alun j.

Next one looks like Tues or Weds. [??] Only doing the cod comp if it opens a bit ! ....rather go Weds if it's calmer [ ..and a better tide time for here]. Alun.

Possibly a raymond ???

I will be if the weather plays ball! Alun.

Well done Andy.......'twas a lovely day to be out there. We were a bit closer in and had two cod [ total weight about the same as your one!] and a few good whiting. Amazing how different the day was from yesterday [ not just the weather]; then, it was non-stop action with loads of whiting [all sizes] and several crackers over 3 lbs. each........ today was slow, with hardly any whiting in comparison! Alun.

That is my 'Office'!! A.

Thanks Paul, Charlie and.......... ditto......ditto...ditto... Cheers, Alun.

First day of a double header window....... Today, I took Dave Penny out with me on Gastronaught as I went in search of a decent size cod to put on my Christmas table for the non-meateaters in my [extended] family. Forecast was just about spot on... just a bit more S than forecast. With a force 3 SW blowing into the ebb, I thought it might have been a bit lumpy at the Needles; so we started off at a little mark off the end of the Ledge that produced my best cod last year. Conditions here were fine and bites were quick to come [to squid, but nothing on the mackerel baited whiting hooks].........yep, you guessed it, the old 'Solent Salmon' were much in evidence... but I did drop two fish that weren't, after a few moments of strong tugging , both times they slipped off...cod or conger was my guess. Half an hour later, I got into one that stuck, but soon it had the distinct feel of a snake... and soon up came a spinning eel of about 15 lbs. After that, it was doggies all the way......so, after a coffee break, it was time to move. |A lumpy, bumpy trip around the Shingles brought us to the familiar area S of the Needles for the last hour of the ebb ..... and a blizzard of pout hit all, and every bait..........but this is not a bad sign. Soon pout were being replaced with whiting...... small at first, they gradually got bigger and bigger.... then a cod rod bangs over and up comes a fine 8 lber. ; then 5 mins later , the other one goes and up comes a 7 lber. Whiting are now coming in over 3 lbs. each....... and Dave is smiling as he now has enough to keep him well supplied. As the gentle flood increases, bites dry up and revert to pout. At last the wind has dropped..... so it was a quick gutting session [ No Gulls!!!], wash down and home on flattening seas at 20 kts + in my tiddler and back and out in the last of the light. A very pleasant day to be out [ in the much milder conditions].... good fishing, good company and a result in the fish box. Disappointed that Dave didn't get his cod... but he seemed happy with one of mine and the chunky whiting. Out again tomorrow.... with the prospect of a flatter day... looking forward to it already! Alun.

Windows, windows ..........??..........don't write off Mon. yet!! Early morning wind debatable, wind dying through the day.

That's where my pb cod came from a few years ago! Be prepared for lots of doggies though. I find it fishes better on the ebb. Alun.

Today's window was forecast to close up early afternoon with freshening westerlies, but I hadn't been out since Tues. ....... and Paul was keen to use his day off [despite being off sick the past two days!]..... the prospect of fresh [and much less cold] air and a calm sea was enough to rouse him from his convalescence at 6 am. A quick and smooth launch had Imagine pacing through a flat harbour before 8 and out into the Bay that had only a slight swell with the last of the ebb. With the forecast, we agreed a trip to the Island would have us bashing our [long] way back in the afternoon, so we decided to stick closer to home. First stop was S. Rough......but it was too ...on the bottom as the wind pushed us off the tide and swinging about...... so a bit further out .. to deeper water and smoother bottom. Here the tide had turned, the wind dropped, and it was like early Spring!! As the tide started to flood, bites materialised and a procession of whiting started and kept going all day!! Mostly small fish......but fit and fat, fat, fat!!.. going well on light tackle. Mixed in were a few better fish..... and the cod gear with big baits produced one cod each [ albeit rather small cod!!] and Paul also pulled in a lively conger. Today's forecast was spot-on!! The wind gradually increased to a 4 [ but blowing with the tide, it was OK]; it was getting up more as we pulled sticks and the trip back was a bit lumpy [ but short!]......so, a good call and a most enjoyable day.. ...and enough cod and whiting to tide me over the weekend!! Let's hope Mon & Tues's forecasts are as accurate!! Thanks again Paul, for another super day out on 'Imagine', the good company and excellent fresh-brewed tea! You should be able to sleep tonight........and hope you fell back to 100% tomorrow. Alun.

Mon \ Tues. Charlie...........still working then ??? Alun.

Bit of a bumpy weekend coming up .... but Mon and Tues next week look good. I'll be doing either or both!! There's a spare seat on Gastro' if anyone 's keen to go, and is flexible on which day. The tides look good, just hope there's not too much swell left after the weekend. Call or post, Alun.

Well done on the effort James..... and at least you got one! I agree about the food .... but that's why the fish are there. I only got whiting as I was targetting them over the slack... only two came on the cod gear. I'm hoping to get out in the Bay tomorrow [ for a comparison!]; then back to the cod park[??] next Mon\ Tues\ weather window of calm !!! Alun.

Kam, No dolphin near us.........perhaps we weren't throwing enough squid over the side [??]. Alun.

Hi Charlie, No fog our end when we went out.........just low grey murk. Thin,fog came up a bit later but Needles light was visible for most of the time. It cleared with the HW and we even had a bit of bright clear sky on the way back. Approaching land and it thickened up a bit more... but still not fog... just poor vis. Good to get out, esp as the sea was so flat..... hardly seen all summer! Now.......... where's that next weather window??? Fri. poss.??? Alun. ps... gentle tides by then!!

