alun j.

Jack.......... I don't know how much you saw........... but hauling it wasn't !! My anchor is only 2 Kg. + about 3 K of chain. and about 50 m of warp. To retrieve, I simply slip engine into dead slow ahead and pull in the slack created in the rope..... slow but easy. When on top of the anchor, it comes straight up with far fewer trips of the two little cable ties I use. When I move up to that elusive bigger boat, I 'll get to grips with the buoy and ring method evertyone else uses so proficiently ............. I liked the little tip from Paul D. ........about feeling the buoy reaching the chain from the vibrations in the rope. Alun.

my hypothesis adds in the seasonal variation....... walking along Southbourne beach last Sun., I saw the level of the beach and the markers being used to restore sand levels back near the top of the prom. There's been a huge loss of sand from the beaches, hence the dredgers and pumps. I noticed that there was a similar loss of sand off the Bar, down to hard , compact gravel. At low water this means the river water just spills in all directions, ie. a large area of shallows with no pronounce channel. Even without the long-term pattern of sand removal by currents, there is a seasonal pattern caused by the different wave energies of Summer / Winter; the smaller 'Summer waves' are constructive and push sand up onto the beaches [ winter ones are destructive]. With more sand on the Bar, the water is held back more in the Run, which then cuts through making a channel ; faster but deeper water. Alun

Hi Jack, Yes , that was me , out in my little 4 40 [metres] Orkney. The other boat, a charter ?? I presume, called Fair Lady, sidled up to me about an hour earlier , and stayed when they saw my cod, as they had only got doggies where they had been, further out. Fishimg went quiet where I had been, on the other side of them, so I moved closer to the Clan, where you saw me. You must have been almost on top of bits of the wreck?? No anchor problems ?? I was just coming over for a chat [ I have no radio yet ] and show you a cod [ in case you had forgotten what a fresh one looks like ] but you'd up and left before I got my anchor in ! Do you always move about so much ??? Nice boat to travel on.... but you can only catch if you've got a line out [ in this part of the world they don't jump in the boat like that video clip from somewhere tropical !] I'm also getting keen on using berley... and bringing fish closer. Cod for dinner last night was superb.......... and more left in the fridge!! Alun.

Got out as early as I could........ but it was still after 8 before I was afloat at Mudeford....... and only just before LW. Plenty of water inside the harbour but the Run looked iffy from the quay, the swells were making breakers with no apparant way through !! Sliding out with wind and tide behind all was smooth until the hard bottom comes up quickly near the middle yellow buoy......... 0.5 m and even my little tiddler touched bottom between the waves !! A deft bit of power tilt , right up as th waves pushed the transom down, then down with the engine and a bit of power till the next wave breaks ... gulp !!.. about six goes got me through , and no damage. Around the Head and surprisingly choppy with a fresh westerly and those swells in the last of the ebb..............so change of plan...... to X-ray area.......an hour of dogs, more dogs and a few pout. Starting to calm, so up anchor and back to plan A .... edge of Dolphin Sands. All quiet for half hour..... so try the cup of coffee and something to eat trick !! Bingo!!........ cracking bite on light uptider and into something fighting well , and all the way up to the net, a nice fat little COD !!, 8 lb. 7oz. and jumping about like a bass ! Back into the sme spot and next cast a good whiting over 2 lbs. and then another! ................. and then ........ nothing and not much else , save a few doggies for the rest of the day !! I'm sure it had nothing to do with 'Pal 'o Mine' turning up and fishing close by !! No Jack...... just too late for the brief action !! Did you get any where you were , further east ?? Lovely afternoon and smooth ride back in...... but those breakers were still crashing on the Bar...... even close to HW. ! Be Careful..... those of you going out in the morning.... BEWARE THE BAR..... VERY SHALLOW>>>>>>>>>>>>> EVERYWHERE. Tight lines, Alun.

Last minute change of plan.......... .........am now out Sat. Will post if whiting are still about . Tight lines to Sun. fishers, hope the Easterly is not too cold for you. Alun.

Never mind Paul, You often save your best days catching......for this crew member! Perhaps you moved about too much...... find a good spot and bring the flatties to you. Quick change of plan with FPO............ am now out tomorrow, so will post if whiting are still about....... ....... need something for dinner guests; suspect squid will be the starter !! Tight lines, Alun.

Don't you just love those forecasters ?? It seems the more you have....... then the more 'versions' you have to choose from. This coming weekend......... which day will be better?? Sunday's forecast keeps changing....... esp. wind direction At the moment...... I like Metcheck's light southerly much better than BBC's slightly fresher northeasterly. See you out there............ whichever way its blowing.......... as we all desperately go for a last cod of the winter ?? Anyone prepared to guess how long the whiting might be about?? I don't think I got any after Jan. last year. Alun.

Hope you are out enjoying a good day........... Best wishes for this one ............. and many more. Cheers, Alun.

Me too !! Not sure which of the two days.........forecast varies but Sunday might be calmer? In the absence of any other offers, I expect I'll slip out of Mudeford and try for whiting and cod [ho ho !!] somewhere out beyond X - ray if it's flat. Down to my last box or two of squid and last few mackeral in the freezer . Tight lines, Alun.

Martin, The smoked cod you buy is cold smoked [ cured]...... like bacon...... so it needs cooking; this is difficult to do on a small scale. Hot smoking, as described is much easier......... and cooks the fish; like the smoked mackeral you can buy. The cost and time of the cold smoking process means that producers often cheat! By using colouring and flavours, they can reduce the time and cut the weight loss by dehydration. Did you buy the 'Traditional / undyed' fish?? ........... much better than 'yellow peril' ! Alun.

