alun j.

>>>>>it put an end to my plan of a trip to the Island in search of whiting. Options?? Fish the ebb somewhere in the Bay [ X-ray to the Clan ?] ; wind with tide could be OK ?? Lovely morning when I launched at 11.....except that fresh Easterly that hit as soon as you turn into the Run; choppy\snotty in the Bay but 'unfriendly' over the Ledge , with far too much SE in it!........so the only option for an open tiddler like me is close inshore, with a bit of shelter from the Groyne and the Head. First surprise.....2 mackeral on feathers [but no more].........let's get fishing!! Next surprise is trying to settle at anchor....wind and tide all at different angles; lines running backwards\forwards\all ways! First into little bream.......then another surprise....a feisty bull huss [about 10 lb. but difficult to weigh in bumpy conditions!]. Disappointed at dropping a crab at the net, some compensation.......a little lobster comes in 'fairly hooked'. Things go quiet as I've swung onto smooth ground; re-position a few meters and things go mad for an hour!! A few good size bream [ to just under 2 lbs.], a couple of bass [ 2 -3 lbs.] and just one trigger [ the target species!!] All goes quiet again with the first of the flood; the wind has gone round a notch to the NE [much more comfy now!] and I've gone off the mark again. Getting too late to move again, so it's up sticks to join the 'rush hour' home! What a contrast, the traffic on the roads and the absolute space out on the water! I am enjoying this retirement lark..........and a different species for dinner every day! When \ where next ??? Alun.

Paul, Is it due to corrosion or rough treatment [bumped about in transit]? If the latter, it mat be worth getting some of those soft covers to put over reel [ask Adam , he's got some on his reels]. My reels get a good wash after each trip and a quick spray with WD40 - type stuff , if I remember............and they're fine! Alun.

It was a ...........'..this is heavy'....face!!

Many thanks to Paul for a day out on Imagine........a great fishing platform......on what turned out to be a bumpier day than expected. Boy, was it cold this morning ?? !! [ shorts not possible when I went to get papers at 7!].......and the hot coffee appreciated when we loaded the boat at 8. All still in the harbour but a bit of chop in the Swash and growlers on the horizon. Bait??....I thought.....'We'd be lucky!!' ......fresh mackeral , end of October [so had a cool box of frozen at the ready........but no worries ........plenty at Peveril.......all stuffed with sprats!! So .........off to the Banks to reconnect with some rays...........and found AWOL already in situ.. Anchored up in the vacinity.......but could not match their success, finding mostly dogfish and a bonus big bream for me. Tide eased , bites increased but not the success rate. Rather than re-anchor the flooding tide , we decided to try inshore. Soon into a good undulate ray, but it proved to be a singleton !! Last move , to final mark , provided the most hectic fishing,,,,,,,drifting over the ledge we found some medium - size [but feisty] pollack to finish our day and fill the cool-box with some filletable fish! Great day out Paul..........tell me when you are free to target the whiting next?? Many thanks, Alun. Species Comp. Points ;- 4 x mackeral = 4 + 1= 5 pts. 4 x dogfish = 8 + 2 = 10 pts. 4 x pollack = 20 + 5 = 25 pts. 1 bream = 3 pts. 3 x garfish= 6 pts. 1 ray = 5 pts. 6 different species = 40 pts Alun J. total = 94pts.

Not my experience!! There seems to be a few probs with some of the C4 reels; these are the ones with the blue end plates. I think the Big Game series [ the gold ones] sorted out whatever was up........mine have been 'brill'......as long as you wash them! Shimano.......tougher, heavier and more to set drag into 'bite\take' mode Abu..... easier to scratch\bash [but still works fine], lighter and nicer to fish with. I've never had probs with side plate screws; perhaps linked to lack of washing\corrosion. Alun.

Having tried to pick Les' brains over info. of Mudeford squid, we managed to arrange a late start on another gorgeous October day to combine some of my experience with his. First off was drifting the Ledge to see if any fresh bait was available [water temp still 15C and water full of plankton]......surprise , surprise....... a few mackeral showed up, plus a pollack and a gurnard. Over on the Trigger area things were slow to start.........but when a bit of ebb started, they came in steadily, peppered with loads of pout [ but very few bream!] Fishing was completely distracted by one of the best sunsets I've seen in ages! WOW! Time for squid said Les.........and took us in the opposite direction to what I was expecting..... drifting a featureless spot out from the Head. We tried three spots but it was all very slow [perhaps the ebbing tide not the best??]. Les managed two tiddlers.......small in size, but big on ink!!; the first squirted everything in finest blue-black! We were both keen to try for a sole.........these have eluded me so far this season. I fancied trying a spot new to me to broaden experience. Travelling across the Ledge in the dark was also new to me and I was wary of all the pots and gear there.........and rightly so.......even at less than 10 knts, the buoys jump out of the dark at you , and we had three close calls!! Sole fishing in 3m of water was slow ........the temp fell like a stone ....and a land breeze freshened [ winter gear required........after shorts\T-shirts earlier!] Lots of different species came to the 'stinky'worms and eventually pout predominated. Perseverence paid off though and I got the 'target ' species [ 3 sole , with 2 good size ones.... yet to be weighed!]. Two whiting also showed up, small [but not tiny!!] ........I hope this is a sign of a better run this winter. Another productive trip; cheers for the company Les......and your pot-spotting night-eyes. Alun.

