alun j.

Mark. The channel in the Run moves about every year as the weather and tides push the sand and gravel about..... the buoys get laid where there's most water. Having pushed right down to Avon Beach last year, it's now cut back through the Bar opposite the Quay making a much shorter passage out.... ......but beware at the end of the buoyed section.......it shallows up on the sand if the tide is getting down to LW. If you see 'waves' standing up here, go EAST at the yellow buoy at the end, then SE to go over the Bar in the deepest water. Alun.

and you could add......... .......join PBSBAC for lots of friendly advice!! Have a good holiday Duncan........you'll want to be taking future holidays down here [ guaranteed !!]. Alun.

Hi Duncan, One little tip\hint to pass on if you've got a new boat and new trailer.......particularly the trailer....is to get a nice big tub of grease. .......and first trip out, go to a slip like Wick, where you can slip the boat off into the river [no salt], tie her up and then spend 30 mins. greasing up all the 'vunerable ' bits of the trailer; all the nuts\bolts, sliders, brackets etc. that you might not want to seize up in yuears to come!! I did above on my current trailer [coming up to 2 years] and see the huge difference to the previous one that wasn't! What a great time to get a new boat.....just as the 'season' gets going and the learning curve goes into 'exponential'. Good luck and if looking for any help\tips on this [Christchurch] side of our patch, give me a call. ATB., Alun.

Folding grapnel, I presume.

Next year...when I'm 10, I'll catch one that's sooooooo big.....

" See this ?? You can make a great meal..........just......"

Busy couple of days enjoying this [longed for] weather window.... Yesterday , out on Gastronaught........ with fellow gastronaut Adam...... had a busy day day in breezy, grey but mild conditions. Loads of fish [ yes, OK, mostly pout and dogs] , lots of species and a few pollack and a nice bream to come back with. Today........so different!! Calm, sunny [but cool breeze from S popped up mid-day]., but where were the fish?? Great day out on Illusion, but little but dogs. Several more boats there today and few did any better.......one charter sat still and had one [??] good bream; another moved about and got one [??] Obviously.....we are still too early......... I'll be looking for more action next[?] week .....or the week after!! Alun.

....Well, he is 101 ....apparently!!

Happy Birthday Adam ........have a good day [ at work!] Still can't believe how one so young can have so much experience and knowledge of our favourite sport . By this time next year, there'll be boat building to add to the repertoire ! Have a great day today..... and good luck for the coming year and all the coming projects. Will you be able to fit in some bream fishing soon?? ATB., Alun.

Looks like the weather may settle down from the middle of the coming week?? If it does [ and if I can get my boat out of the drive] , I'll be looking for those early bream [again!!]. Alun.

T'was nice out there yesterday, esp. pm ..........different story today, and all weekend!

I have a problem with April 20 th. .......booked in for family 'do' ages ago and can't change it. Alun.

Thanks to PJ for a trip out on Marineboy today. By the afternoon, it was feeling like Spring [ and much warmer than the cutting cold wind of the morning]. Plenty of fishy action on the Ledge........ but none from our 'Target' of early bream. Good promise for the upcoming 'Species' comp. with action from bullhuss, wrasse and conger as well as the expected pout and dogs. Few other boats about............but one charter did 'sit' on a bream mark all day ... with no return!! I think action will improve rapidly when the water warms up a bit..... little more than 6 C for most of the day. Weather now looks set to blow up for weekend ........but a glimmer of calm for Tues and\or Weds next week ........... hope to be there!!! Alun.

This also works well for the whiting. I tend to use bigger hooks....... size 1 or 1/0 ..... which gives more lip hooking \ fewer deep hooked fish; easier to unhook and return unharmed. On rougher ground, you certainly get fewer snag-ups with this rig .... but on smoother ground, I revert to my simple 2 hook [ Pennel-style] ledger. Alun.

I'm looking to go out Thurs.......if I can get my boat out of the drive which is being dug out ........ to see if more bream have arrived yet. I have a tray of fine worms to use; small tide and wind looks a bit lighter than of late. Anyone like to join me [for a late-ish start]? Alun.

Congrats. to the Taylors....... .....but that looks like Dom will get out fishing even less often! ...for many years! Alun.

Paul, I don't know about 'Goldrush'??.......but there seem to be a few about; I saw some on the fishmongers' slab in both Poole and Mudeford. I can't see when the weather might break........but being northerly, you could creep out a little way if you were desperate!.......but it's so cold in the windchill, it's not tempting me [ yet!]! But, I have got worms.....and waiting to go. Alun.

Hi Paul, look in 'First bream...' .......but just the one ......just under 3 lbs.

Just been back to get a look at LW spring. As Paul's photo shows, the buoys have been laid showing a much easier route out; the flow splits near the first green buoy, about half the water spills straight out and other half goes along the quay. What you don't see in Paul's photo [ 'cause it was HW] is what's at the end of the new-laid buoys. At LW you see the waves breaking on the shallow water if you continued going straight. SO.......... if you go out from Mudeford in the bottom half of the tide........prepare to go EAST at the end of the buoyed 'channel', round the yellow buoy and continue SE until you go over the Bar. On Tuesday.....when we crept out in the shallower water in the old channel, we saw one of the fishing boats going in slowly along this new route [ about 2 hrs before LW.]. Amazing how that place changes shape every year! Alun.

Mark.......lots of use, plus a few snag-ups with heavy tackle....or just a weak spotin a very small bit of metal! Charlie.....phone no. is 0845 0500093 ....helps if you have the part number of what you need. Alun.

If boaters go afloat over Easter, they are in for a shock if they motor out through Mudeford. A big island of gravel has 'grown' and restricts the Run into a very narrow channel at the end of the Quay!........right by the end groyne. This gravel island\bank is well proud at HW and to someone coming down the Run looks like the big bar that was there last year and might tempt the uninformed to turn right [and end up on the shallow gravel!] I'll have to go and have a look at LW. The channel has not been buoyed for the summer yet and just has the two yellow buoys...you wont see these until you clear the big mound! Alun. PS. this Gordon quite a shock yesterday.......he asked if they dredge it out?? I don't think they do.

Mike.......... Come and have a fish out on a 520......... then try some of the other boats club members offer. You'll soon see the + and - points of each. It all comes down to the type and frequency of your trips. Adam's summary is about as concise as you could be....... I love the ease of use of my 520 ... and only occasionally want something bigger! Alun.

Despite the chilly conditions, it was great to get out today. Loads of action with pout and dogs but best sight was first bream of 2008 for me, a lively blue boy bream, just under 3 lbs. Gordon got himself a conger and we both had a bull huss..... .....could be good practice for upcoming species comp.?? Thanks again Gordon for the trip out and the onboard catering.....weather and fishing will soon improve. Alun.

I've got some dark blue Orkney colour if that's any help. Alun.

After two years heavy use, the rachet on my 7000 NLD 'popped'. Quick dissemble [ easy reels to take apart]; I found the ratchet pawl had broken. A phone call call to Pure Fishing in Crewe gets the respone... ' just put an s.a.e. in the post! and new part returned 'with compliments'! I say 'Complements' to Service Dept at Pure Fishing..........again! ; as they done this several times with screws, springs, circlips etc......... ....and complements to Abu reels for being so easy to work on. Alun.