Swainiac

Newboy, we are fishing out of Lymo.....weather permitting on tuesday, on a charter, so we will be there around 8, if youre there and need a hand to launch, 7 30 ish.........just shout, and I'll help..............best of luck witht the first trip Rich

Hiya guys n' gals. I have brought back some Storm shads 5" and 3", some circle hooks 7/0, 6/0, 5/0, 4/0 and 3/0, some saltwater chugbugs (Deadly Bass lures apparently!!!), and some Spiderwire Stealth braid in 150yd spools Stormy's work out at

LOL.............I think that the same kind of words emminated from the skippers mouth on this occasion!!!! If you want to have a lend of the travel rod, be my guest, it packs down well, into its own tube, a great little number with plenty of grunt, I'm well pleased with it. bell me before you dissapear if you want it mikey Regads Rich

Hiya BB, flew back into the "sunny" UK yesterday, a little tanned, a lot jetlagged!!!!, Have PM'd my mobile number, call me later chap...............have some braid, shads and circles that you may be interested in also........... Regards, Rich

Bob, there is a limit on the number of pots that you can lawfully fish without a commercial licence.........I think its about 8 or so, and on the crab trap front, like Martin says, old tyres work well. Cut them into sections, 1/4's, and half bury them, but check em regular, peeps will steal yer peelers as sure as eggs is eggs!!!! If you want to bait for prawns, a prawn Gin, or trap, baited with smashed hardback crabs will catch shrimps/prawns. If you bait with fish, you will get more crab than shrimp. In a former life, us Swains were shrimp and Prawn fishers down in Hastings. I'll mail you over a line drawing of a prawn gin, and if I'm really feeling magnaminous, I'll teach you to knit nets. Regards, Rich

Mikey, the lads on the boats in Clearwater use 300 ish lb mono for leaders, but they are right out in the gulf. I fished in the channels under the bridges, using my Shimano exage multi section Bass rod.............(what a beast!!!!!) and a shimano 4000 series fixed spool. Great sport with jacks and ladyfish, a few Spanish mackeral........but the Kings kept biting through the 30lb leader I was using. One guy on the boat hooked into a Tarpon.............on tackle similar to mine, boy what a fight!!!! That fish leapt onto the boat almost!! If your going to use crabs, Mike, take a few reels of bait elastic with you, its hard to get where I was, so I guess it will be harder for you out there! I brought home some freebie papers, will bring em to the next meet, you can peruse the Bonefish articles..................all good reading Rich

Hiya guys.............Back from over the pond, crikes was it blowey or what?? Adam, first of all, sorry to read about the lady..........hope the new purchase goes well, secondly, if there is a space, I'm about for crew, anytime anyplace anywhere....just call me martini Regards, Rich

Guys, is anyone else considering entering this five day comp? With

Are they cheaper out here Duncan??

Coddy, I have exactly the same problem with replacement oil filters for my tractor mowers.........some Kubota ones are around

Paul, are their sizes the same scale as other hooks..............lets say I fish for Cod with 6/0's, would I use a 6/0 circle hook???? If the answer is yes, then I'll go halves with you on 50 hooks for the winter season, I'd like larger sizes, with Cod and Channel Whiting in mind. Will be in touch when I get home, Regards to all..............a resting Rich

Guys, guys, guys.................don't forget those Grouper sandwiches at Frenchy's. Arguably the best sandwich in town Have a great couple of weeks guys, see you when I get home Stay safe at sea...............rich

mmmmmmm..............just glad I'm orfffff to jolly old florida where them blighters emminated!!!! see you guys when I get home Regards , rich