A 7000 NLD. ......but it might be a tiny bit more for a little bit less!!! ......but ........ less is MORE !! Alun.

.......That's because Martin's got a big net.......on a long pole.......and you have to be pretty strong to wield it [empty!!]. But ........it works a treat!!!........Thanks Martin!

What a nice day; What a good boat; What a great skipper !!!! He always puts me on the fish!!! Two years ago we , had a great day on Maverick.........and today was just as good and rewarding and the weather was glorious [ topping up the tan!!] With all the tide, we spent much more time moving about..........but it was fun and we had action everywhere [ even sorting tangles was OK as it was flat calm !]. We seemed to get the rewards\luck to match our experience....inshore, it was me that stuck into the fish........offshore, Martin was the one who found many more blondes........shame they weren't as big as the area can produce; nevertheless 14.5 of spotty battling in the tide took some arm-aching retrieving! Thanks again Martin for a brilliant day; enjoy your Holiday later this week, Alun.

..........I've got a spare 7000 NLD.....brand new!

I can also recommend Towsure in Southampton; they did mine on a Sat. morning. Alun.

7000 LD ........loads about.......hence

I think the 7000 NLD is a much more useful reel in these days of braid. You won't find these for

So Mike.........were the tips productive??? I had to leave before the best bit of the tide in that spot. Don't put the triggers in the frezzer.........enjoy them at their best.....1 to 3 days old, filleted and skinned....turned in sizzling butter with little else!! Bon appettit!! A.

Brilliant !!! Brilliant !!! You guys certainly know how to have a good time! If ever you're looking for someone to join you........please PM here! Alun.

Having read these posts, I'm glad I am 'Unbraked' and 'Sealed' !! I run \ push mine in well over the axle and never touch anything save a squirt with the hose on return........... no maintenance, no trouble ,,,,,,,,for years.......of frequent use!! Alun.

Hi Lee, I fish out of Christchurch all year.......but Feb \ March can be very slow with little but dogfish on offer on inshore marks.........BUT..... the run of mild winters may herald a change as we are getting more 'unusuals' turning up all the time. The Run \ Bar seems to change every year; whilst the red and green buoys are lifted, the commercial boats leave 3 or 4 [yellow] buoys to mark the best route. Often the whole area goes flat and featureless with no apparent route, but, over the last couple of years, a big bank has formed at the end of the Run; this turns the river 90 right and keeping a deeper 'channel' of sorts straight out to sea. I wonder how long it holds???........possibly until a surge of river floodwater combines with a storm??? Because of the short days and rougher weather, winter fishing is often a non-starter from Christchurch; Poole has some advantages for fishing [but not for lauching a trailed boat like mine] and Lymington is often a more rewarding area with a good slip. Welcome to the best club going! Alun.

Hi Rob, Good to see you enjoying these superb conditions; great pics., I like the last two. At first I thought it was one pic. taken at the surface.....looking above and below! I've got a waterproof Pentax Optio.....but have been brave enough to stick it under the sea yet! But then what would I 'snap'.......tiddlers going back?? Alun.

Well done!!..........a reward for that massive effort. Makes our bass look like baitfish! Alun.

Cheers Martin, I'll be looking forward and keeping fingers crossed for good weather to hold. Alun.

Hi Martin, I'd be more than happy to join you on AWOL. .........and hopefully repeat success of two years ago!! Alun.

What a nice day!!!.........shorts and T-shirt still all that's needed! Snatched a few hours between my 'nursing duties' and slipped out mid-mornng from Mudeford. Absolute flat calm.........water temp. 15.5C......and loads of fishy action on the surface Pleasantly surprised to find plenty of mackerel still about......these are now stuffing themselves with fry..........and even caught a sizeable bass on feathers whilst bagging up for bait. Tried inshore.........in my vain attempt to get amongst the triggers........but only found tiddly bream [ it still is summer in the bay!]. Moved out to the sand banks of X-ray area [ to get a few doggies for tomorrow's club event] ; found the inevitable but also latched into somethings much more feisty .........first was a smoothhound[starry and small]......next was thorny and much bigger [8 lbs. is not big, but a good size for the table!!two nice wings for later in the week] Quick chat with Paul on Neo [who also seemed to be enjoying the day] before a quick dash home at 2. Smooth 22knts back into the Run and not even a bump over the Ledge. BBQ'd mackeral for supper............Summer's last fling...these next few days?? Alun.

Looks like a calm day tomorrow.......hoping to get out and catch a few fish for Thurs' meeting on 'Fish prep.' With domestic 'situation'......... looks like going out mid-morning from Mudeford, back mid-afternoon. Spare seat on Gastronaught if anyone would like to join me. Alun.

Hi Al, It was me that came and said 'Hello', just about 12.30, on our way back in. We didn't fare as well as you, though some of the boats around us did have a few sole. Soon after we started, about 12 or 13 boats [mostly from Lymington end] all homed in on a patch 50 - 100 m from us. Sport for us was slow and all fish on the small side, gurnard, whiting, bream, bass, dab and then a flurry of pout..........none of the target sole. Disappointing, as I've had consistent success in past years when the conditions were as good as last night. Tried a bit of exploring a bit further to the west; on finding a bit of bottom with some 'features', dicovered this was snaggy ground and lost a few sets of gear. Will definitely have another go before it gets cold. Alun.

Have a good trip Paul......hope you enjoy the rest of the day......and have a more successful time than we did last night. Many Happy Returns, Alun. PS Any nice pressies??