Swainiac

The time is right for a winter Pike trip on one of the fisheries I help maintain. The Salmon have spawned, and there appears little movement there, so I feel its ok to have a crack at the Pike. Tactics we tried last year, were stormies, and livebaits, which we caught freely on the carriers. Fish caught were small jacks, but Adam and James hooked into a couple of "livelier" fish. The fishery holds very good Perch, in the four pound bracket. Any takers?? So far I have Adam and Jimbob, Sam......can you do a Friday? If not, I'll arrange a second day, on the weekends. I have the Hi-Lux front axle in bits at the mo, so that takes priority, but can see a trip in the next two weeks or so. Rich

T, where does one obtain the said releasant?? I've got the front hub on the Hi-Lux partially dismantled, and the cones on the outer hub are proving a tad difficult to free up......even with a little "tickling" as Pete puts it, with a hide hammer!!! I'm off today, so will have a check around Town for some. Rich

Kam....dead right, the humble weever is often the crowning top piece of a mediteranean fish dish, served whole atop a pile of other such delicacies from the deep. I believe that BB has eaten the dish whilst on holls. Rich

Paul, its called Reel Care, and is on Kendal Avenue, on Milbrook estate.........dont stop at red lights on the way through......they nick ure wheels He is a very amenable bloke, but does tend to have some colourfull characters in there on occasion!! Rich

Paul, I too, have sent a reel across to Pure Fishing, and had good service......that was GOOD SERVICE, as opposed to A good service They turned my new 6500LD around very quickly, but after the same geraring problem occured shortly afterwards, I sold that reel, and now stick to my two TLD 5's. I use a small shop in Kendal Avenue, Southampton, to service my reels now, the ones that are in the too difficult bracket for me to do, and he charges me

Thank you all. I don't feel 29. May I say.......you dont look it either!! Many Happy Returns Gordon, glad you had a good one!! Rich

"Isnt it amazing what you see when you havent got your gun??", was the statement from a passing motorist on the A38 near plymouth, when a pair of "wild" boar were spotted close to the road. Ive shot these criters before, while stationed in Germany, and believe me, when smoked, they are superb!!! Best get me bum down west!!! Rich

Tom.....have you taken Ling over that mark historically? My money would be on a Ling grabbing your smaller fish. Rich

Tom, as Trev states avoid the parrafin like the plague!!! If you have to light your base layer of either chips or dust...I prefer chips, use some form of alcahol. The trick is to keep the fuel hot, so it smoulders, not flames. I'll save you a bag of hardwood chips from my next tree job, I have fourty odd beechs and oaks to reduce last week of Jan, failing that, ask PJ if he's used all the stuff I gave him last year. A good trick with smokers is to place apple wood in the burner, it flavours meat well, and burns slowly when green, giving good smoke. You have my number, call meif you need some. Happy New Year.... Rich

Welcome aboard Joe, and Happy New Year. Rich

Dom, sounds like the female hitch hiker I picked up the other night on the way home, she must have been a magician, cos she touched my knee and I turned into a lay by!!! Rich

Kim.............how on earth do you think I keep this sylth like figure?? Its not feeding on burgers.......or flatties for that matter!!!! Our top secret rigs for flounder,were so secret, even the fish found it hard to find the baits!!! All joking aside......hope you enjoy eating the hamper as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Merry Christmas....... Tight lines Rich.................that reads bad, my line hasnt been tight in afew trips now!!!

Hiya Mike, I fished the Adament on Monday this week, we fished the middle of the ebb, taking over twenty five whiting............many released, keeping only six of the largest, which went to about two and a half pounds. Rigs were all trailing three hook rigs, bright beads, size 2 hooks, I took fish on both plain worm, worm and squid cocktails, and squid heads cut in half. On gutting one the larger fish, it had a good sized Gar head in its gut!!! Most were feeding on smal poor cod, of which we caught loads!!! A few pout showed their heads, a good sized Tub, two doggies, so all in all, it was a good day. We were the only charter boat out....Flamer, skippered by Colin Penny, and it was a beautifull day. Hope this helps, will look forward to your catch report. Tight lines......Rich

