alun j.

OK; that's us sorted. Now we have to decide where to go to get a cod ! See you tomorrow. Alun.

Well what did you get ???.........that might add to your fishing effort?? None of us can top Martin's........ he must be well-chuffed.......and will be playing all through the 'dead season' of Feb/March. My little cherub gave me a waterproof digital camera............ so expect more pics posted here from my trips in 2007. I've spent half the day trying to fathom the operating manual !! See some of you out there this week. Alun.

I'm hoping to be there too, ...if I can find crew .....and get to Poole first! Alun.

Looks like I'm up to go out on Thurs. ........ so might be interested in fishing the comp. Is there anyone who might like to join me on Gastronaught ?? Plan will be to go out of Lymington......... I've got a reserve venue in case the weather roughs up a bit, as some forecasts are suggesting. What would suit best would be someone based nearer to Poole, so they could go and book us in, then come this way............. any takers ??

How philosophical !! Gordon, you seem to have taken a cr@p day completely in your stride !! Shame about the anchor........ will you be OK for the comp ??........ and losing your Alderney ring........ didn't the buoy float that off the warp? Back at step one........... if I just had mackeral and worm, I think I'd have gone to the Needles grounds and use that for the whiting [ info I had says Whiting are scarce at Lepe ]. Do you have any plans for Thurs' comp.? I might be out but no firm plans yet other than going on Weds with Simon [ Britboard] on mine. Have a good Christmas..........we know what you'll be wanting in your 'stocking', Cheers, Alun.

That's Lymington........so Needles! Looked like nicer weather to have been out in. Hope it holds to Weds............ Tomorrow and Tues could be good .......BUT....... other demands!! Good luck and Merry Christmas to those that get out on the [ calm] water. Alun.

OK..........Simon. Most probably aim to go from Lymington.......... about 7.30 Confirm Tues. Alun.

Gastronaught is hoping to get out Wed.; would anyone like to join me? Alun.

Thanks Mark, Good evening; I was impressed by the service...... run like military clockwork! By round 2, they knew all our names. Food was much better than I had been expecting.........Well done. Merry Christmas, Alun.

Yes Paul, .... but put part of the economy is down to our smaller, lighter boats with their 'Performance' hulls My trip on Weds. from Lymington to car park and back via a few spots sipped a mere 6 or 7 litres.........at a variety of speeds due to fog and bumpy bits. Alun.

Pretty good Paul; have you got any more??... in your David Bailey moment. Alun.

.......and some sort of depth guage if you use Mudeford. Alun.

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday was clear and sunny, once you got past the Needles, but a bit bumpy in a N Easterly chop. Today I was inland, fishing a river for grayling and it stayed foggy all day [ and below zero!]. At times, it was hard to see the float trotting downstream as wafts of frozen mist billowed over the stream. Hands coped well with the cold, with all the action, but rod rings needed continuous de-iceing [ a companion, alongside, lost a decent fish when his line parted on the ice build-up!]. The sudden drop of temp. slowed fishing this morning but improved by afternoon, even had a few rising to the surface. Great to be out [ on holiday!] and much better than Christmas shopping; I'll have to hope to be able to finish that tomorrow !! Happy Hols. to One & All !! Merry Christmas, Alun.

Well Done Paul, Reward for persistance.......... and willingness to stay on, in the shipping lanes , into the dark! We whizzed back at 23 kts and just made it to the slip in the very last of the light. Met Lady Jane at Lymo slip who fared not as well as us but similar to many of the charters who seem to be struggling for anything other than dogs or conger. Conger put in the most muscular appearance today, with three arm-tuggers to me, best estimated around 30. Dogfish not as incessant as last Sun., but still plenty! At last............ a show of whiting...... about 7 in the last hour; with a couple of 2 lbers. I think they are late this year and may start to be more widespread soon; this is based on their relative thinness. Although in good condition, they look now like early season [oct./nov.] fish, before they fatten up to spawn. No sign of roe in the 2 lber I've just enjoyed for supper........ I'll check the others when I fillet them in a mo. Great to have been out........ the scenery in the sunshine was stunning!...esp. at sunrise , with 'waterfalls ' of fog falling off the white, green-topped cliffs into Freshwater Bay. Did you get that on camera Paul ?? Thanks for the company and crewing skills........ do it again soon. Alun.

Well done Gordon! I think it was you I saw the other side of Parley Cross this morning , just after 8, as I going to work !!.......grrrrr! ; so it was a late[ish] start ?? All the points you make are why I'm going from Lymington on Weds. Then I'll be able to come in when I want, rather than race back before the water goes [ soon after 2 on Weds.]. I'll be looking for the decent whiting that have proved elusive so far this year. Alun.

