alun j.

My sympathies also went to those results separated on the toss of a coin. As these were with the smaller fish, on scales designed for bigger weights than the 2 lb. calibre of flatties, pout etc., could the club invest in scales to descriminate to a finer tolerance than 1 or 2 ounces?.......... perhaps a set of those pan-type digital scales in shops [ like those for ragworm].......... I,m sure those to separate 5 - 10 grams, or 1/4 oz. would have sorted the prizes fairly . The wegh in could have two queues....... BUT......... congrats. to Charlie and the other weighers/ recorders working to be fair ........ in the cold, under lights and wobbling spring scales. WELL DONE on the day. Alun.

I 've got a few more new reels for sale: 6000 and 7000 size I'll bring them to the meeting Thurs. or PM me if interested Alun.

When I log in, the links to other parts of the site seem to have disappeared recently. Is this something on the site or my computer?? I'm talking about the boxes that used to be at the top where you could jump to home, forum, members area etc., but is now just blue bars with pbsbac 2005. Alun.

Many thanks to all committee members and helpers for making yesterday successful and enjoyable........... despite the chilly weather. Organisation, atmosphere and company was brilliant.......... well done! Being fairly new to competitive angling, I learnt a lot......despite not being on form with my fish - finding calls for the day. I'll definitely be giving it another go next year. Thanks again, Alun.

I'm still using my ancient Mitchell 300 / 400 s....... I think I've got 5 of them!..... they do the business with everything from trotting the river with 3 lb. line for dace and grayling .......... to bass and flounder in the harbour .......... and coped admirably with the feisty salmon in Canada last summer. Even though they get washed every trip they don't like the sea and paint lifts off the spool.......... but they still keep going 'Seagull' style, due to simplicity.... ... and I've even found websites for spares , in the States. I don't think the reel is too important.......... if you are happy using it, confident and it works properly ! Alun.

Sinbad will be out with Paul F. and Alun J........ ......but still not sure where we will be launching from. Thurs night and the weather webs are all different for Sunday's wind speed. A.

........and I went to Needles area in my little 440 .........but did slow to 15 mph with the tide against the breeze. .......easier coming back........[and prettier!] A.

Hey Martin, Where's your report, weren't you you out today with Dean and Rich ?? I thought you had smelt cod in the colder air?? A.

............ but the fishing , for me, was not up to last week's , or Adam & Gordon's result! About half an hour behind Adam leaving Mudeford.......and it was still fffffreezing, -2C but 7C in the water........... and 10C + as the sea water surged up the Run..... temp. difference being the cause of the thick mist for a metre above the water.......eerie...... esp. when pushed along by the offshore breeze. With the sea just into double figures, thought it warm enough for another go after the bass on the Ledge. Dropped anchor close to last week's success spot....... and straight in......... to frisky dogs......5 in 5 mins!!..MOVE..50 m,further onto the rough........ one more dog then nothing apart from a few pout for an hour. 300m move to similar spot........... same result........... what's wrong?? ....... the water looks different........ murkier/ lost its green sheen! Choice to make....... X-ray? or Needles? Not confident of whiting at x-ray and expecting wall to wall dogs......... ......Needles...........and the calm sea just makes it in range for my little boat. Pass a huddle of boats near the end of the ledge........ but its a bit choppy here with wind over tide.....so press on.......... to the boat park about one to one and a half miles south of the white rocks. Just settle on the anchor....... and up pops Blue Warrior...... with tales of cod and huge eels...... on route for change of mark. Their lack of whiting had me worried; and so it was.......... lovely sunshine, scenery and fresh air [ now feeling warm]. Action slow......... dogs, pout...... then one massive take and a scrap for ten mins. that was so typically EEL.........why don't I like congers???........it wasn't coming aboard but somewhere in the common 20 - 30 lb. range . One solitary whiting made it to the fish box.......... and I'm just off to cook it for supper. Played Mr. Helpful on return ,after 20 min whizz back into colourful sundown; two chaps on first outing on their new Raider 18........ with no waders ; then found Adam's wheel clamp on the slipway, keen to get his cod home ?? Better luck next week ?? Alun.

