alun j.

Adam, What a well-kitted boat you have. I noted with curiosity the 'cooker, gas and cooking equipment'! When do you get time to cook on board?? My expeience says it's usually too bumpy to do anything with hot liquids and naked flames . Usually fishing is so busy....... there's hardly time for a tea/ coffee before something needs seeing to......... and ........ when you do open the sandwiches....... that's the time you'll get the big bite that makes you drop it on the deck![ or gets it knocked over!]. Just envious of BW. Alun.

......... trying to fit in fishing .......between diy jobs , shopping, gardening and social commitments etc. ........meant....... fri afternoon........bait dig for worms + cockle gathering ...... sat. early morning trip to Ledge ......... masses of mackerel but very few small ones and no joeys.......... but impoved my method of keeping a few alive in big bucket. So many mackerel about nothing else got to to mackerel strip baits......... hitting them going down.......or up! BUT........ not a bite on livebaits. Moved a bit to where I was getting triggers last year........but none yet this year [anyone else had any?].......... and picked up a 4 lb. bass on the light, fish strip tackle............ still no takes on the whole mackerel.......back in and home for 11 with plenty of bait for the winter!....... and dinner menu sorted. sun......... a family day out in the sun.........walking the Purbecks........ saw boats bashing into that fresh westerly and big tide........ hoping it would calm down for the evening. Still fresh at 7.30 had me in two minds over sole fishing plans........ but westerly and veering a bit decided to give it a go. Leaving Mudeford at 8..ish needed some throttle to get out through the Run as big tide was charging in! A fast and wobbly rollercoaster ride to Barton with the tide and wind got me there just as the lght was going. Anchored inwater that went fom 3 to 4 metres with swell and quickly found the area is stuffed with fish......... mostly small bream and bass. If the sole were there , they didn't get a chance........ every worm was grabbed in seconds........... by either bass , bream , smoothies , one solitay pout [ which promptly coughed up tiny, little sole] and, closest to a flatfish........ one small eyed ray. Coolbox catch return ......... one sizeable bass; five medium bream. Highlights.......... spectacular moonrise........big orange ball over Hurst, just as sea calmed down;......... phosphorescence in the water [if only they could put that in washing-up liquid!; that would get kids to do the dishes!] ....... and fishing with really lght tackle........screaming reels in the dark. Tight lines, Alun.

Oops!......... try again

24 lb. 'spring' or chinook salmon.

Paul, Cuttles well worth keeping........... just drop them in a bucket of water and they stay alive for ages. I find they eventually get 'knocked-out' without inking; but even if they do , it's only in one bucket [ easy to flush out!]. With a little experience , they are easy to prepare and brilliant on the bbq [30 sec flash/ sear on each side].........YUM YUM !!! Alun.

........and a lot of travelling! A chilly start at first light , with a cool northerly coming off the land, as I set off from Mudeford. [ Jet Lag had me up early]. Found mackerel on the Ledge, but no joeys. With the calm sea , thought I might trip across to the Needles for a go after those well-reported bass....... ....... but my little boat doesn't have a live-bait well.........just a big, wide bucket. I filled this, added 10 frisky fresh non-bleeding mackerel and set out for the 6 mile trip at about 15 mph ; the small chop bouncing us about a bit and 'shaking' the water in the bucket...........but you guessed, when, in 20mins., I got to the Bridge Buoy........... all but one were non-revivable!! Nevertheless, I joined two other boats drifting [nearer to the Needles]; using portland rig with large single , lip hooking bait.......... I watched the sounder as we slid sideways across the rocky ledge and depth going from 15m.........up to 7 - 10 .....the down to 20m on the south side. Third drift.........bang.........good bite..........mackerel gone ...no fish ! Analysis..... bait too big for single hook.........back to my usual Pennel , with second hook nicked just over 1/2 way along........ only problem, no more live bait. Several drifts with dead fish.......no takes; no luck here with feathers and with the ebb picking up........... thought I'd go with the flow. Half way back to the end of the Ledge, stopped and found a few more mackerel, but still a bit large for bait......... but put one out and drifted a bit, moved in a bit, drifted a bit more and so on, keeping bait alive and covering a lot of ground. Drift-fished right across the Ledge on the ebb tide.........not a touch, save for one cuttlefish [saved for bbq]........so change of plan. I don't like the Ledge on the ebb....... so motored over to Southbourne Rough and tied onto a pot/net buoy....... have you seen how many there are there at the moment ??.......near some uneven bottom; livebait on one rod, fish strip on the other,,,,,,,,,which catches????........fishstrip........straight into a blonde ray 10 lb + but then the hordes of baby bream hit and then big dogs........ so another move Start of flood.......so back to the Lookout to Inner Ledge area, anchor up and repeat............ plenty of fresh mackerel [ but still no joeys..... sods law!!] Managed one sizeable bass [on strip] ........... but none of the bigger bream or triggers I'd expected. Lots of boats out, didn't see much caught.........but a gorgeous day Alun. PS Anyone had any triggers yet ??

