alun j.

Paul, Just a query re. '3 year servicing'....... Do you have to still change things......eg. gear oil, plugs , anodes ?? Alun.

Confused at first........... but found it after playing the other !! I agree with Paul......... what sort of Coast 'GUARD' are they ?? and that cameraman was remiss in not shouting to the helm. Are their 'Rules of the road' different to ours ?? On that tack, Coastguard boat should give way. Perhaps other [ unseen] events were happening......... even so , easing back would have prevented this. Alun.

Further to last post................ Lee has got back to me and said he would post to club members for free. Also check out his site http://www.direct-angling.com Alun. admin edit-made link live

Yes, ' Fatboy ' ; aka LEE........ nice bloke; persuasive salesman ; always willing to help. Paul , all rods same price , postage depends on number [ but mad on one rod ] Tried the chap in New Milton [ who might be your Lymington trader ] but he didn't have any stock when I enquired [ in the New Year ]. Back to Lee........... find him on ebay and see he's started an online tackle store. Limited range at present, but growing steadily ....... with good prices .. eg. check out the link swivels .......... I just got a bag of 100 with my rods.. nice big ones! Alun.

I have just replaced my solid C rod , that ' jumped ' over the side of Neo. I went back to the previous supplier from ebay and got a good price by buying one for Paul F. at the same time and saved postage. .. just over

Nice one Tom, shame some of us have to work !! If they want to try the Shambles during the first two weeks of April [ just before Easter ], I'm on holiday, the weather will be good, and there might be a few plaice and turbot to be had ............. and I'd love to go. Would they steam from Poole ? How long a trip would that be ?? Alun.

Hi Rich, Sat. or Sun. ?? Can you count me in please ? Alun.

Gordon, All good advice [as always on this site ! ] As a good starting point , for stocked rainbows in a pond, I've often found an ORANGE fly gets many takes; something like a 'whisky' fly. Retieved in short pulls and fished a lot deeper in the Spring , when the water is colder. If fish are showing, a nymph can work well, fished very slowly. See you tomorrow ......... if we can find the place !! Alun.

Steve, Where was this ?? Looks like turning wet & windy so unlikely to get a go at them ; unless you were in the harbour. Could the echos be shoals of sprats ?? I've found that even tiddlers can give relections on my little Garmin Fishfinder. Alun.

Envious........or not ?? Walking along Southbourne prom. in the 'warm' sunshine, not a breath of wind and , looking out over a flat calm sea ............ wished I was out there rather than doing familial duties !!! But..... there were no boats [ in my field of view ] so consoled myself with thoughts of nothing much to catch ! .................. and , Paul, you 've rather confirmed that ................... but I still would have rather been out there on such a nice day. Do you too have this fishing disease / social affliction......... to add to that signature one of us uses...... a bad days fishing [ in nice weather] ...is better than ... [ most other things !!] Half term break coming this week and weather rapidly turns downhill ; can I manage a trip in the harbour.........any flounders left ?? Can Rich save me ?? ...... with a Sat. trip on the river ? [ few reports of Friday's trip .. yet]. Did Pinafore get out today ?? Sorry I couldn't join you Stuart. Thankfully, a well stocked freezer can supply the kitchen, but it's amazing how fast it goes down when not being supplemented with ' fresh caught '. Stop garbling Alun !!

just like shore crabs are.......! Who wants a recipe for 'shore crab bisque' ??

Charlie, Have you contacted Brian Thorp and confirmed Sunday.?? I phoned him yesterday to confirm Tues. course and , as of then, No one else had and he was thinking nobody wanted to do it ! Since...... I heard from James he can't ...... so I'm waiting to hear if it's still a goer. Alun.

Hi Simon ......... and welcome to the club ...... the top place for friendly, informed advice and help on just about any topic. Being a member over the past year and a bit has broadened and informed my fishing hugely. I'm a regular fishing out of Mudeford in my little Orkney 4 40 ......... and would have been out last weekend if not for some family commitments.......so missed the action........gulp ! I try to get out most weekends [ when there are fish to catch ....... so Feb. / March is missable!] If you need crew or want to buddy up for an inshore trip........ post here. Cheers, Alun.

Hi Adam, Well done on your trip, productive catching and supportive role in the 'Drama' you described !! I had planned to go out Sat. ..... but with an ill daughter and stressed other half, decided to gain [ rather than lose ] favour. Whilst out, I popped down to Mudeford, late lunchtime, and it looked ideal, with a light offshore N E just riffling the water. Sunday, I had a family 'do' in Dorking ; there seemed hardly a breath of wind before I left [ and all day]....... so I was amazed to read your report on the waves. Where do you think that swell could have come from ?? Sometimes a spring tide does it, causing swell on flat seas.......... but last weekend was neaps ! The wind was light , and had been for days. My only thought is Tsunami - related ; could a storm , or other upset, hundreds/ thousands of miles away have rippled our way days / weeks later???? When you came in [ I presume the tide was ebbing] , which route did you follow ? Was it close to the three yellow buoys and then close to the quay into the Run ?? Glad you got in safe and sound ........ and obviously concerned over my next trip out .......... [ over half term week ] . Alun.

