alun j.

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.

Well done Sam ! Do you think my trick of the snout grab / pinch would work with bigger fish for keeping them quiet / still when unhooking ?? Alun.

The fresh to strong East - N.east wind upset plans to go to the Rips on Sun. [ a bumpy ride up to the Ledge confirmed decision]. Another struggle to find mackerel........ 7 in an hour or so !!.....and wind getting up. Comfort suggested a trip across to Barton to get the shelter of the cliffs.... what a difference [ and warm sunshine to boot]. Geared up for 80m.+, we were fishing in about 3m. ........... but a good tide running.......... just the weed to deal with. A steady stream of fish; turbot, bream, small eye ray, bass, spider crabs [ kept for supper..... gorgeous!], dogfish. Weather calmed and tide eased, so went back out to the Ledge........ where it was dogfish central.......... but found a few bream, pout, poor cod, wrasse and a small tope [ just under 10 lbs.], a first for me .....don't they wriggle a lot on board when you unhook them?; I grabbed it firmly on the snout and it completely stopped! until it went back in the water. I think these tope must move about a bit! We first saw this fish follow a little hooked bream right to the side of the boat [Jaws - style], it then took Neils bait on the retrieve and snapped his light bream line. Within 3 mins I hooked it on the bottom , in 21m. and brought it in, wrapping itself in my 18 lbs. hook length. An early finish on a suuny afternoon on what seemed a very different day to the early morning.......... but too late to go Ripp...ing. Hope others enjoyed the Comp. and scored lots of points. Alun.

Hoping to get out to the Rips on Sophanna, with Neil, ...... if the promised calm weather holds. Anyone else fancy a buddy -up ?? Thanks to Duncan, Adam and Martin for numbers......... hope we can build on recent success. Alun

Tony, When / where are you doing the course?? Any room for another?? I should get a radio, esp. if I move up to a bigger boat. I'm at work till the end of July, so weekends or evenings would be only times I could do. Cheers, Alun.

And be careful using your carbon rods !!

Hi Mike, Southbourne Rough has a good variety of fish, though many seem to be small ones. Keeping on the move will increase variety, I went there both days last weekend, anchoring up produced but mostly the same in any one spot, Doggiesat one, pout at the next , bream at another. Both days saw the charter boats out there coming to join us ......... they anchored, but didn't stay that long before moving. Mackerel....... ???........ bit of a mystery........really struggled mto find a few! Alun.

Weather looks calm this coming weekend, especially Sunday, even if a bit dull and damp to start. If anyone would like crew, I'd be glad to join you, help with fuel costs etc. It would mean an early start, but that's good and often a flatter sea than later, but not necessary if this Metcheck is to be believed. Alun.

Second weekend running........ and other trips...... and I'm having great trouble finding the mackerel for bait. I've tried drifting, trolling; deep water, shallower; different size / type of lures.... ...... and am only picking up the odd singleton!! No shoals anywhere inshore [and little better last wek off-shore]. Are they away spawning ?? [ I noticed the early ones in May had roe] Is this common this time of year? I realised that I would normally be fishimg with worms this time of year so maybe have been unaware of temporary lack till school hols has me out more regularly. Learning curve?, Alun.

Thanks guys, This isn't going to be an easy call; there are so many variables to consider. The stimulus for considerations has come from: * kids growing up and being more independent......... * giving me more time to get out fishing [but not in Rich's league] * loving wife [running her own business, taking more of her time] knowing , at last, how important this affliction/ life force / work-lifebalance thing we have is * catching the ingredients for the best meals. Add to this the stimulus this club has fuelled........ I'm needing to try new grounds esp. to cover those lean months eg. March/April on the Shambles........and I must try that bass fishing in the autumn....... And the amazing bunch of friends this club holds together........ and help each other out.......... amazing......... and true socialism. I will keep pondering and work on the pros./cons. through the next six months fishing trips. But having said that, I may not want to come back from Canada this summer!! Cheers, Alun.

Thanks Duncan, Yep ! I've got those points floating around in my head, which keeps coming back to the Orkney......... and the 5 90 is an even nicer pckage than the 5 20 but not sure I could handle that on my own ?? Cheers, Alun.

Thanks Martin. I appreciate the technical details......... the info re, speed / economy especially. You didn't mention launch/retrieve....... I see lots of boats going in/out at Mudeford and rarely see Warriors here [where I normally slip as it's so close and convenient for me]. Would you think the 165 reasonably manageable, single-handed ?? How much water do they need to slide off / onto the trailer?? And would my car [ golf diesel tdi ] be up to the tow?? Plans, plans ............thanks for the input, Alun.

Help and experience appreciated........... .........I've had three brilliant years using my little Orkney 4 40; always felt safe and it's been utterly reliable and very economical..... but am I outgrowing it ?? I still love trips on my own, and here 4 40 scores, as she whizzes along at 20 + but only on a flat sea, otherwise the ride is very bumpy; but I find I'm having more trips with crew.... and then I'm cramped and slow. I've also enjoyed trips further afield, to the Needles and now been to the Rips and my appetite has been whetted !! I've got a small and building 'boat fund' and see retirement on the horizon [within 7 years]........ so I'm thinking and planning , albeit slowly. In the next year or two, I could move up a size ......... a 5 20 or a Warrior ?? I'm thinking ...... 5 20..... similar qualities, more room, still able to use easily single-handed, light enough for smaller, unbraked trailer [ I've noted trailer problems in postings , esp, with brakes]........ but is it too small ?? [ I note Paul D. wants a bigger boat]. Warrior........ the popular boat....... a lot of you have one....... great fishing area, fast, safe , good ride, esp in the short chop we often get......... but.......... is it too heavy to launch/ retrieve alone?? ........ that big braking trailer seems a handful to push about . My neighbour has an Explorer Elite [similar boat], he manages single-handed but he's younger and stronger than me! Can anyone add other points and / or suggest alternatives and I'll have a more focused look at the Boat Show in Sept. ?? Cheers, Alun.