I've been reading these posts on the bass fishing........ so will have to get out and try myself......... ........between catching up on chores, d.i.y., garden....and all the things you come back to after being away a few weeks. ......... and only a couple of weeks before it's back to the grind! Alun.

Appropriate Canadian adjective.............AWESOME !! Alun.

Just got back from visiting friends and relatives on Vancouver Island........ a little island [the size of England] off the coast of a HUGE country. I will post more details later.....but in five little trips I certainly experienced variety: * spinning off a breakwater into over 100 feet of freezing cold water, trying to avoid fronds of kelp like treetrunks .... hauled out the most fiercesome fish you'd ever seen , a LINGCOD about 10 -12 lbs....a huge head full of teeth like a baracuda .........but it had to go back as it was in a conservation zone [ but I could have kept it if I'd been a Native Indian !! { hunting rights}] * charter trip out to Swiftsure Bank ........22 miles out water comes up from 500 feet plus to about 300.......rods like poles , 2 lb leads, drifting with huge plugs or lure spoons on spreader boom........targetting HALIBUT....but.......rough conditions [ cross between perfct storm and our 'wind against tide'] what skipper called a 'snotty sea' only allowed sealegs to stand 30 mins. ...... but each drop produced a fish ........ lingcod [keepable,,,,over 70 cms.= about 10 lbs], seabass [not like ours; these look like the American freshwater bass [perch without stripes] and dark brown; some bright orange [ I mean fluorescent] rockfish and a cod [ like ours] but this got eaten!!; between hooking the bite and winding up from the depths......something had bitten great chunks out of it and there was little more than head,tail and bone in between!! Back close inshore we joined a fleet of boats trolling with downriggers, using a hure lead ball on a wire to hold your bait / lure at a fixed depth [ 40 - 60 feet down in about 80 -90 feet........just a few yards off the coast] Up and down, up and down at about 2 mph..........until BANG,,,,,,, a fish hits and pulls the line off the downrigger and you now have a salmon on basically a flyrod with a centrepin reel and no lead,,,,, and a lure with a single barbless hook [Canadian rules]. Most boats carry on , using the engine to help play the fish; but I asked him to stop,,,,,,,and 15 - 20 minutes of arm-aching fun got me a pb salmon of 24 lbs. I saw two other boats hook into fish in a 30 min. spell, then all was dead...wierd! * other new experience was fly fishing off the beach; swallow water , wading out in thermal waders at first light after pink salmon [ trout sized fish 2- 4 lbs] and wow! do they fight!..........but hard work to get just one fish!.....a lot get off those barbless hooks Fantastic place to go fishing........spectacular scenery keeps distracting you BUT fishing is not easy........there's lots of water and concerns over fish stocks, fish farms and conflicts of interests I'll post again in a different forum on the rules and regulations .......... I could see it coming our way in the not too distant future I will definitely be returning there to fish again.......armed with a little experience. Alun.

Mike, With bigger tides this weekend............ you'll find a variety of action [ and not too many LSD] along the stretch from Hengistbury Lookout along to the Groyne; not far out there's deep water but in my experience the tide needs to be flooding. Tight lines, Alun.

Keep us posted.........I'm hoping to go sole .....ing on Fri night , when wind should be lighter and more NW. Barton beckons?? Alun.

I've been out a few times recently for short trips.............. mainly taking visitors for quick mackerel bash for bbq. When I have had a chance to put a bait down........... I also have noticed the relative dearth of bream this year , but lots of tope [little ones] in with the usual dogfish [even more abundent than usual] Not had any triggers yet..........one more chance next weekend, before I'm off to Canada for holiday; so it might be the end of Aug. before I get a few !! Alun

Kam, Only Dover Sole................... and three days is probably not enough at fridge temp. Skinning......... yes, that's the method, but it's much easier many days later. Catch a couple of smaller ones and try experimenting with different days... ....any from the fishmongers could easily be well over a week old. Alun.