Thanks to Paul for inviting me to join him on the charter trip, not been on one of these for many decades. Quite a different experience, fishing with seven other anglers..... first priority after keeping a footing on a heaving deck, was trying to avoid tangles. I suppose the convergence of about 5 different charter boats onto a small area, after having tried spots further out or up in the Solent either meant this was the best the conditions allowed .........or the response to the radio call mentioning the catch of a single whiting. The weather improved , but not the fishing..... a few good pout [more fishcakes tonight??] amongst the dogs...... one went to 3 lb. 5 oz. The one bit of excitement [ probably a conger ] dragged my tackle backwards some distance before wrapping it around something on the bottom. Agree with Paul, 'twas good to get out ..... on a day when we wouldn't have been in our boats.........I wouldn't have fancied launching in Poole harbour with a strong southerly blowing in the morning. As Adam comments, next weekend looks calm [er] ??......... but I bet it'll be changed many times in the forecast before then! Tight lines, Alun.

Ditto. Alun.

HI Reg, An excellent time of the year.......... expect to catch anything and everything. Bass and sole fishing at its best...... bream still around with all the summer visitors. Lots of keen fishermen here to help. Alun.

Rich, Brilliant........really looking forward to it.........any Sat...... or any day in the feb. 13 - 17 week. Any tips on finding the perch....... worms, fish or lures ?? Cheers, Alun.

Hi Rich, Yes please.........if you have a weekend day over the next few weeks; .....but I am off work for the week Feb. 13 - 17 [ half term] ; is that the same for you Sam? I,d love a go for the perch, I haven't seen a decent one for decades!! Alun.

Interesting.........interesting !! Paul........ what do you want all that room for ?? I looked at the pics. on the Orkney site.......... 590 has 3 of those 5 gallon fuel tanks .............. costs more to push all that extra room about.; look how much heavier the 590 is ......... but I agree ....... nice boat !! I'm still thinking what to do mid - longer term....... that boat fever can come around again like the 'flu. Envious Al.

Well done Gordon, Right place, right time !! That was a snaggy old spot ! I eventually managed half a dozen, with three good - sized ones to 2 lb. but it was slow. Wind got up again after 3pm. .......... so a bumpy first part for trip back in. With a bit of luck the whiting will be about for 3 or 4 more weeks . Alun.

Hi Fug..i, I'm hoping to get out tomorrow, but not until about 9, as I have to take daughter to work. Wind looks light[ish]...... so hope to get out to Dolphin Sands area to repeat recent success with whiting and cod [ I wish !!]. In my little 4 40, this is about as far out as I go .......... but some whiting have been good ones ...... and this area seems to fish in the small tides like those this w.end. Just hope there's not too much east in the wind. Alun. Mob. 07812447587 [ no radio yet.]

No. 3 ..........?? Artistic fish ? How about Pollack ?? ............ as in Jackson P. ??

2 ?? GP = doc. reversed = COD ??

Thanks Duncan, That eel went 32 ish on your scales , on a moving deck. My eel last Thurs. with Gordon was a fair bit bigger, esp. in girth; it had wider 'shoulders' and bigger mouth. As it was lip - hooked and my new digital scales only go to 30 lb. , that slimy devil wasn't coming aboard [ with two up, there's not much deckspace on my little boat!]........... so estimated at a very conservative 35LB. [+]. Congrats. on putting your super boat on a fish for the comp.; must be your turn next to pull up the prize winner for a change , rather than your able crew [ Well done Paul ...... what a bonus birthday pressie !!!] Were you getting some decent whiting ? Where we fished, we had fish all day, all sizes mixed together [ but lots of small ones ] ; several coughed up slighty digested sprats ......... perhaps these fish are about and affecting cod - fishing [but not whiting] ?? Best Wishes for the New Year, Alun.

Gordon joined on my tiddler 440 for a trip after whiting, with the remote possibility of a cod .......... but we weren't in the comp. Freezing cold start at 8.30 ish ; the slip at Mudeford was frozen and launching was ice-breaking to get in......... a slow start as my little Yamaha doesn't like the cold! Flat sea so we ventured out to Clan Mcvey area , hoping to emulate last Sat.'s success; sea temp had plummeted another 2 C [ now around 6 C] Sport was steady all day ......... plenty of whiting but lots and lots of smaller fish, afew good ones in the 2 - 2 1/2lb. class ; not too many doggies was also appreciated. One good fish, taking line with good thumping runs seemed cod - like right to the surface ............. but not today; this was a big eel, at least 30 lb. ..... but it wasn't coming aboard !! ; lip - hooked, it was easy to unhook at the side after avery good show [ but I don't like these things much !!] As the tide eased, the wind shifted and freshened im the SE. The sky grew dark and threatening in the South.......... and we left for home soon after Bliss 2 pulled up nearby from less succesful cod - hunting further East. Best of action before this change of weather. Happy New Year all !! Alun.

Tom, I'll be out fishing.........but not in the comp., as I'm going out from Mudeford and don't want to go to Poole and back [twice]. Probably be on the Dolphin Sands area....... seems just as productive as the Needles for me [ and a much shorter trip]. Will call you up if Gordon or I catch anything worthwhile !! Have a good day, Alun.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Paul, Excuses for the celebrations to continue ............ but a bit rough having Christmas and birthday so close together ?? Good luck with the cod - catching, if you are out on Thurs. Have a good day, Alun.

Amongst other useful pressies....... I have an extra warm hat [ as previous one shrunk in the wash] ......... and some flashy digital scales to keep onboard and get a more precise weight ............in this competitive lark of pb. and % figures. Just need to get out again [ but having to play domestic politics over holiday period !]. HAPPY HOLS. Alun.