For my 'sixpenneth'......... I will suggest.......... Mackerel is the bait for a few more weeks.......... there are sprats and herring about and mackeral press the same cues. I rate X-ray for whiting............ but not just yet, this year....... can't get past the dogs. ............... look at these dogs............ there's a lot of big females there now ; are they getting ready for something biological........ if whiting are hitting the sprats then they should outnumber the dogs soon........[but when??] I'm off to the Ledge.......... water's still holding enough heat to try for bass....... and the mackeral will take cod , if they are about............ had two tiddlers in Oct. If plans fail........... two options.......... X-ray ON THE EBB.............or whizz across and join boat park south of Needles ; where I reckom your chances are about 20 : 1 ............. 40 boats .......2 cod . I've no idea how good the whiting out there are yet. Will post tomorrow, Alun.

And I'll be over on the Ledge............ but completely silent........ too busy fishing or will it be keeping warm ? Alun.

Just clicked on to Metcheck......... as they try to look further ahead than BBC.... and shock/horror........SNOW....!!! I know they ham things up tabloid style and exagerate extremes....... but they are pointing to an icy northerly blast at the end of this week. Wonder what this will do to water temps.? If the harbour cools , at least it will put a slowdown on the bait robbing crabs [and give the flatties a chance?]. Now where did I put my gloves from last winter [and not been used yet]. Alun.

Hi Martin, We could have our own little comp. on Sun. Poole v. Christchurch....... ?? One for bass and one for a cod ?............. a couple of boxes of squid for each?? Alun.

See you there Paul.......... .......I plan to go earlier and be back in earlier with the look of the tide. Alun.

Well done Adam ! Worth the trip when you get a good fish like that. How far south of the Needles did you travel ? Did that 'armada' of boats spread out........or was it close company? Are the tides big..........meaning big leads to get bait down. Looks like the weather will continue into the weekend , with Sun. forecast with less wind...........I'm trying to decide whether to try Needles grounds or stick to the Ledge where big bass were last weekend. Water temp. may be the decider; last weekend it was 13 C............ into double figures and I'd think of bass. Have these colder days had much effect?; what was it out there today? Back of my mind is the rminder that my pb bass was caught at the very end of Nov. , a couple of years ago. Are you out again this w.end?? Alun.

Hi Tom, Well done on being able to get out on what seemed to improve into a lovely day [looking out the window from work]. How big are the herring? I've tried several times for them and never succeeded! Were you inside the harbour......... and the 'channel', the main shipping channel, e.g. around the Aunt Betty buoy ?? Herring would be a change from bass for dinner !! Cheers, Alun.

Looks like a few others got out this afternoon and enjoyed the change in weather. Although still a bit fresh when I went out of Mudeford just after 11......... negotiated the the swell and ebb on the Bar.....then ran into the breaking surf near the Ledge, so steered clear and went further out.......looking to get to X-ray area to fish the last of the ebb [ whiting ???] The reality was limitless numbers of dogfish...........30 secs. to a minute was all that it took them to find the bait ! ............ so I went back to the Ledge, had lunch and waited for the tide to change....... and appreciated the surroundings as the sun came out and the wind dropped..........and no one around. More doggies told me I was not close enough to the Ledge; by the time I'd repositioned the tide was starting to flood and action from the 'off'. Pout first.....getting bigger with each fish........a few 'monster ' doggies [ easily over 2 lbs ......but not weighed .........they went straight back]...... ..........then BASS ACTION....... six fish over the next hour or two....all sizes but two crackers............ best was a 9 lb. fish............ my best this year.....what a fight ...........taking at least 20 m. on each of three runs. No doziness on my part this week..........played out it slipped into the net and before I could plan the recipe another was on the line !! Next best fish went 6 and 1/2 lbs. and what a fat fish [ with a real 'cod belly']; this is the one we've [ 6 of us ] just enjoyed for supper and I found it was so fat as it had in it's stomach the following :- one of those ' jumbo pout', a good sized crab and several bits of mackeral [ groundbait]. Packed up just after 4 and whizzed in on flat calm sea........ covered in smoke from bonfire [steamer point ??]........not wanting to do the Bar in reduced light; swell still running ....... this place can be scary in winter with swells, few buoys and shallows everywhere. Tips for anyone out tomorrow............ get close to rough ground, use mackeral and avoid the doggies. Tight lines, Alun.