Marine theft has been on the up for the past decade, with V & A articles like marine electrics on most boats, these are the first to be ripped out and sold. Club members should be in the habit of logging serial numbers for all their valuable and attractive equipment like fish finders and VHF sets, chart plotters etc, marking them with U V pens, a post code in a discreet area suffices, and a digital image of each item stored on a CD Rom is invaluable to the recovery of stolen items. Any details like scratches on Hulls, or engines, should also be noted, and this makes identity far easier for plod on the street, who, (like me!!!!) doesn't know the transom from the gunwall, or the cuddy from the rowlocks!!!! Engine serial numbers should also be photographed to show that the engine DID have a number, before they are either ground out or plates removed. Perhaps it might be an idea for the club to ask the skipper from the Dorset Constabulary Marine Unit to come to a club meeting and give a presentation on marine crime. I was out with the lads from the Police club last Tuesday......last trip out before Florida, and a craft was recovered farther along the coast, with the Marine unit Skipper being updated by Mobile phone as the recovery ensued, so as useless as they appear when stopping you for minor traffic violations, cops do have their uses!!!!!!! Evening all!!!!! Rich

Mikey............dont worry, safe and well, we fly out shortly, family over near St.Pete's say the first strike hit the other coast, second is due anytime now, by Monday next, they will be way on their way to the carolina's, and hopefuly the sea will be back to its usual crystal clear Gulf Coast type clarity...............bring on those stripeys!!!!! Regards to all Rich....and Debs

It looks very similar to a gaiter used on driveshafts in the motor trade. What are the dimensions of the shaft and the hole it needs to cover?? Rich

lads, lads, lads..............for those of you who have been over to Florida you know very well that their tropical storms are like a really good blow over here........and they're gone as quick as they come. we had hurricane Isobell last year, that didnt stop the fishing!!!!!! Now shushhhhhhhh you green eyed booooogerz!!!

Adam, if the Ebay contact is a female, she has a good supply of these bins, and will send them down, I spoke to her a few weeks ago when Mikey Infirmed me about these bins being offered on Ebay.......If I recall correctly, they are 15 squids Rich

Adam, those placky box's become very brittle, your best bet, (found by trial and error with my livewell construction) is one of those blue mini barrels, with all the same stuff that you have whacked on it. Rich

Would love to offer my bait seclusion services, but, alas, we'll be in Florida casting flies into the gulf, trolling for game, sunning, barbecuing, eating proper Maccy D's or perhaps one of Frenchies finest Grouper sandwiches, untill the vacation is done, and we retire into those huge leather full reclining seats that Virgin have to offer oiks like us that spawn seats in Upper Class........how the hell did I get in here?????? We'll be thinking of you all Regards, Rich

Bob, just cos you're fishing barbless, you shouldn't lose fish if the tension is kept on. I've been using the blue partidge trebles for pike since they hit the market XX years ago! these trebles consist of one barbed and two barbless hooks giving clean unhooking for catch and release Very few fish get lost, and Pike are well reknowed for head shaking when hooked. I dont know if the larger sea hooks are available in micro barbs yet, but that might be another tackle breakthrough. regards, Rich

Alun, one trick that I have employed whilst pike fishing on an Irish lough, was to snip off the hook so it doesn't snag, then wrap up the finger in tape, I could hapily fish on and then had the hook removed at A&E in Belfast City. Regards, Rich

Martin, the point I was attempting to make was - What are the comebacks if this guy is unlicensed?? I know the precedents like endangering life at sea etc etc, which the relevant constabulary will/may persue, if they believe it is in the public interest because if the passengers were "friends", then no complaint is likely to ensue, but which authority monitors the licences? Are they issued by the local authority? Also, if one puts to sea in an unseaworthy vessel, one would expect that if the relevant checks havent been done regarding licensing, then it follows that there may be no current insurance held by the skipper, a bit like if a road fund licence is not displayed, to a cynical ex copper, I would expect that it wasnt forgetfullness that caused this, but an absence of MOT test certificate and/or current insurance!! 99 times out of a hundred, this follows. Just asking. regards, Rich

Mikey, is there any comeback from the relevant authorities if this guy IS unlicenced??? If not, then why not?? Regards, Rich

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