Hi Charlie, I love Abu reels and have several 'spare' reels. Most are brand new but I've also got a few secondhand / reconditioned ones. Have a look around in the shops [ as Adam has said ( good advice !) ] and see what you like. I have reels in 5000 size ...... for the light tackle [ in the harbour / spinning / feathers etc.] ...... where others might use a fixed spool . ....... 6000 size ........ for tackle up to 6 - 8 oz. / inshore .... and 7000 size .... the classic boat reel that will handle most of what's round here and using up to a pound or so of lead. For dedicated conger hauling { not me !!} , big tides , wrecks etc ... those bigger Shimano reels like the TLD 20 or 25 are a good investment. If you like the look of the Abus [ but not the shop prices ], I'll bring a few to a club meeting and offer you a good price. Alun.

Well done Paul, You sound well-chuffed! Do you want some recipes for thornback ....... or did you put it back for me ?? I was planning to go out today.......... and was packing the boat at 7.30 ...... when my daughter turns out to be quiet unwell........ it would have been too selfish to have left mum to cope alone !! ... so banked a few b. points for another [ better fishing] day. Can't do tomorrow with family function on ......... so hope a few fish will still be around for half-term. Tight lines, Alun.

......... and me. No cod / codling discards on my boat ! Alun.

Have a good day........try to keep warm !! Many Happy Returns, Cheers, Alun.

Rich, Just say which Sat. ...... and I'll be there. I'm also able to do a mid-week day [ 13 - 17 Feb.] during half term. Cheers, Alun.

Belated best wishes......for yesterday. Us 'over - 50 s' can be a bit slow at times .. I'll be at the meeting tonight and will put another birthday drink in your hand ! Hope you had a good day, Alun.

Saturday for me ; forecast looks a lot better than last sat. The usual question this time of year...... first light is just before LW., do I creep out on the last of the ebb and try to avoid grounding? ..... or wait for some of the flood and probably miss the best bit of fishing ?? Paul........ what will you do with that nice new , shiny motor and smooth prop ?? I'm guessing you'll go later and not risk the 'dinks' of hitting gravel in 0.6m. of water. Sinbad plans to go Fri. ...... perhaps we'll amend plans after his reccey?? Alun.

I'd like to join in as well. Do you think my little boat is too small to take up there ? It's a bit cramped and slow with two on board [ and no radio ]. I'll be happy to crew on another boat ........ if they don't mind me catching the bigger fish !! [joke !] [ I seem to do alright with rays ]. March is a good time to fish somewhere else!! Alun.

Paul, Are there any flounders in the harbour, or is the water too sweet? The ones in Poole go quite a way up the Wareham river.... but I suppose it is still saltier than Christchurch. What about down in the bottom corner, near The Hut and the landing stage for the ferries.......... plenty of crabs there so should be some flatties. Alun.

Well, the plan was to fish the ebb on X-ray with the wind and ebb running the same way. The forecast was 'Fresh', but with NE being offshore, I wasn't too bothered, thinking there'd be little fetch out there . WRONG !! Slid out at 9.30 , on the first of the ebb ........ but again , little water on the Bar, and , worryingly, breaking waves.......... but no probs getting out. When you are motoring at 15 - 20 mph. that following wind ' vanishes' and you think all is pleasant........... until you stop or change direction !! Put the anchor out with lots of spare warp to cope with the bumps...... and felt that cutting wind on the face.......... so up with the dodger [ my temporary cuddy ].. that's better............ but we are bouncing about a bit ! Sea temp .... 5 C ; air temp .. slowly rising from -0.5 ; squid still hard, even thouigh it's been out of the freezer since yesterday afternoon. Behind the dodger, with lots of layers on, not aware of the wind freshening past moderate to strong........... until the waves and swell are making the doggy hauling too uncomfortable to keep a foothold !! At this point I notice another, even smaller boat [ an open aluminium 14 footer ] , slowly pitching it's way back in from further out. With no sign of any whiting, time to put comfort and safety first......... so up and inshore under a bit of lee from Hengist. Head........... but still pretty bumpy, with a bit more East in the wind. Slow ol' afternoon; pout of varying size; then one good bite that 'went'.... and into something better. Unusual fight; could this be a smallish cod ?? No! , a good size ray....... Thanks to Adam's pointers, I spot this to be a Small Eyed. Weighed back ashore [ far too bumpy out there ] ... 10 lbs. 13 oz. some consolation for a tough day. Left it as late as poss to run the gauntlet and get back up the Run [ half flood and just 0.6 m. over the bar near that middle buoy !!]. Met up with the guys in the ally boat; coming in just in front of me, they missed the second buoy and ended up on the Bar. What fun this winter fishing is. I'm looking forward to when I can pick and choose my day, rather than being tied to weekends. Weds this coming week looks as though it will be much more comfortable [ for the leisured classes !!] So it was squid for supper tonight ........ and skate / ray tomorrow and mon. Bon appetit !!, Alun.

..... and cold !!! BUT....... noth-east and an ebb tide could be not too uncomfortable if you don't go so far out. Got my thoughts on trip to X-ray area........ to see if it still fishes on the ebb for whiting [ and another cod ??]. Don't think the whiting will be around much longer......... the ones I caught last weekend [ 3 lb. ers] had good size roe inside them,. wonder when they spawn? Alun.