Well done Martin, ..... that sounds good; I'll have 12 boxes [one case?] at that price.............. and will collect for anyone else who lives over this way {Christchurch} if it helps. Alun.

Don't forget the CHEESE.........

Hi Charlie, Only just weighed the flounder......... typical size for the harbour..........and just the one. But I have added to catch report............... if this weather continues [ and there seems no break in the stream of 'lows' forming in the Atlantic] , there will be very few November fish in your book ! Get out when you can !! Cheers, Alun.

Had hoped to get out onto the Ledge today.............. Terry B. phoned earlier in the week having seen a 'weather window' for today........... by yesterday all forecasts had changed and gales were in prospect.............. so zoomed off from work to dig some rag before dark......... to allow fallback into harbour and a few flatties possibly??? An early start this morning was unbelievably beautiful.......... flat calm and clear; was it worth risking a trip out??........ all forecasts were even more pessimistic; I didn't want to run home after an hour.............. so harbour it was........ ............... and what a good call............ ....up the Wareham channel on the flooding tide............. and straight into a bass or three before Terry got a bait in the water !! A steady stream of bass of all sizes............ float, bottom or baited spoon , all caught............... in between battling the ravenous hordes of crabs. Great sport on extra light tackle.............. 3 1/2 lb. bass able to show their mettle. Seven good size bass to share, several returned, one badly net-damaged but recovering and a few thin and out of condition fish [ surprising at this time of year]. Only one flounder.......... but a good one. Then the snotty weather kicks in..........ebbing tide, foamy surface and waves and no more fish. Thanks Terry for a good day out on your super boat.........I think you might be going back for that sport ..... on another day soon?? Cheers, Alun.

I have a couple of brand new red 6000 's for sale at

Smoking............... is the best thing I've had done to eels......... In previous tears, when eels were more abundant, I've taken them to the Dorset Smokery near Hurn Airport........you get them back a week later.......smoked and vacuum packed. Costs a bit but well worth a real treat. Alun.

Well done fellow club members !! Everyone contributing here has sound, considered arguments and , in our own, individual ways, shows we care about our environment and our impact on it. I was out with Paul F. [ Sinbad ] today on a blustery [ but warm and thoroughly enjoyable ] day .......... in the harbour [ after declining the Ledge]......... and got through a pile of rag.......... feeding the crabs and baby bass !! But we did get two sizeable bass and two flounders......... which we took.......... and carefully returned at least 30 small bass....... all in fine condition ......... fighting much better than similar size dace in the river [ similar tackle !] We also had two good sized eels......... one lightly hooked and returned; one came in deeply hooked and bleeding, so kept it and had it for supper. NB. ........... culinary failure !!!! ........... nice sauce, but no one liked the eel; tough, greasy [ perhaps undercooked !!] , not a good texture. Next time I'll try the slow stew in red wine !!! I trid the 'pan-fry' after listening to this weeks edition of Radio 4's food prog., all about eels. Bass tomorrow will be appreciated better. Alun.

Duncan, Conger's quite good to eat .......... but very bony....... esp. towards the tail end. A small bit !! is very filling with a sweet flavour and very white meat. The texture is unusual....... the opposite of flakey.... soft but firm at the same time !!{ I know this sounds contradictory......but try it and you'll see what I mean !} Cutlets from the shoulder end are best ....... the rest is mostly used for soup, to which it adds good flavour; the basic fish in those wonderful Frech soups. Any help ?? Alun.