Duncan..................she's obviously done that before!!! Rich

Fred, give Boybilly a personal message, he's far better placed than most here to offer top advice that's current, as he lives on a raft anchored off the Bill! No, he's a resident angler down there, and knows all!! He's very approachable and will answer yoyr questions, if his comp is up and running!!! To reduce my tackle losses down there, and reduce tangles with other anglers on charter boats, I tend to drop my tackle quite early , as the skipper is easing off the power, use a very light lead and allow the gear to get well behind the boat, away from the knitting needles of other anglers on board. Try adding a bit of colour to your terminal tackle, especially if teh water is a bit coloured, it does work. Rich

Dave, Ive been across the rip there in small boats a few times now, and aas long as u keep an eye open for others parking up, your Warrior will handle a medium swell there fine....ask Adam, hes done a few down there now. Tom, the bass seem to show right across that section of water, moving from area to area as the curl of the tide sweep moves, so you can generally find them if they are there. Ive only ever caught tiny Huss on that ground, I would reccomend moving farther east, towards Lulworth. Thats where Mark B bagged me my match winner on Loyal Royal...cheers budweiser!! Rich

Dave, if you are out on the Bill, look for the two smaller lights on the eastern section, start your drift just prior to the rip, keep an eye on the lighouses, when they line up......thats the end of your drift.....hence Lights in one. This is a great area for Bream too. If you PM BoyBilly, I'm sure he'll give u a few more tips down there. Rich

PJ...............u resent most things not to do with fishing Rich

Duncan, a tip for the prevention of the cotton rotting alongside the zip, is to rub Neatsfoot oil, or similar, into the cloth. This prevents the salt water absorbtion, helping prevent rot. It does need to be done on a reasonably regular basis to act as a barrier for the dreaded sunlight too. I used it on all my kit for hunting in the field with Hawks, Falcons and Eagles, used regularly, it keeps natuaral materials, like leather and cotton, in tip top condition. I also have some waxier stuff I make up myself with my beeswax, a little parrafin wax in liquid form, and some good old turps, (not turpentine substitute), all heated through in apan to mix well, then poured into a small conatiner and left to set, it knocks spots off the expensive tatt sold by barbour and the like!!! Hope this proves usefull. Rich

Both theories should be bang on. It follows that an enticing scent trail from an oversize bait hard on the sea bed, is hard to beat, but also think of the amount of water covered by a moving bait through different sections of the water. Very similar to my winter Piking Tactics.......the moving bait through the water can bring fish in.........and indeed take them, but you are also increasing the chnaces of a roving hunting fish picking up the scent trail when he misses the moving bait. Ive taken many good fish in huge Irish loughs on a static dead bait, after missing takes on a moving bait higher in the water above the static.......may be coincidence, but may be more than chance. Food for thought. After missing my trip yesterday due to bad weather...alledgedly, as it lookd fine here in southampton, I'm up for crewing Bob. Rich

Charlie, you're right, it was the deeper section off St Catherines, actually, where the recent Eagle ray record was taken earlier this year, fished out now for commons and all manner of shark I'm afraid. Rich

Makes me feel not so mad now!!! Welcome aboard matey, enjoy the best small boat club forum on the web, unfortunately, we dont brew lager, but if we did, i'm sure it would be the best in the world, probably!!! Tight lines......Rich

it will be interesting to see what the guy who was at the helm of a fast crusier, who ran full chat into a bouy in southampton water, gets in realtion to his "Crime". At the end of the day, if you take a life at sea, it should be down to manslaughter, unless of course, it is an accident, but to navigate your way home from a binge session on the island, then crash into a navigation aid, is purely foolhardy, and should reap the full sentance awaiting!!! Rich

Cheers Mappers, and welcome to the forum m8, Kam, I was talking to Josh, the skipper of Revolution, yesterday, and he told me that the boats drifting along Lights in one area on the bank down west are taking monster hauls of Bass, with a few codling in the six pound bracket. Adam, If you want a crack at the Bass, and a chance of a few codling to boot, shall I get the numbers from Josh for you?? I'm up for crewing if you need some. Tight lines.......Rich

Have a great day Leah.......................HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Rich