alun j.

Good luck Martin.......... I hope the order arrives on time, goes in smoothly and performs up to expectations !! .........before the beginning of May [??]. Fingers crossed for you, Alun.

Such bad luck !! It's hard to believe that something so little used can be that badly made \ faulty !! Knowing how you appreciate quality, I'm sure that when you do resolve what to do Martin.......it will be done properly, then will work as it should ... for many years to come. Good luck in getting sorted for May............may the force be with you!! Cheers, Alun.

Looks like a herring to me. Alun

Happy Birthday Adam !! Shame your busy and not able to get out and enjoy a super day [this year!] Have a good day......whatever you are doing....... and celebrate with a drink tomorrow [at AGM ??] or Sat at the D & D. Cheers, Alun.

Seat now taken........report will follow!! Alun.

Weather and gentle tides have the Shambles calling me for Friday. Anyone like the spare seat on Gastronaught?? I have a good supply of worms \ 'snakes'. Call, PM [but I'm out this eve.], or say Hello at Thurs' meeting. Alun.

Good luck on the Ledge; I hear a few boats were there yesterday........ but, alas the bream weren't! Rich and I are hoping the nice calm weather materialises....... and produces a few plaice from the Swash area. Alun.

Looks like Sunday might be calm enough to wet a few lines... and next Tues. [??] Fingers crossed ! Next...... will be 'where to try?'.... bream or flatties ?? Alun.

Ditto, multi - trip , world wide cover for two ...... even cheaper from internet site. Would a rod over the side be a claim for 'loss of baggage'?? Alun.

'Twas a bit breezy today ......... and no sign of target species!! Next opportunity [for me] looks like being Sun or Mon, when next window of calm looks like appearing.......... meanwhile, it will be the garden for me for the rest of this week! Alun.

....but I expect I'll get out at least once! Tuesday is looking the only possible day........ and the whole week looks better spent in the garden. Depending on the wind.....I'll be thinking of creeping out of Mudeford and fish the ebb over X-ray, then back inshore when wind gets up and in with the early flood. Office hours !! Depending on what we arrange with Rob F and Charlie A, there may be a seat on Gastro spare if anyone else is as keen [or daft] as me! Alun.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Craig .......... hope you are having a good day in the Spring sunshine?? When are you up for some fishy action?? Alun.

Just checked my calendar........ can't do May 17 th., 31 st. is fine. Alun.

Sounds interesting .......... count me in ....... in some way or other! Alun.

Hi Mike, Hope you are having a good day..... and are fit and well. Have you been off to some Hydeaway [???]..... as you've been quiet on here for a while. ? Walked past your boat yesterday...... looks very impressive .....and raring to go [?]. Are you thinking of joining our fleet to Alderney in May? HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Alun.

Mike, I don't know about 'silly'........ but, realistically, how am I supposed to display an anchor ball in a little open boat ?? A big, bright fluorescent orange jacket is much more visible !! We weren't that far out..... and he was bound to keep a good observation as he was going so close to the shore. I just wondered how many sets of pot gear he steamed over, as he travelled just about the full length of the Ledge, or only just to the west of it. Alun.

Mon and Tues. both looking ultracalm !! Must be time to give Weymouth \ Shambles a try ?? Alun.

Paul, We were nearly 2 miles out !!.........in it's path to Southbourne beach , where it stopped and stuck it's pipe thing down........really close in. I think it was taking sand from here, putting it on a smaller boat that then went to the reef area by Boscombe. It stayed about 2 hours, filled just one boatload, then went zooming back SEwards. Must have left a big hole......somewhere nera Solent Road \ end of prom. Alun.

Plan A was to have been a first trip of the year to the Shambles today ... but , for a couple of reasons, this has been postponed and today was a 'suck it and see' day on familiar territory....... with madw as new crew! First spot was a drift for plaice [!!], inshore.........lovely and calm but we'd missed most of the tide and were just creeping along with no bites. Next stop was an edge of bank position on X-ray, in time for the first of the ebb. We were nicely settled in position, commenting on the peace and quiet when this was rudely interrupted...........first by a great big dredger that came at us from the SE at about 15 knts., en route for Southbourne beach.... and only changed course about 100 m away..... and still passed close enough for crew to shout at us... why were we in the wrong??, we were at anchor, fishing.....he was steaming with a tug nearby waiting for him. Anyway, he missed us and carried right in to the beach [ what were they doing there for a few hours... this was a BIG dredger!! ??] If that wasn't enough .... the blooming thing came almost as close on it's way back out !! Then...... there was the drone of helicopter and roar of a fleet of Ribs just offshore of us coming up from the West........ and what do they do ?? ........... all stop 100 m away, with noisy chopper at 10m altitude... what was going on ?? Three mins later , they all turn around and head back West !! At last peace returns ..... and fishing action picks up with the ebb........ first some pout, then the inevitable dogs...... but then something more substantial on my mackeral bait.... not dog, nor ray .....but a nice fat cod of 8 lbs. ... result! Not much else to report from X-ray....... so we shuffled off to Southbourne Rough for the second half of the ebb......... but only small bits and pieces untill the tide turned again....... then up comes a second , but much smaller, cod. The weather was really eerie today........the fine calm morning got more dreary as cloud lowered and a cool light breeze strengthened. We came back in just before 6 in a foggy mist and with about three more layers on than during the morning... but as usual ........GREAT TO BE OUT !!! Alun.

Just got in and spotted the date. Happy Birthday Dan ...... have a great evening..... celebrations ?? Good luck on Sat. Alun.

Happy Birthday Dean.......... hope you have a good day. Spring in the air?? .....What takes a young man's fancy?? Alun.

Adam, I'd be up for going early [really early!!] if it meant a flatter sea.. and more fishing on the other side! Alun.

From here, it looks like Weds and \ or Thurs could be hice and calm.... but... .... really big tides are coming [with very low LW in the late afternoon here]. Options ???? ....... Swash for plaice ??? ..... with a late return or........ trail to Portland and try the Shambles over the double LW slacks in the early afternoon. Any opinions ??? Any takers for the spare seat on Gastro. ?? Alun.

....and the bigger one....... a pb, at 27 lbs.

Here's the first ray ....... 23 lbs.