alun j.

Now you can go fishing again!! ......when the weather allows........ ......and the season ......and work .....and your nearest/dearest .....and the tides ......and bait..........and....and.....and......!!! Alun. [who didn't get out this week!]

3000 Posts !!!!! Congrats. to the club's most active correspondent. Well done Adam ........ on all the useful postings and PMs. Alun.

Paul, Is this something 'big'? Does it have a 'pointy' end and a 'blunt' end ....... and cause lots of heavy sighs at home?? Curious...... Alun.

Adam, Congratulations and Good Luck again on the house-hunting; you will be fortunate if that goes as smoothly as your boat buying and you manage to avoid problems in 'chains'. So now you have your 'prospective' purchaser, have you found somewhere that suits?....... with room for the boat........or are you going to put her in the river? Good to see you got lots to keep you busy through the 'off' season, can I pop round and have a look one afternoon?? Cheers, Alun.

Nice one !!! Pretty much as I envisioned back in Dec. !! A little more 'Warrior' ........ and a little less 'Blue'. Have fun fitting her out to your spec. and you'll soon be out amongst the action. What's first?? ......... Shambles plaice/ turbot or the wreck pollack / cod ??? If ever you're looking for crew ......... I'll bring the home-baked bread. Well done, Alun. Must deserve a glass of bubbly !

Good luck chaps..........sounds like a real expidition! Don't forget a decent First Aid kit. Alun. PS. Looks like I should have gone out today..... but was put off at six by the pouring rain and rotten forecast .......but there's not been a breath here since!

.........and on a Friday too !! Hope you feel better soon Paul, and it doesn't spoil your weekend completely! Alun.

Not looking too bad on most sites........ so I'm undecided over Lymington or Mudeford....... for a morning session before windier stuff comes in later. Anyone like to join me and help make a decision? Alun.

Sat. 10th. All the forecasts are putting the wind in the East to South for Sat. .......so I'm planning to go from Lymington and fish the Island side. Seat on Gastronaught available; I wonder if the bass will be there? Will confirm Fri. eve [ to check forecast's not changed] Alun.

Ho, ho ho........ forecasters confused as usual! Snow or rain for us tomorrow???.......I'll go with rain. Looking at their view of Sat.........BBC gives westerly wind; Metcheck goes for easterly; Winguru goes for southerly.......but swings their direction arrows all ways over the weekend. If it turns out to be anywhere between south and east, I'll probably go from Lymington and tuck in the shelter of the Island to see if any more of those Feb. bass are about. Would anyone like to join me? Alun.

Hi Charlie, Any special plans for May 1st.? Alun.

Interested.......... .....but working!!........ .....sick !!....... ......again!....... ......another trip I can't do!! ......and us teachers are supposed to have all the hols.!! .....not so good if you can't use them. Alun.

Happy Birthday Paul, Travelling and away from home.......not the best way to spend your birthday. In my reckoning it will be several years until you day falls on a weekend again and you get half an excuse to go fishing. Enjoy the Belgian beer if you can .....and catch up soon. Cheers, Alun.

Cheers Dom, Hope you are fully recovered now. Don't put your gear away just yet.....if the water stays this temp [ above 8 C], the fish are still feeding inshore..... the bass I had Sat. had well digested fish in it's stomach. It looks like flounders are still about...... so I'll be out and about for a few weeks . Alun

Gorgeous morning, with only a gently fluttering flag on the RNLI building in Lymington when we left just before 8. The big flooding tide made the trip down the Solent a bit bumpy, the swirling waters throwing up lumps on the surface but nothing to those at the Bridge, where it was pretty hairy for a few secs., requiring some controlled surfing in my little boat [ 'I wasn't scared......really'! said Gordon, unconvincingly....... but he was loooking backwards]. Rounding the Noodles and it was straight into an Easterly blast; wind over tide; I didn't fancy another 2 miles into that, so kept in close to the cliffs and motored up almost to Freshwater, then came back out to the deeper water. It wasn't too bad; fishable with about 1 lb. of lead. Dogfish action from the 'Off', but nothing else. The wind [ I thought it was going to be a nice calm day!!] got upand turned a bit more into the East.....and when swells start hitting the side, I think it's time to move [ no disagreement from the crew]. Being close to HW, we cut through the gap between the Needles and avoided the Bridge and int near perfect calm.......... it wasn't, the wind was coming down the Solent as well, but the contrast made it seem so. Up in Totland bay , we anchored on a drop - off and were soon catching. Between the doggies, we had a couple of 2 lb. pollock, a bass just under 3 lb. and a variety of different size pout that got Gordon all-competitive, until he almost fell asleep in the sunshine! A pleasant end to a very mixed day.......and the fish in the cool box was a bit of a result; I don't think I've ever had a table-sized bass in Feb. before. I hope Gordon enjoyed the pollock, we had ours with a lemony herb crust on the fillets. Alun.

Simon, Ask Terry........he has a repaired reel to try out .......... and a cod to catch! Alun. [confined to Sat.]

Adam......I feel for you!! What has happened to honour amongst gentlemen?? I would have thought that a deposit secures against gazzumping. Could you save up a bit longer.........and go for new?? That new one I saw Christmas time in Lymington.....with a gleaming new Honda 150 on the back..... looked just your ticket. You'll get there soon!, Enjoy the weekend's fishing, Alun.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Martin......hope you have a good day! I expect there'll be a few lined up for you this evening in the meeting. Few of us get as special a present as yours this year....... you'll just need to find the time to enjoy using it. Cheers........and don't work too hard today, Alun.

Who's coming with me on Sat.?, PJ or Gordon H.? Martin, are fishing Poole grounds or joining us S. of the Needles?; looks like being a nice calm day to open the throttle on AWOL! After all the rough weather days, I expect everyone might be out this w.end and could easily be 40 + boats in field of view...... but how many codfish ??? Alun.

I'm going from Lymington on Sat. and the forecast is looking increasingly sunny and calm. Anyone like to join me on Gastronaught? Gordon H. ? [ Codmeister ]....... ..........or is that only on Fugazi? Alun.

As soon as you start to firm up a few ideas............ something comes along and attenuates the plans !! So, for me , Sunday's off but Saturday is on ! Anyone wanting to join me at Lymington ??........ or a morning trip for flounder [Poole or Christchurch]?? Sat. beginning to look sunnier and less windy than a few hours ago....... aren't these forecasters fickle?? See you at Thurs.' meeting, Alun.

Sunday looks the calmer day and a slightly smaller tide. Mark, if you're looking for crew, I'll join you or buddy boat. See you Thurs? Alun.

I'm up for a trip on one day or the other [ not sure which fits better domestically yet !!]. There's quite a big tide and LW at that time means getting back into Mudeford is no prop..osal! I might be thinking of another floundering session on one of the mornings but the prospect of a nice calm day for a last cod session is also attractive. I might be guided by how easy it is to dig bait! With the meeting on Thurs., perhaps we can arrange then? Count me in for something, Alun.

You're such a tease Adam........... ........ come on....... let's have the score..... .....and the reason you missed a good day on the water yesterday! Keen and curious, Alun.

Paul , you should find two piccies of Dom's fine, first cod. One half of which was much appreciated by me and my dinner guests last night. Menu.....: Starter:- spicy tomato confit with squid on rocket salad with homemade bread. Main :- grilled cod fillet with butter seared skin served on stir fried egg noodles with sweet red chillies [ very mild] Dessert:- tarte au citron. Alun.