Hi Dan, Well done..............a smashing size fish; don't be in too much of a rush to eat it!! It will improve greatly if you leave it in the fridge......... 3 days at least! Unlike most other fish, its tissues produce a flavour enhancing compound over several days............. other fish lose the chemical as they age , in store. It is also easier to skin as the fibres soften after a few days [ and easily a week]. Enjoy your catch.......... I'll be chasing them soon. Alun.

Sounds like burning the candle both ends !!.......... Can he cope long - term?? Perhaps I'm envious, jealous [ not of little babies about], or just getting older and slower !!.....??? Great to hear of sole around.......... hope to manage a night session later this week, .......... just love those sole !! Alun.

I wish !!! Thanks for the offer.......... but my students [ and their ecology field course] would miss me!! ........ and even your super, big boat, couldn't take us all! Have a good , tope-tastic weekend Cheers, Alun.

.........and I'm working away, all weekend......... in/ around Swanage watching all you lot glide by on flat seas !! Hope it lasts for Tues , so I can get out ?? Alun.

I'm picking up a 20 - 50 lb class one this afternoon...... [ a lot less than the figures here]... Anyone wanting a look, I could bring them along to meeting thurs. I thought the shortish length a drawback.........but, in use , it actually helps! Pulling up weight [and/or fish] , the extra leverage of longer rods is very tiring; these are so light and easy to use all day......... they are ideal for lure fishing/ jigging..........BUT.......... I was pleasantly surprised how easy they cast the usual 3 - 5 ft baited trace. I still put an uptider in for lobbing out the whole, live mackerel. Alun.

Hi Duncan, Hope your 'unwanted' visitors didn't cause too much damage; it's so expletive-making upsetting when things like this happen........ to spoil your weekend. Well done on the fishing.......... sounds like some consolation, even though the weather doesn't look very 'summery'. Didn't Dave keep any of the fish............ I've never tried tope, but Rich has.... and you sometimes dee it in fishmongers. I'd probably prefer the mackerel and my fish cuisine books rate it well down........below dogfish!! Happy hols., Alun.

Ater a busy [ LIve 8 ] weekend........... a windy Sat. morning kept me at home.... lots of D.I.Y brownie points earnt......... I pointed to the drop in the wind at lunch time yesterday............. Do you want to go fishing , she asks !! Just a couple of hours; get a few mackerel for supper ??? And so it was.............. they are back !!......... in our neck of the woods. But within minutes of getting over the Ledge......... up comes a Southerly, of at least 4 !!.... soon followed by lumpy waves!! Good to see ol' stripey back in number.......and some big ones putting a bend in light feathering tackle......... But no action on the bait / live joey.............. Also made the mistake of trying on the Christchurch side [ to escape waves ]..... but this is weed collection HQ...even after 30 mins, the anchor had 1/2 ton attached. Light the BBQ, mackerel fillets and tomato with Balsamic ... xxxxx.. When will the triggers be next on the menu ??? Bon appetit !! Alun.

Hi Terry, I'm having fun this year with the solid carbon Maxximus rods from Fladden. They sre so thin.......and so light to hold; they have brilliant bite detection and tippy to start......... but up the wellie...... and they are solid !! The 10 - 20 is a fairy wand but still pulls up 8 oz plus weights ; 20 -40 sems the business for all the heavier action......... I used it on the Rips trip , fishing deep water with hefty weights and pollack and rays still gave a good show. I've now got a 20 - 50 on the way......... to cope with the biggest tides. I also have a few uptiders........... the length is good for casting and control of long traces......... but they can tire your arm if you are doing a lot of winding [ against that extra leverage]. If you get to thinking of an uptider........ give me a call.......... and I can lend you one or do you a good deal on one from my collection !! Have fun........and get fishing [ more often!!]. Cheers, Alun.

Can I change my mind?? After a bit of research, Duncan's right...... the spots to the edge = BLOND. Looking at the photos on various websites......... you can see the variability in colouration. Most blonds I,ve caught have been 'blond', with hardly any spots, just sand-coloured. AND.............. Duncan is the ray - specialist. Well done............both. Alun.

I agree with Adam......... never had a swivel break ........ nor had one that swivelled properly either!!........ Good for joining bits of end tackle but only 'spin' those twists out when you take the tension off the line. If you lose tackle, fishing rough ground, go for the 'cheap and cheerful'. buy in bulk on ebay and keep your tackle box topped up! The big chrome ones can be useful when lure fishing........ adding extra weight and flash in the water. Alun.

No , not blond. Would go with 'spotted'. A.

See their eyelids, the way they come up from below ......... weird!! Alun.