Not a great deal to report other than a very pleasant day out ...in flat calm conditions. Shame there was such a big tide pushing through, as it knocked the fishing right off! The 'gentle' conditions suited Dan [aka Gnasher] as he's nursing his broken\injured insides..... and he seemed dead keen to get out and in with a chance of a cod. Out on the edge of the cod park just before 9, the anchor dug in with a 'twang' on the warp... with about 3 to 4 knts of flow.. and it was quickly up to a pound and a half trying to hold bottom. That would hold, but soon the accumulating red weed formed a 'kite ' that lifts ... so frequent clearing was needed. A regular stream of doggies got at the baits and there was just one solid take on mine that was a good fish..... cod or eel was the call as it banged off in the tide........ a few lifts towards me [ and a few runs away] then off it dropped!! No breaks...and the hooks came in bare!........and that was my excitement for the day!! Only as the tide eased did action improve; a couple of hours of whiting teasing with light tackle for me , whilst Dan resolutely stuck to big baits for the all elusive cod! When the ebb started, it soon got up as fast or faster than the earlier flood and we soon realised it had tripped the anchor. As it was after 3 , we decided on a quick clear up and earlier trip back to the slip. I was happy with a few good whiting in the box, but disappointed for Dan who hasn't had a chance to get amongst the cod this winter yet. Another boat on the slip had been in the same area as us and had just one small[ish] cod. Is it the tides or have the cod thinned out a bit??? [ my results have been fewer cod on the past few trips]. Cheers Dan, for the company and crewing as I cleaned up. Hope today wasn't too tiring\painful\ stressing for you and your recovery proceeds rapidly. Alun.

Well done both of you!! Here's to those shiny surfaces getting salty soon ....and some fish on the deck to christen her [before Christmas???]. There's a bottle of fizzy waiting to splash on her nealy added name.... when the call comes. Alun.

Having retained very few of the comp wins from last year, here was one last chance to grab a trophy for my 'den'. Teamed up again with last year's winning crew, Gastronaught found similar conditions [cold, bit of fog..... and a fierce wind chill] as we raced up the harbour just before 8. .......after a swift 'Hello and good luck' to Jim and crew of Small Fry on the slip. I had a plan involving 3 locations for different states of the tide......and the first had us in some very shallow water for the last of the flood. There was so little of the flood left, I thought this was a bad call........it was the shout of..'quick cuppa and a move' that prompted the first bite [ a few light tugs on my spinning wand] ....small bass [??].... no.. the firm pulls of a flattie!......and up comes a nice fat one to the net .........and that was it there.........all quiet again [despite more tea!!]. Spot 2 was crab nightmareville and no fish .... sure it was nothing to do with the proximity of Janski II [!!].....so another move.... to where last year's winner came from. Spot 3 was the most productive.....yielding 3 more plump flounders, but none topped the first fish...that went a whisker over 3 lbs. Not a lively day for fish action, but a couple of quality fish. The kettle was kept busy [ until I ran out of water!!] to help keep out the chill air... Gastro even deployed her dodger to keep us a bit cosier. With more water on the slip at 3.30 than last year, the retrieve on the slip was much easier and we joined the small group of members for the weigh-in. There wasn't a queue and several of us weighed in fine flounders [much better than last year]. My first fish topped the weights by a few ozs. and Rich presented me with a fine hamper of Christmas goodies.... which I, again, shared with my crew Paul [Thanks again Paul, for the company, lively banter, encouraging comments and optimism]. Thanks to Rich......for organising the hamper [and turning up with it on a cold afternoon]..... and to Adam and Paul D. for the weigh-in, organising and photo shoot !! I enjoyed my day....... and it did sound a lot more productive than those that ventured offshore. Alun.

James, Any chance you can change your day to Tues.? ; weather window seems OK [still] for Tues., but Weds. looks a bit fresh!!.... ...but who knows [??], it changes so quickly! I'll be going when it looks calmest. Alun.

Is there a simple [??] strain gauge with a peak reading thingy\device someone has\could bring along...... ...... so that we could each tie up a piece of the same mono to , say, two swivels and stretch to breaking. If we each put 50p or a

Hi James, This far out, you could be lucky!! Weather pattern now looks very unsettled, with wind swinging all over the place, rising and dropping every few hours!! I'm lucky enough to be able to go when it's good! .........I shall be keeping a weather eye!! Hope to see you out there Alun.

Looks like there may be a little on for the comp on Sun.... .....then another on Tues. Anyone like to come after the cod \ whiting on Gastronaught with me?? ......t.b.c. if window holds! Alun.

We were just a few 100 m away and also enjoyed the good weather and ever changing tide [ 6 oz. to 20 oz, weights in about an hour... and back again in a couple more!] Not so much a car park today.....about a dozen boats..... and , I think, faring about the same! Just one cod for us, too,....Terry's luck today!,... but I got the conger and the ray. Apart from that , it was whiting all the way... in fits and starts!....... all sizes with a few in the 3lb class. Thanks, Terry for the trip on Stingray.....the fresh air was just the tonic for my cold [ I hope the sneezing and sniffling didn't put you off too much?!!]...feeling tired but better now. Alun.

We looked too for Dan !!........now all is explained! Wishing a speedy recovery... esp. in time for the Hols. Dan, you missed a nice day today.... but cod action was a bit thin. ......loads of good whiting... but you're not keen on those !! ATB., Alun.

Happy Birthday Neal, So it's a BIG one !! Any big celebrations?? Have a great day ..... looks like it's a nice sunny one. Cheers, Alun.