alun j.

It's gone as far as I can see !! .......quite a lot of rain in the forecast !!

Happy Birthday Kev. Hope you are having a good one ? At least it's a Bank Hol. so you should be able to do what you want !! Celebratory flounder dinner ?? Cheers, Alun.

Forecast on THurs looks good. Anyone else planning around this?

Well done Adam ; Well done Bob. Some cracking fish !!

Forecast now looks a little less comfy....... with a freshening Southerly. With half a bucket of still fresh worms left from today, I will spend the morning having a try for flounders in Christchurch harbour. I have had some good sessions here in previous years [ also, the usual flounder blanks!!] but haven't had a go so far this winter........I'll reprt back ! Alun.

Not a problem you get going out of Mudeford !! Most things there make more noise than me ..... or go very slowly ! It does make a big difference in an open boat.. without glass in the way ! Glad you got back safely. Alun.

My in-laws have recently returned from Spain and are settled in Bournemouth ...... having left their Polo behind, they are missing the independence of having a car .....and having to use buses !! Anyone know of a SMALL car [polo - size , or smaller] up for sale ?? Reliability and running costs obviously need to be low ...... but they won't be doing many miles. Budget limited to

1.) Adam F - JV 2.) Alun J. 3.) Paul F. .......we will either be on Gastro or Imagine

Kev asked me to post this up........ Well done Kev......... you're getting the hang of this !!

I met Mike and Dom on the slip about 8.20 and then off on my own. Fog was more mist ... all damp and drippy !! Without cabin and glass in the way, vis was better than it seemed [ about 50 m.] No probs following buoys out of the Run ... with the swells and breaking wave[let]s giving some aid to orientation. Out at end of Ledge it was slack water and completely dead for an hour or so........ as tide picked up, some action......mostly dogs and a few jumbo pout [ to 2 - 8 ].. then the tide got faster and a bigger swell arrived [enough to trip anchor!]. By the time I'd repositioned, tide was now carrying masses of red weed; so decided on a move. Across to the Clan, hoping to get some whiting........but it was DEAD !! One sleepy dogfish and a few nibbles from tiny things. One of the poorest days for a long time.......with just enough for dinner guests this eve !! .....but at least it was mild and no wind!! Flounders next !! Alun.

I'll be out tomorrow too....... from Mudeford......8 ish Will have Ch 6 open and be 3 or 4 miles out depending on swell. Alun

Cheers Paul.......... best wishes for a 'Biggie' !! HAPPY BIRTHDAY .......and many happy returns. When is your next chance to get out, now that you are busy ?? Alun.

It's got to be getting in with PBSBAC.....and a host of new friends ....discovering the bass fishing [ and different ways to catch them!!].....topped with a monster of 18.5 lbs [ though the best one was 15.5 lbs where it was the target, and Gastro took some part in it's being netted!] ......taking frinds out and putting them onto a decent bass ...... going on trips to Alderney

Dan, don't believe Metcheck.....for forecasts over water !! The one I'm looking at all give much stronger wind..... but yes, from the balmy South !! Looks like it'll be too bumpy for me ! Alun.

Imagine intends to get out with Paul F. and Alun J.

Good call Adam.........I'm looking at forecasts giving 30 mph + winds from SE....... I wouldn't fancy retrieving Gastro from Baiter in that ! .........looks like heavy rain for much of the day as well .... windy, cold and wet ...yuk!! Alun.

and here's another....

Here's a glimpse of the Hamper for Sun's comp....... if the weather allows it to be fished.

It doesn't happen that often........or for that long !! What are they making all the fuss about ?? Most of the time the site is brilliant ! Well done Paul .

I don't know about sprats Charlie........ the two cod I had on Sat were both stuffed with fish and a few crabs\prawns. Most of the fish were small wrasse, pout, whiting and gobies \ blennies\ bullhead from the stony ground......we're talking over a dozen fish in each of a 11 and 15lb. cod. Interestingly, the roe in the cod was only half formed, so they could be about a good bit longer. Further to the great squid debate......... I've caught all mine this year on good old 'normal' calamari. I think my catches have compared similarly to other boats. My rigs are 5/0 Sakuma fine wire hooks tied as a fixed Pennel on 40 lb mono. I haven't dropped any cod on the way up! [apart from the one that T-barred itself on the net when I was solo] I did find a surprising experience last Sat......... I had a decent whiting on, that got off. When re-baiting, I found the hook had broken !! I checked the other ..... and very little force snapped it !! ........ similarly on the other rod. .......These were traces I'd used a couple of times and put away at end of day. Either corrosion or the effects of being yanked out of dogfish many times with pliers had seriously weaked the steel. Thanks to the whiting that showed the problem....... hooks changed and cod successfully landed shortly afterwards. Alun.

I called him up ............ and he was very secretive !! I told him we had two cod.......... but no response !!!

Look at that sea..........just as impressive !!

Sympathies Adam ... Thought I was doing OK with an 18 lber>> !! but much bigger ones caught by others.... Alun.

Nice smooth trip across to the 'Carpark'........where later in the day I counted 33 boats within a couple of miles........ Picked a spot on the edge, closer to the Needles , to escape some of the expected tide, later, on the ebb. As we settled into the last of the flood, I had a good bite on my second drop...... and into a headshaker that flopped om the deck and spewed up a medium sized pout [so a few ounces less!!!], but still pulled the scales to 18 lbs. ...[on cleaning later, it still had 3 more small pout and a load of crabs inside swollen stomach !!] ....... good start !!! Into the slack and it went quiet....... just a few whiting. When the ebb started, it soon got up speed and leads quickly went up to a pound and a half...... and weed was more evident. Action was slow, but a steady stream of reasonable whiting up to 3 lbs [ for Jon and Paul ] and another small cod for me [ about 4 lb.] As the ebb eased and leads went back to 8 oz, the expected improvement in fishing didn't materialised but good points were the super weather with sun and NO WIND !! and a relative absence of dogfish and pout.... so baits stayed intact. Thanks to Paul for another enjoyable day afloat....and a shame we couldn't all get a cod. Alun.

Happy Birthday Rob.......just in..... & just spotted it !! Many Happy Returns ........... Cheers, Alun.