Ditto, Weds......... first day of my hol. Gastronaught planning to go from Lymo. rather than Mudeford, so I don't have to rush back early to beat the water rushing out of the Run. It's dead shallow near those yellow buoys and the forecast high air pressure will push the water lower/earlier. So we'll be out as early as pos. and weather will decide which way we turn in the Solent. Alun.

Well done Paul !! Makes up for last weekend by loads!! We're all dead envious..... as we unhooked dog after dog. A few conger and some big pout for some variety........ and one solitary whiting, and that was a bit small! My hols. start Wed......... and weather looks promising for getting out. Cheers and Christmas Greetings, Alun.

Ditto me ! Not sure of my fishing arrangements yet........ other than I will be fishing. Happy to crew or be crewed! Can I get some juicy worms?? Sat's tide doesn't look set to go out far , but rising atmospheric pressure may help. Omens don't look good........ small tide......ebbing for much of the fishing time; but should be nice weather, if a bit chilly. Alun.

No Gordon!!.........I will not confirm; not ineptness, just lack of enough bait in the water! See you out there........ somewhere! Alun.

Mike, There might have been a bit of squid left on the hook........ but dwarfed by my Poole 'Snakeworms'. Alun.

Well done !

As I lay in bed at 5am listening to the woeful forecasts, I wondered how long PJ and I would be able to stay out....if at all. With the frost washed off the car, we headed to Lymington and first light showed the ominous red sky...... but a beautiful calm morning. LW at the slip but still enough water to launch. I had a plan but was wondering what the charters were planning [ I thought they would have cancelled with that forecast!]... as they set off for the Needles. Flat calm on the Solent so opened Gastronaught's little throttle. Loaded up with lots of big leads , bait and lots of rods, we still got up to 23 kts. and nearly overshot my mark ! ........ because someone has taken away the nice big buoy I had been using. The little wreck isn't quite where it says on the chart but found it in a few spiraling circles and anchored well uptide. PJ had his bait in the water within seconds and was soon into bites........good old LSD everywhere. My first bite was much more substantial, with a hefty line-taking pull that was no doggy; too much 'spark' for a cod, up comes a nice bass..... just a whisker under 4 lb. The next good bite, tearing line off the uptider, had us both thinking of 'lunker' bass as it banged and ran with and across the tide. Even leaning into it a bit more than normal with the heavier tackle for me, this fish took a good 10 mins to get back to the boat......... and up comes a conger , not my favourite fish, but I was impressed how well this one of about 15 lb ?? scrapped! The wind was starting to freshen by 11 but the fishing went quieter, save for the doggies. A switch to using up some big fat rag.......brought another screaming bite; bass or cod ??.......no!....... another conger!, bit smaller than the first. By 1 pm most of the waves were getting white tops so a careful trip back across the Solent with the dodger up and we kept dry . Some of the swells were pretty roly-poly; I wouldn't have fancied the trip later when the ebb would run into the gale! Thanks PJ for the company, skill with the T bar and crewing; lets hope for a whiting trip over the hols. Alun. PS On the slip, charters were just returning...... no cod, just a couple of conger behind the Needles..... it must have been very bumpy out there!

Not much to report from a trip up the Solent to W.Lepe, where we were part of a group of about 8 boats near the buoy. Big tide pushing through requiring up to 2 lbs lead on the bottom and a fair bit of anchor dragging [ it seems to be a stony bottom] Dogfish from the off , fighting like cod in the tide ....... but little else until HW slack, when Adam has a fish on that he's convinced is a cod [ esp. as we'd just seen Fugazi boat one !! Well done Gordon, makes up for last week !!] Bumping and pumping to the net, avoiding tangles with other lines........ then the disappopintment of seeing a ray; nevertheless..... a nice little spotted about 3lb.8. After another hour of dogged action.........a change to use some of my hard dug snakes....... looking for flounders in shallower water. Lots of action here....... from a seemingly healthy stock of school bass. All fighting fit and returned to , hopefully, move down to that bass mark in a few years time..... but no flounder. Thanks for the company Adam; sorry about lack of onboard catering, I thought we'd have been a bit busier on the fishy action. Never mind, nice weather and great day out! Hope to do it all again tomorrow! Alun.

Jason, You'll have to be more specific; what sort of fishing do you want to enjoy?; do you want to trail ?; how many do you want to go fishing with ?? ............ etc. etc. The more you specify, the more focused we can be. Alun.

Terry, Wouldn't you rather go fishing ?? Boat reviews for days you can't ! Tight lines, Alun.