alun j.

Isn't iit nteresting how we all get different experiences / catches even though being in fairly close proximity ?? James....... yesterday those bream on the Rough had a huge preference for lug; [big , fat , juicy fresh lug , dug on Fri.]. When we were on the bream, they hit the lug within secs. / mins. [ esp. tipped with squid ]; with rag, the wait was much longer [ and peppered with with wrasse ].

Ditto , cooking - wise .........buts fillets in squid and mussel sauce.... .......and now........ extra guests for dinner !! .....an extra plate sir !!

Thanks to Gordon for a trip out on Fugazi, a super day with flat sea , a bit of warming sun and the first of the summer fish showing. Launched from Wick , with Paul and Les on Neo , and crossed the Bar with plenty of water under the keel....... crystal clear, you see every stone on the bottom and the way out is clearly marked [ looks a bit narrow ; when it gets busier , boats are going to be getting very close together !!]. Rounding Hengistbury, the bay was completely flat [ I hadn't seen that for a while], so we sped across to Poole Patch ...... in search of a few bream. Lots of other boats were already on station near / over the rocky outcrops but there was little action [ tiddly pollack and pout] and the rough bottom was claiming lots of tackle. When Paul phoned over to say he'd got his first bream, that was enough temptation to up sticks and join him on Southbourne Rough [ but nowhere as rough as the Patch !]. Plenty of boats here too , but didn't see any action from them as we settled on the anchor.............. but within minutes we were into bream action ..... catching steadily through the rest of the tide. I lost count, but had five , blue, boy - bream in the coolbox and returned a load of others [ and all the females]........ Gordon took the prize for the specimen [ awaiting confirmation from the scales] , a good 3 lber. [ but I think more !]. Best bait of the day ......... undoubtedly, lug, tipped with squid; but all baits caught fish. Several good sized wrasse briefly came aboard , and many little pollack. Finished the trip difting the Ledge looking for bigger pollack [ unsuccessfully ] but did hit the first of the mackeral ........ not a one off, as Paul had a few over near X - ray. Gordon's boat, Fugazi, is an excellent fishing platform, very stable, fast and comfortable. Not only a superb skipper, the on-board catering has to be complemented ........... any time you want crew again, just give me a call. Now let's go fillet those first bream............!! Cheers, Alun.

Hi Paul, Never need to be 'gagging' to get out fishing; you're always welcome, if you don't mind the squash on little old 4 40............ and you're welcome to take her out on your own if / when you can escape midweek when I'm at work ! Bream coming any moment now......... what a good time to sell ! See you soon, Alun.

Hi , I'm going to try a few marks on Sat.; weather seems best on that day [ and leaves possibility of other trip !] I expect to have some of Poole Harbour's finest fresh rag [ digging Fri.] to target bream but will also try Hokkais along the Ledge for pollack at the top of tide [ midday]. I will happily buddy up with anyone new to the area.......... or will crew for you Gordon , if you'd like to share. Looking good weatherwise............ but only briefly !!! Alun.

Me too. I'm sort of penciling in Sat + Mon. from Mudeford. Worm digging Fri eve. Ledge , Patch or Rough ?? Good tides......... just what will the wind gods blow ??? I think those big , blue bream could be here then. !!! '''' dreaming '''zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Alun.

Home PC, supported by McAfee, seems to be A OK. after Scan and delete. Hope work situation resolves tomorrow !! A.

Has anyone else received an email proporting to come from PBSBAC offering to forward communications to their mailbox ?? I inadvertently opened this [ being in a rush at work ] and out pops a Trojan virus ; this was seized by the Anti - virus system but has left my access screwed up in a tangle so that, at present, means I can't get to this site! When I got home and tried again, the Trojan pops up as soon as I click on pbsbac and then gets deleted by my Mc Afee Security. All seems to be well at home; will try again at work tomorrow and see what happens there. Alun.

Well done Paul ! My 'terrors' yesterday were more of a watery sort *; you clearly had a very different sort of day weather - wise............ but fishing sounded similar ! * [ but no real terrors ............ just lots of aches today !! ]. Would have loved to join you today ...... but had some decorating to do , and emergency Brownie points to earn [ not too sure of the score yet, though !!]. How's your score on the Species comp. league table ?? Alun.

Well done chaps .......... sounds like good planning comes to fruition.... ......... and a nice calm day to enjoy it. Fresh bass.......... yum, yum !! We had a piece out of the freezer on Fri.; well past its best, oily fish like these don't keep their flavour well after a few months. Sounds like better fishing will be here soon for us , inshore guys !! Alun.

...... they often get it wrong! As Adam found on Fri., Sat was much the same, and rather mucked my plans. 8 am. at Castletown there was a gentle NE breeze [ as forecast]; easy launch but no road space to park [ so

Well done chaps ! Seems like you know the spots to go. I'm going to give it a go tomorrow, on my tod , in the little boat , if sea is calm enough [ forecast looks good]. Probably will stick on the Shambles , unless one of you can tell me where to get the pollack from ??? Have a good day Sunday ........... looks like it's going to be flat, if a little damp. Cheers, Alun.

