release big bass...but at the end of the day, you still have a choice. BASS actually don't preach or promote either viewpoint (kill big or small), partly because we still defend an individual's right to make their own choice on such things. We do encourage members to retain no more than ten fish a year, simply in response to our members requesting a guide as to what is most acceptible to the majority of our members. This was what they came up with when we asked them for their views, and for the same reason the majority of members also suggest that a 4lb - 5lb fish is probably the best size to take as it is big enough to feed the average family, and it is of a size that means it has already bred at least once or twice in its lifetime. This size of fish is also reasonably abundant. I hope that PBSBAC members don't take it upon themselves to criticise the choice you personally made to keep that 14lb bass. If those same people would have released it had they caught it themselves then great, that has to be a good thing and I would be first in the queue to applaud them....it would be a big queue as well I suspect. But it would be sad if we didn't also recognise and applaud you for having caught it as well, it was a magnificent fish and it had lived a good and full life already - I probably caught it when it was an eleven pounder (I wish!). Enjoy it, and get back out there and catch and release another whilst your luck is in Allan

Corky, Are you sure they are there? I saw the half a boat, but the building there is empty and is up for rent. I asked everyone around there and nobody had a clue about a trailer outfit. Is their building the one attached to the M&J Seafood one, the one that the boat is up tight against? Cheers for your help.

PJ, I need my lure back.....

Well done Alan - seems he was wearing the bass-pants again Thanks to PBSBAC for supporting the C&R element again, much appreciated from everyone at BASS. Al

Done - the more the merrier

Thanks for the info guys. I think I'll look for the wash in stuff - Terry, the Nikwax sounds like the best bet so far, I assume I can get it from an outdoor supplies type of shop? Al

I have a tired old Sundridge two piece floatation suit that could do with a coating of something to make it a little more waterproof than it currently is.....can anyone suggest a good product I can use to achieve this? Cheers, Al

"Some plugs and a new tackle box..." There's someone who is hoping for a few spikeys in the summer then I hope you didn't fall for all the deception on which are the current hot favourites Paul, remember, many of those suggested are so last year All the best, Al

This looks interesting Rich, what you up to? You might be interested in something we are about to launch as a way for us to raise much needed subs for our Restoration Project fighting fund...a BASS tape measure depicting length / girth / estimated weight markings. It would be great if you could include these in your bass packs (if relevent), we'd certainly appreciate the support. Send me a pm if you think this is of interest. Regs Al

Guys, I'd like to thank you all for your attendance, support and feedback last night and here in this post. It was a privelage to be able to present our thoughts on bass fishing and to share information relating to the Bass Management Plan. To clear up one misunderstanding straight away...we are not advocating that it is best practice to knock doubles on the head! Far from it in fact. I guess one of us must have said something that has left this impression with a few of you, but trust me please...this is not the case. Virtually all bass in our inshore waters that are over 6lb are females, and the big girls carry a huge number of eggs when they are ripe. They are experienced and successful breeders and as such they represent an incredibly important part of the reproducing stock. Perhaps when they reach a huge size they start to become a little rough around the edges like all females do of any species, but by the time they are this big I couldn't imagine many people wanting to clobber them on the head anyway. Big bass are indeed rare. Most of us would like to catch a big fish at least once a year....it doesn't make sense to kill big fish if they represent the best of what we hope to catch, because once they are gutted they can't be caught again Rememer the story about Billy Bass from Wales, she who was caught four times in successive years on the same mark - she is a double now (if she is still alive). There is another reason why it is important to release large bass, and that is one of image. Actually, it's not really about image at all - it's about the message that is given out when we, as recreational anglers, are demonstrating how highly we value bass. For those of you there last night you'll be able to appreciate who the people are that we are trying to reach and influence with this message. It starts with us, recreational anglers. So what size bass to take for the table? Like Rich said, it's entirely up to you, but big bass taste dull compared to smaller ones anyway. BASS have debated this for years, and some members make a strong case for fish of around four to five pounds being the best size to take if they are for personal consumption. A fish this size will comfortably provide a meal for an average family, and this size of fish is reasonably plentiful within the stock that remains. Certainly more plentiful than fish of 8lb plus. Personally I only take a handful of fish out of the hundreds I catch each summer, and they are all four pounders. These fish have almost certainly bred once, so I am happy that they have at least fulfilled this important task. A four pounder also tastes fine, and feeds my family of four in one sitting. I know most BASS members would rather cut off their little finger rather than clobber a fish over double figures, and most would not kill a five pound plus fish unless it was obviously gut hooked or in some other way terminally damaged. Choices choices, it's a free world after all. Take only what you need seems a sensible enough motto to me. Thanks again for your support. Al

See Gary has got his handsome on the BASS site.....BASS

Good luck to everyone fishing tomorrow, I'm sure it will work out fine. I thought I'd just let you know as well that a buddy of mine just called by my place to show me a few pictures of several bass he caught this morning whilst fly fishing from his kayak within PBSBAC club waters...best was just over 5lb! Surely if they can still be caught on a fly in what was quite coloured water, they can be tempted by some of you ace anglers on more traditional baits and methods Be safe. Regards, Al

Couldn't be happier

Let's hope there's still some sunshine up there for next sunday...brilliant weather again. Still finding some bass, this one would have made the qualifying weight for the C&R comp. I also caught a 4 1/4lb fish that I C&R'd last week, it had the same distinctive markings on a flank and the marks were I removed a few scales. Don't hesitate to throw a few lures next week if the water you are in is reasonably shallow

No Bass? Here's one, I caught this at about 11 o'clock this morning It wasn't the only one I caught either, so they are still about - including this one. And, I even caught a mackerel on that lure you see in the picture. There will be a double coming to someone next week I'm sure, it will just be a question of will it go back?

Yes to the laptop Duncan, it will accept SD / SC cards but there may be some others (like Olympus) that it doesn't accept. I'll bring along a couple of different USB - camera connector cables as well, but if push comes to shove we'll work with the display on the back of the camera if we have to. The weight of the biggest fish will decide the winner anyway, and the only way this can be judged is on the assumption of trust. We've got a catch report form that will need to be completed by the boat skipper, he will verify the recorded weight, and his word is good enough for me. The photo (with the proof card) is simply to help prove the fish was caught on the day. At a stretch we could even accept images from phones, but I'd need help linking the image onto the laptop. For future comps like this, BASS will be providing additional tools that will make the weighing, measuring, and displaying of captured fish much easier, but we don't have them in time for this event. I'm out fishing this weekend to see how many bass over 5lb are there to be caught, I promise they will all be released if I catch any so they'll hopefully be available next weekend as well Al