Or , Sam, in our case, a few weeks later, in half term. But........... never mind.......... in a few years time, I'll be retiring and go when weather suits......... ........and , perhaps, the bass fishing will be even better , if the Bass Plan gets acted on ??? Alun.

Kam, Have a good day; hope you enjoy your BIRTHDAY and get a few fish over the weekend. Alun.

Sam, Some of us , in our 50s, are still waiting for a chance to be able to go on trips like this ........... but have to work ....... and confined to ' school holidays' for our outings! I'm sure you'll get a job that allows you to fit in plenty of fishing ........... .......... but then ...... when family arrive.......!!!!!!!!! Good luck with forthcoming exams ......... 95 % preparation. etc. etc. Alun. PS. If you want any help revising.......... or tutorial help with 'Science'.......... just PM me.

Have you seen the forecast ????.............CALM WEATHER !!!......... Yippee...[ at last] !! Calm enough for me to take my little boat to Portland, and out to the Shambles. But if anyone was planning to go and needs crew, I'd happily join you and share. Saturday suits me better. Alun.

Martin, Felt for you last Sat........... when I got a phone call from Terry at lunch , back on shore , after calling it a day .......his long haul from Oxford, and your long wait for a day out ............... the weather has been so unkind this Spring ! And it was blowing hard enough in my garden yesterday morning to make me call off my plans.......... and do some chores instead. Next weekend doesn't seem so bad......... perhaps there'll be a few caught in the comp.? Alun.

Paul, Well done on your catch; beats mine from last week ! Sorry I wasn't able to join you yesterday; I wasn't feeling too clever in the morning, got as far as making a packed lunch then saw the wind blowing the bushes about and had second [and third!] thoughts about being bumped about. With other jobs pressing, thought I'd save some 'points' and try to get to Weymouth next w.end on the neaps. Has the water warmed up a bit more yet ? Interesting to read about your 'Tabs'........ must have a look . If they are so good, how come they aren't fitted on new boats as standard ?? Alun.

Isn't this guessing game fun........???............ [ NOT !! ] Early night ....... and see what the morning heralds ! A.

Paul, What are you going to have a 'Go for' in the harbour ?? You might be able to find a few mullet .......... I saw a shoal of sizeable ones in the pool above one of the bridges in Christchurch this afternoon. Looks like it might be a bit breezy tomorrow to go far [ forecast F4 or 5 ....SW. going NW later ] .... just on the limit for me. Alun.

I posted my one wrasse of 2 lb. 10 oz. ...... last Mon.[ 10th.] but didn't bother with the 'tiddly' plaice. Alun.

Hoping you all have a good holiday and catch a few of those late-arriving fish..... .... it can only get better than recent form has provided. Hope to see a few of you out there tomorrow. Alun.

Hi Paul, I'll probably be going out from Mudeford about then. Depending on weather / swell, I thought I might go east, up to Barton or a bit further ........... reasons as per other thread and the obivious lack of fish around the Ledge in this cold water.......... but all plans are likely to change; see what reports come in tomorrow [ Sunday]. Hope to see you out there, Alun.

I'm hoping to get out Mon........... if it is calm enough. Tempted to try over towards Barton for flatties inshore [ where the water is warmer ....... and more so if the forecast sun materializes !!]. All these negative reports could be good cause to try elsewhere......... and may be less boat traffic on a Bank Hol. over there than near Hengist. Head. Waiting to read reports from Weymouth today. Alun.

Forecast looked good for drifting the Swash, so set out to fish the top of the tides through the morning with some freshly dug rag. Zipping through the harbour in Spring sunshine, the wind was not as forecast............ fresh and almost Easterly, not the light N. expected !! Swash was more Splash !!......... so I used Shambles technique and dragged a tripped anchor to slow the windage ............ and got some nice slow drifts despite the waves ........................ Didn't do much good though........ not a tickle !! after two hours [ and it was cold..... air and water ( 7 C) ]. As the ebb picked up the wind eased , so I thought I'd stick to plan and try the Patch. I'd forgotten how rough this ground is............. can't think there's too much silt here , on the Outer Patch, as the bottom comes up from 13 or 14 m. to 8 or 9. Several hook losses later.......... no sign of any bream for me [ and no one else out there ]. Sum total..... one bite.............. a wrasse of 2 lb. 10 oz. The sun shone most of the day, the wind eased for a while before going around through the South [ different again to forecast !!] before freshening again..... to make an enjoyable day to be out despite !! Will Spring 'explode ' soon ?? ........ bringing those harbingers of good sport [some good sized bream ??]. Looks like my rations of fishing time have run out for a few weeks; hope those who get out soon find better sport. Alun.